Glen Foster is a Canadian singer songwriter, music producer, entertainer, multi-instrumentalist and president of his own companies Rescue Records, and Parent Publishing and Productions. In short he is a “do-it-all-myself” kind of guy.
He has been performing professionally for more than 40 years and has released 10 original albums featuring his own compositions, many of which include self-produced music videos. In 2023 Different Highway was selected as a Top 10 Indie Pick Hit on CashBox Radio, and Christmas In Vancouver from The Spirit Of Christmas was #3 Cashbox Top 20 Pick Hits Dec 2021.
Foster is no stranger to large crowds and the rigors of touring. He was front man of his own band called Falcon, signed with Quality Records in the 80s, and lead guitarist for several years with WEA’s Ray Materick of ‘Linda Put The Coffee On’ fame. Live appearances include The Ian Tyson Show, Tommy Banks Show, The Cave, P.N.E. Gardens, Orpheum Theatre in Vancouver, Ontario Place, Massey Hall, El Mocambo, and the legendary Riverboat in Toronto. He has toured Canada extensively from coast to coast on the same bill with Lighthouse, Sammy Hagar, Dr. Hook, Jose Feliciano, Valdy, Jesse Winchester, Stan Rogers etc., performed at the Richmond Ozone for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, and plays regularly at music festivals, pubs, concert and dance halls on the west coast with his band Glen Foster Group.
Foster was a professional music teacher for over 20 years. He has studied rock, jazz, Chet Atkins finger style, Hawaiian, and classical guitar, having been awarded two silver medals from the Royal Conservatory of Music.
Glen Foster has a t-shirt that says 'a legend in my own mind'. "Well" he says, "you have to believe in yourself if you want others to believe in you. I've been around long enough to know that if you have a fragile ego it's easily shattered". Being in the music business for 'over 40 years' certainly qualifies as ‘long enough’, and he uses that in a line from a song on his latest album, 'I've been emerging for over 40 years, everything's so clear like the words I hear here in my head, I'm Seeing Red'. "If you're an 'emerging artist' and not all of your dreams are coming true, it's easy to be discouraged. It's no wonder people get angry (seeing red) or depressed" he says. Another line from a song expresses that, "in my deepest damned depressions in the darkest, dreary night, inspiration springs to lift me to new heights". Foster has certainly been inspired over his lengthy career having recorded 10 albums, and toured the country several times over the years. He's performed in legendary places like the Riverboat, el Mocambo, Orpheum, Massey Hall, and has appeared on several TV and radio shows, working with various luminaries in the entertainment industry. "I met Elvis once and he told me son, whatever you do don't be a name dropper! That's a line that I borrowed from one of the Burnettes" he chuckles with tongue in cheek. This all leads to his latest project entitled simply 'Compilation', a new album of old songs. "It's a collection of my favourite songs that I've written and recorded over my career. Like someone's 'Best of' or greatest hits, these are my 'nearest misses'" he jokes. "I've produced a collection of my favourite compositions on different formats. There's a 24 song digital download version and a LP vinyl record with 10 tracks, representing the best of my best. It wasn't easy whittling it down to 24 songs, but the nothing's ever easy, is it?" There is also a 4 song version (not commercially available) on CD and digital format strictly for radio stations, podcasts, online programs, television, music mags, and booking agents for live performances. Foster explains "those 4 are re mastered tracks that have never been properly released and promoted. When I looked back through my catalogue of literally hundreds of songs, these 4 stood out. I really think they are some of my best and most loved songs of them all, and among the first songs I ever recorded". Those tracks include I Do It For You, which was the B side of Fosters first 45 single released in 1978, and Los Alvarez from his first album Walk Into The Mirror by his band Falcon, which was distributed by Quality Records around the same time. "I was so fortunate to be able to work with Daniel Lanois in his studio (Grant Avenue) on my very first album. I worked with some of the top names at the time including Lanois and his brother Bob, Bob Doidge from Tranquility Base, Rita Chiarelli who has become an international Italian blues artist, and members of Ray Materick's band (who I was gigging with at the time), plus Bill Dillon, Ed Roth, Sonny Del-Rio, Terry Bramhall and lots of others. I realized that these were excellent productions that sounded fantastic by any standards and were very well constructed tunes". Two more of those four songs are Love You Forever (from an EP by Foster and Eakins) produced by Scott Littlejohn at Nanaimo's Intimate Sounds, and Meant For Me a super-charged, high energy number by a band called The Now in 1979 at the height of the new wave and punk rock era. "Those songs give me shivers when I hear them now, among the most emotional of all my recordings! That's why I feel they're at the top of my list." Love You Forever was co-written with Ray Materick, who penned the hit song Linda Put The Coffee On, in 1976. "We were rehearsing one day and Ray started playing these three chords back and forth, improvising lyrics, and it was so mesmerizing that I'll never forget it. Together we came up with a very simple two chord chorus, and then it was shelved and forgotten. Years later when my son was born in 1982, I was inspired to write these beautiful, poetic lyrics and bring the song back to life". Life for Glen, of Glen Foster Group is a little more laid back these days. He still performs regularly, sometimes with a band but more often as a singer-songwriter either solo or in a duo with his forever wife Maggy. Gone are the days of national touring, airplanes, Cadillacs and equipment vans going from gig to gig. Locally there are festivals, small bars and folk houses to play at today. "I just thought the time was right to produce a Compilation album, after having released my tenth album last year. I'm still always writing new music but between albums I wanted to release something digitally that I'm happy with, that includes exciting new material which sounds terrific and fresh". He adds "I also keep busy making my own music videos and promoting them on social media, plus I'm writing a novel for the first time." Life may be laid back nowadays but Foster's still as passionate and enthusiastic as ever. Just take in one of his live performances or grab a copy of Compilation and see for yourself. Rescue Records staff writer.
Unnatural Tendencies Apr 20, 2024 Glen Foster Group, containing the singles Different Highway,
Seeing Red, Don’t Need A Reason, Final Act Of Defiance, Hammer Pull, White Funeral, Me & Maggy
and In The Green Room. CashBox Radio selects Different Highway as a Top 10 Indie Pick Hit.
The Spirit Of Christmas Oct.15, 2021 Glen Foster. 12 tracks including the title track which was originally released with The Twelve Guitars of Christmas in 1986, 35 yrs ago , on a red vinyl 45 rpm record and re-released digitally in 2011. There are instrumental tracks on solo guitar, and vocal arrangements of seasonal hits. Guests: Marty Steele, Ken Hamm, James McRae, Marisha Devoin.
Single: Christmas In Vancouver, with Elise Boulanger, placed #3 on CashBox Top 20 Pick Hits Dec 2021.
Feelin' Alive! July 5, 2021 Glen Foster and Friends. 14 tracks from a Live Concert recorded Feb 21, 2020 plus 2 Bonus tracks recorded in the Studio by Glen Foster Group in 2021.
Singles: Three Man Band and Friends Like That which placed on CashBox RadioTop 50 Picks for 2021.
Not Far Away Apr 24, 2020 Glen Foster Group with Featured Guests: Brent Boehler, Elise Boulanger, Thomas Neville, Jay Stevens, The Skallywag Skiffle Kings, The Cryptomnesia Choir
ROCKABILLY FEVER placed Top 16 finalist in The Rockabilly Rumble Original Song Contest 07/21
PARTY OUT THERE TONIGHT placed in Tinnitist Top Ten Music Videos of 2019
Singles: Party Out There Tonight, Rockabilly Fever, Feel Alright, Brains Brawn and Beauty
Party Out There Tonight Apr 9, 2019 Glen Foster Group 4 song EP. Includes Rockabilly Fever and the Title Song (co-written by Glen Foster the musician and Glen Foster the comedian 'That Canadian Guy')
Music Alchemy June 1, 2017 Featuring: Mark Crissinger, David Gogo, Paul Gogo (Trooper), Marty Shepard (REO Speedwagon)
Singles: Crashing Down, Cactus Whiskey, Stepping Out On Saturday Night
Leaving The Lagoon Dec 1, 2015 #1 on CHLY 101.7 Nanaimo Top 30 in Dec2015 and Jan2016, #13 on The Independent Radio Show Playlist (syndicated to over 3000 radio stations), added to CBC National Radio Virtual Music Library
The Reckoning Sept 1, 2012 Videos: Reckoning, This That These & Those, Someday (It’ll All Work Out), Easy Rolling. Single: Pixelated Man
Trusted Tried & True Feb 1, 2010 Guests: David Gogo, Gerry Barnum, The Turtle Doves. Destination Desolation Sound video appeared on BC Tourism website for the ‘Vancouver, Coast and Mountains Region’.
Walk Into The Mirror/The Falcon Apr 1, 2008 compilation CD of two previous albums, including the single Los Angeles winner of a 1980 talent contest on CKOC Radio Hamilton, as selected by Neville Grant.
The Spirit of Christmas and The Twelve Guitars of Christmas, a 45 rpm single on Red Vinyl was initially released in 1986 and received national airplay in Canada. The 25 year anniversary re-release of Nov 2011 features digitally re-mastered mixes.