Ruthie Foster's songs are a remarkable hybrid of blues, gospel, roots and folk music rich with honest spirituality and emotion. Her simply amazing vocal abilities have critics comparing her to Ella Fitzgerald and Aretha Franklin. Ruthie's passionate songs and scintillating live performances attract both the young and old for an uplifting experience of dancing, listening, laughing and even some crying; especially when Ruthie rounds out the joyous occasion with her versions of show-stopping gospel standards.
Ruthie's new international release "Stages" on Blue Corn Music is a collection of 14 songs recorded live in Austin, TX with Will Taylor and String's Attached chamber ensemble at St. David's Episcopal Church, Anderson Fair in Houston, TX and Club Passim in Boston, MA. The live performances include old favorites like "Crossover," "Another Rain Song," and "Real Love" as well as roof raising gospel standards "Death Came a Knockin' (Travelin' Shoes)" and "Walk On." The CD finishes with the title cut to her breakthrough CD "Runaway Soul."
The Philadelphia City Paper writes, "On the last of four sleep-deprived, music-crammed days at Folk Alliance, somebody insists, you just gotta make time for one more showcase. At 2 a.m., no less. You go, and surprise, Ruthie Foster carries the second wind with her. The energy she brings with just voice and guitar is stunning. Ruthie's drawn comparisons to Ella and Aretha, but musically neither is really close. What she does have in common with Fitzgerald and Franklin is the irresistible blaze -- it's impossible to look away, even close the eyes, for one second."
Ruthie's performance highlights include PBS syndicated Austin City Limits, which has aired in 2003 and 2004; a 2004 tour of UK theaters with Eric Bibb; The Strawberry Music Festival in California, the Vancouver Folk Festival, The Grey Fox Festival, the Winnipeg Folk Festival, Folks Fest in Lyons, Colorado, Bass Concert Hall, the Waterfront Blues Festival in Oregon, the Kate Wolf Festival, the Austin City Limits Festival, and many other concerts and festivals too numerous to mention.
Neither Ruthie nor the Blue Corn Music label and their distributor were prepared for the initial and sustaining demand for "Runaway Soul" since its release. CDs were flying off the shelves and in particular the stage. While on tour they sell an average of 100 CDs a night. "We spent a lot of time chasing down the Fed Ex truck while on tour trying to get our merch. It's a good problem to have," laughs the good natured and lovely Ruthie. While touring the Canadian Folk Festival circuit in the summer of 2002, Ruthie sold 1000 CDs in a day breaking a long-time record held by Ani DiFranco.
Raised in Gause, Texas, a small town 180 miles southeast of Dallas, Ruthie grew up surrounded by the rich, soulful sounds of gospel and blues. Her outstanding voice and superb original music have many influences including Sam Cooke, Mahalia Jackson, Sister Rosetta Thorpe, Sarah Vaughn, Etta James, and Lightnin' Hopkins, although perhaps no one has influenced Ruthie like her mother, Shirley Jones, who urged her to "Open your mouth and sing, girl!"
Foster's musical journey has taken her from McClennan Community College in Waco, Texas and a degree in commercial music to a four-year tour with the U. S. Navy Band "Pride", to New York City and a contract with Atlantic Records. During her stay in New York, Ruthie appeared at many of the top venues in town opening and performing with artists such as Josh White, Jr., Matt "Guitar" Murphy, the Fabulous Thunderbirds, and Paul Schaffer.
In November of 1993, Ruthie received word from home that her mother, who had been quite ill, needed her. She left New York, Atlantic and her career in music behind and came home to College Station, Texas. She took a job working as a cameraperson and production assistant at the local TV station and spent her off hours caring for her mother.
During this time, Ruthie began singing
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