Fosterchild

{{Short description|Canadian band}}{{Infobox musical artist | name = Fosterchild | image = Fosterchild.JPG | caption = Fosterchild, circa 1977. (l-r) Barry Boothman, Peter Sweetzir, Vern Wills, Jim Foster, Gerry Wand | image_size = | origin = Calgary, Alberta, Canada | years_active = 1976–1981 | label = Columbia Vera Cruz | past_members = Jim Foster Vern Wills Peter Sweetzir Barry Boothman Gerry Wand Doug Johnson Gordon Marr Dwight Thompson Bob "Mickey" Mathews }} '''Fosterchild''' was a rock band from Canada that existed from 1976 to 1981,<ref name=canbands/> releasing three albums.

==History==

===Membership history===

Fosterchild was formed in Calgary, Alberta, Canada in 1976 by Jim Foster and Vern Wills, both of whom had first played together as teenagers.<ref name=Allmusic>John Bush, [http://www.allmusic.com/artist/fosterchild-mn0001764778 Profile of Fosterchild]; Allmusic. Retrieved 2012-08-02.</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20160312112415/http://jam.canoe.com/Music/Pop_Encyclopedia/F/Fosterchild.html Profile of Fosterchild]; Canadian Pop Encyclopedia. Retrieved 2012-08-02.</ref> In 1976, the band was signed to CBS Records Canada at the initiative of producer Bob Gallo,<ref name=canbands>Dan Brisebois, [http://www.canadianbands.com/Fosterchild.html Profile of Fosterchild] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110614033124/http://www.canadianbands.com/Fosterchild.html |date=2011-06-14 }}; CanadianBands.com. Retrieved 2012-08-03.</ref> then head of A&R for CBS Records Canada.<ref>[http://bobg.dmusic.com/bio Biography of Bob Gallo] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130121145444/http://bobg.dmusic.com/bio |date=2013-01-21 }}; dmusic. Retrieved 2012-08-10.</ref>

The band's music was categorized as rock, with country influences,<ref name=canbands/> as opposed to country rock, with most of their material written or co-written by Foster and Wills. During their first recording contract, Foster and Wills were discouraged by Gallo from writing predominantly pop songs.<ref name=canbands/>

The core membership of the band was Foster and Wills, on guitars and vocals, initially with Gordon Marr on guitar, Dwight Thompson on bass and Bob "Mickey" Mathews on drums.<ref name=wand2>E-mail correspondence with Gerry Wand, August 8 and August 12, 2012.</ref> Gaye Delorme produced the band's first demos, at Edmonton's Sundown Recorders.<ref name=canbands/> Prior to recording the band's first album, Peter Sweetzir was added on keyboards, while Barry Boothman replaced Thompson on bass and Gerry Wand replaced Mathews on drums.<ref name=canbands/><ref name=wand2/>

===Recording and touring history===

The band released three albums and had two nationally charting singles, "Until We Meet Again" and "I Need Somebody Tonight".<ref name=Allmusic/> The band's regular touring base was primarily western Canada.<ref name=canbands/>

Fosterchild's first two albums, ''Fosterchild'' (1977) and ''Troubled Child'' (1978) were on Columbia Records, both recorded at Little Mountain Sound Studios in Vancouver, with Bob Gallo as producer.<ref name=canbands/> The ''Fosterchild'' album is notable as featuring renowned session drummer Larrie Londin,<ref>[http://www.discogs.com/Fosterchild-Fosterchild/release/3342749''Fosterchild'' album credits]; Discogs. Retrieved 2012-08-08.</ref><ref>Gerry Wand, [http://brucelarochelle.wordpress.com/2012/08/10/learning-by-example-larrie-londin/ Learning by Example: Larrie Londin]; August 10, 2012. Retrieved 2012-08-12.</ref> who had previously been a drummer in Elvis Presley's touring band and recordings.<ref>Uncredited, [http://www.elvispresleymusic.com.au/articles/tcb_band_larrie_londin.html TCB Band - Larrie Londin] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120913152028/http://www.elvispresleymusic.com.au/articles/tcb_band_larrie_londin.html |date=2012-09-13 }}; Elvis Presley Music. Retrieved 2012-08-12.</ref>

Gordon Marr left the band, following the release of their first album.<ref name=wand2/> In 1978, following the release of their second album, ''Troubled Child'', Doug Johnson was added on second keyboards for the band's tour in support of the album.<ref name=Sweetzir/><ref name=wand>E-mail correspondence with Gerry Wand, August 9, 2012.</ref> However, record company interest in the band waned, and their cross-Canada tour was cut short. Their relationship with the CBS ended thereafter.<ref name=canbands/> Barry Boothman left the band at this point.<ref name=Sweetzir>[https://www.youtube.com/all_comments?v=1I5xRuNnMsI&page=1 Comments of Peter Sweetzir], 2011, refuting a commonly published assertion that it was he who left the band after the second album. Retrieved 2012-08-07.</ref> Doug Johnson also did not continue with the group, beyond touring in support of ''Troubled Child''.<ref name=wand/>

In 1979, the band signed with Vera Cruz Records, based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, and released their third album, ''On The Prowl'' in 1980.<ref name=canbands/> The album was recorded by Foster, Wills (replacing Boothman on bass, as well as playing guitar), Sweetzir and Wand, assisted by Mavis McCauley, from One Horse Blue, on background vocals, and John Wesson on saxophone. They commenced touring with One Horse Blue, another Vera Cruz recording artist, but encountered similar tour interruptions<ref name=canbands/> due to financial issues with the record label.

===Post band break-up===

The band continued to perform until 1981. Foster then joined One Horse Blue, and in 1986 released a solo album ''Powerlines'' on RCA Records, followed by the independently-released ''Artist's Print'' in 1998. He wrote songs for One Horse Blue, Doug and the Slugs and Patricia Conroy. He also co-wrote songs with Murray McLauchlan, Rocko Vaugeois, and Lynda Scott. In 2009, he released another solo album, ''Lone Bird'', on Quest Records,<ref>Jaime Vernon, with notes from Mark Fancher, [https://web.archive.org/web/20151223080840/http://jam.canoe.com/Music/Pop_Encyclopedia/F/Foster_Jim.html Profile of Jim Foster]; The Canadian Pop Encyclopedia, Retrieved 2012-08-0,</ref> followed by releases in 2013 (''A Sailor's Advice'') and 2015 (''6 Foot Ladder''), also on Quest Records. Wills co-wrote with Loverboy ("Lady of the 80's", co-written with Paul Dean, Mike Reno, and Doug Johnson, from Loverboy's eponymous first album, 1980) and also contributed to the solo work of Jim Foster and Paul Dean. Wills continues to perform in Calgary.<ref>[http://www.thebluescan.com/performer.php?id=52 Performer Spotlight - Vernon Wills] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120618235857/http://www.thebluescan.com/performer.php?id=52 |date=2012-06-18 }}, [http://www.thebluescan.com/index.phpThe Blues Can]{{Dead link|date=December 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}. Retrieved 2012-08-07.</ref> Doug Johnson became the keyboardist for Loverboy, as of the band's first album, in 1980.<ref name=canbands/> Sweetzir continued in music as the keyboardist for various artists, including Long John Baldry, Gaye Delorme, and Aaron Pritchett.<ref>[http://www.billydixons.net/Peter.html Profile of Peter Sweetzir] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100529001400/http://www.billydixons.net/Peter.html |date=2010-05-29 }}; Billy Dixon's Soul Train Express. Retrieved 2012-08-07.</ref> Wand and Boothman later pursued careers apart from music, though Wand returned to performing, on occasion.<ref>Gerry Wand, [https://brucelarochelle.wordpress.com/2014/02/05/back-on-time/ Back, On Time]; February 5, 2014. Retrieved 2015-12-18.</ref> Boothman died 2015.<ref>Calgary Herald, [http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/calgaryherald/obituary.aspx?n=barry-gordon-boothman&pid=176865715&fhid=13761 Barry Boothman obituary], December 12, 2015. Retrieved 2015-12-18.</ref>

Control of the band's name appears to have been lost, at least in the United States. The name "Fosterchild" is currently associated with a Philadelphia-based heavy metal band, active since 2005, and where the name appears to have been trademarked.<ref>[http://www.spirit-of-metal.com/groupe-groupe-Fosterchild-l-en.html Profile of Fosterchild]; Spirit of Metal. Retrieved 2012-08-12.</ref>

==Discography==

*1980 ''On The Prowl'' (Vera Cruz) *1978 ''Troubled Child'' (Columbia) *1977 ''Fosterchild'' (Columbia)

==References== <references/>

Category:Canadian rock music groups Category:Musical groups from Calgary Category:Musical groups established in 1976 Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1981 Category:1976 establishments in Alberta Category:1981 disestablishments in Alberta