The End of an Endless Summer: Jeffrey Foskett Remembered
The longtime go-to guy for The Beach Boys and Brian Wilson left us at age 67
Following the Beach Boys’ much-heralded 50th anniversary reunion tour in 2012, Brian Wilson suddenly found himself without a band.
Rumors persisted that his cousin Mike Love had summarily dismissed him. Whatever the reason, Wilson turned to his friend and faithful stringer, Jeffrey Foskett, a man who once accompanied Wilson on his solo tours, for a sympathetic ear and the comfort of friendship.
After all, Foskett had, in effect, been an honorary Beach Boy since 1979, when Mike Love spotted him and his band Reverie, and subsequently recruited them to be his own backing band during his tours with his own brand of Beach Boys throughout the ‘80s, including the unlikely success of the “Kokomo” era.
Foskett, who died this past Monday, December 11 at age 67 from a rare form of thyroid cancer, was, in fact, always a Beach Boys aficionado. He became enthralled with band early on after first hearing their classic “I Get Around,” and in 1976, he actually made an unannounced — and somewhat audacious — visit to Bran Wilson’s Bel Air home. After knocking on the door, Wilson invited him in and from that point on, the two became fast friends.
As Wilson would eventually discover, Foskett was more than merely a fan. Once he started touring with Wilson, he not only became Wilson’s go-to guy and musical director, but also the singer responsible for effectively recreating the Beach Boys’ all-so essential high harmonies, and in some cases, even the lead vocals. He not only worked with Wilson on tour, but also in the studio, appearing on the majority of Wilson’s solo output and his revamped version of the legendary Smile album in 2004.
Consequently, it was little surprise when, in 2012, he was tapped to perform as part of the Beach Boys backing band on the aforementioned reunion tour and album, That’s Why God Made the Radio. There again, Foskett’s falsetto contributions ensured that the band’s trademark sound remained intact. He was even assigned lead vocals on several songs, including “Don’t Worry Baby” and “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” in particular.
At the same time Foskett’s tenure with Wilson continued for another year, including while Wilson partnered with Jeff Beck. Eventually though, he had to take his leave, citing a workload that had become too demanding.
It was hardly surprising. A guitarist and singer since early on, he first began playing surf music cover songs in his native San Jose, first with his band Cherry, and later with two other outfits, The Reveries Rhythm Rockers — later shortened to “Reverie” — and The Pranks, the latter of which were given the honor of becoming the house band at the famous nightspot, The Troubadour, on Sunset Strip.
As it was, his hiatus was only temporary. In 2014, he rejoined the Beach Boys, now under the sole aegis of Mike Love and Wilson’s original replacement, keyboardist Bruce Johnston. He also contributed to Love’s two solo albums, Unleash the Love and Reason for the Season.
Nevertheless, his bout with thyroid cancer, first announced in early 2018, naturally impacted his ability to sing falsetto, and in 2019, he permanently retired from the road. It also ended a sterling solo career which produced several superb albums — Thru My Window (1996), Sunny’s Off (1996), Christmas At The Beach (1997), Cool and Gone (1997), Twelve and Twelve (1998), Love Songs (2019), Vintage Summer (2019) and Voices (2019), as well as various compilations and a duo album recorded with America (the band) collaborator, Jeff Larson, the tropically titled Elua Aloha.
His efforts won him several overseas accolades, including that of Top Selling Artist of the Year in New Zealand, Best New Foreign Artist in Japan, and membership in the “California Rocks” contingent at the California Rock Hall of Fame.
So, too, his reputation also won him the admiration of others, leading to tours and recordings with any number of notables, including Paul McCartney, Roy Orbison, The Everly Brothers, Eric Clapton, Michael McDonald, Ringo Starr, Roger McGuinn, Heart, Eric Carmen, Christopher Cross, Micky Dolenz and each of the Yardbirds’ seminal guitarists — Beck, Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page, making him one of the very few musicians to ever do so.
Nevertheless, his work with Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys will live long as a part of his legacy. Upon hearing of his passing, Wilson remarked on Facebook, “Jeff was always there for me when we toured and we couldn’t have done it without him. Jeff was one of the most talented guys I ever knew. He was a great musical leader and guitarist and he could sing like an angel. Love and Mercy to Jeff’s family and friends, we will remember him forever.”
Beach Boy Al Jardine added his own tribute to his former bandmate on Instagram, saying, “He was so talented on so many different levels but it was his wonderful sense of humor that kept him balanced and helped him navigate all the hard knocks you get in the music business. Jeff had a contagious positive spirit and never gave up hope. God bless his beautiful spirit and zest for life, we will really miss him and cherish all the great times we shared together.”
Indeed, for fans of Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys, the loss of Jeffrey Foskett is a loss nearly as large as an original member. He will be missed.
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