Tune in all this week at 3:40 pm as Jay features GLEN FOSTER on the Local Spotlight!
Born in Woodstock, Ontario, with roots in Hamilton and a graduate of Mohawk College, Glen Foster now lives on Vancouver Island BC and has been performing professionally for more than 30 years.
An accomplished multi-instrumentalist, singer and songwriter, Glen is equally comfortable on stage with just his guitar, dobro and harmonica as he is playing electric lead guitar in an energetic rock and roll band.
Born in Woodstock, Ontario Glen started his musical education with Hawaiian guitar at the Royal Ontario Conservatory of Music. He soon picked up acoustic guitar and as a teen bought his first Gibson electric guitar and started playing in bands. Influenced by the folk artists of the 60’s Glen was also playing harmonica & piano, writing and doing solo gigs throughout his college years. His band ‘Falcon’ won a talent contest on CKOC radio in Hamilton with an original song entitled Los Angeles. This lead to two 45 singles and the album Walk Into The Mirror which was recorded with the assistance of renowned producer Daniel Lanois and other music industry notables.
In 1972 Glen hooked up with WEA recording artist Ray Materick, playing lead guitar, performing on two albums and touring extensively across Canada. Highlights include The Ian Tyson TV Show, Tommy Banks Show, Massey Hall, El Mocambo, and the legendary Riverboat in Toronto.
A second album entitled The Falcon yielded the single Always Rock n Roll and by then Glen had taken on the alias ‘Falcon’ himself. Working clubs and continuing to write and record, a single The Spirit of Christmas enjoyed considerable national radio play. An elaborate video of The Twelve Guitars of Christmas was also produced. The two Christmas songs were remastered and digitally re-released in time for the holiday season in 2011.
The next album The Falcon and The Snowman was produced in collaboration with keyboardist & longtime friend Steve Eakins, and featured some backup vocals by Chevy Ray and the Fins.
A compilation CD of two previous albums, entitled Walk Into The Mirror/The Falcon was released in 2008. It contains the previously released singles 1982, Always Rock And Roll, and Los Angeles.
Trusted Tried & True the third album of original material focused on an acoustic west coast sound with current trio Glen Foster Group. The single Tenderest Bartenderess In The West was released nationally to radio stations in February 2010. Special guests included celebrated guitarist David Gogo, blues harmonica player Gerry Barnum, and vocalists The Turtle Doves. A total of four videos emerged and the video production of the song Destination Desolation Sound was used on the BC Tourism website for the Powell River area.
“Pixelated Man” a 4 song EP was released Nov 1, 2010 featuring a cover of the 1964 hit single Big Man In Town by The Four Seasons. Those 4 songs were also included on the 2012 album The Reckoning. Storms of Life, another track received a Song Of The Year Award: www.songoftheyear.com/placements/GlenFoster.html
Although continuously giving live performances Glen has also studied jazz, Chet Atkins style and classical guitar having been awarded two silver medals from the Royal Conservatory of Music. A qualified music teacher himself Glen also produces recordings for other artists and operates his own Indie record label, Rescue Records and Parent Publishing and Productions.
