Michael Foster (musician)

Last updated
Michael Foster
Birth nameMichael Foster
Born (1964-12-09) December 9, 1964 (age 58)
Origin Richmond, Virginia, U.S.
Genres Rock
Occupation(s)Drummer
Instrument(s) drums, vocals, percussion, tambourine, maracas
Years active1988–present
Website Official website

Michael Foster (born December 9, 1964) is an American musician and the drummer of rock band FireHouse.

Contents

Biography

Foster was born in Richmond, Virginia to James Ernest and Patricia (née Valenti) Foster. He has a younger brother called Daniel Sean. When he was 5 years old, his mother gave him his first real drum set and he dedicated hours to practice it. He played in school bands and eventually learned music theory as well as other percussive instruments.[ citation needed ]

In 1984, Foster auditioned for a band called White Heat, in which Bill Leverty was the guitarist. He got the job, and eventually they met C.J. Snare and Perry Richardson through touring in the Carolinas. The four joined forces as White Heat in 1988 and changed their name to Firehouse prior to their first release with Epic Records in 1990. [1] Firehouse went on to sell over 7 million albums worldwide and have a number of international hits.

Foster filled in for Warrant drummer, Steven Sweet, from December 2012 until February 2013, while Sweet recovered from a neck injury. [2]

Personal life

Foster married Lori Mingee on September 15, 1995. They have two daughters and one son together.

Related Research Articles

Virginia's musical contribution to American culture has been diverse, and includes Piedmont blues, jazz, folk, brass, hip-hop, and rock and roll bands, as well as the founding origins of country music in the Bristol sessions by Appalachian Virginians.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Warrant (American band)</span> American glam metal band

Warrant is an American glam metal band formed in 1984 in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, that experienced success from 1989 to 1996 with five albums reaching international sales of over 10 million. The band first came into the national spotlight with their double platinum debut album Dirty Rotten Filthy Stinking Rich and one of its singles, "Heaven", which reached No. 1 in Rolling Stone and No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. The band's success continued in the early 1990s with the double platinum album Cherry Pie, which provided the hit song of the same name.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jani Lane</span> American rock singer (1964–2011)

Jani Lane was an American singer and the lead vocalist, frontman, lyricist and main songwriter for the glam metal band Warrant. From Hollywood, California, the band experienced success from 1989 to 1996 with five albums reaching international sales of over 10 million. Lane left Warrant in 2004 and again in 2008 after a brief reunion. Lane also released a solo album, Back Down to One, in 2003, and the album Love the Sin, Hate the Sinner with a new group, Saints of the Underground, in 2008. Lane contributed lead vocals and songwriting to various projects throughout his career.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">FireHouse</span> American rock band

FireHouse is an American hard rock band that formed in 1984 Richmond, Virginia, and then moved to Charlotte, North Carolina, where they were signed to Epic Records in 1989. The band reached stardom during the early 1990s with hit singles like "Reach for the Sky", "Don't Treat Me Bad" and "All She Wrote", as well as their signature power ballads "I Live My Life for You", "Love of a Lifetime" and "When I Look into Your Eyes". At the 1992 American Music Awards, FireHouse won the award for "Favorite New Heavy Metal/Hard Rock Artist".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bill Champlin</span> American musician (born 1947)

William Bradford Champlin is an American singer, keyboardist, guitarist and songwriter. He formed the band Sons of Champlin in 1965, which still performs today, and was a member of the rock band Chicago from 1981 to 2009. He performed lead vocals on three of Chicago's biggest hits of the 1980s, 1984's "Hard Habit to Break" and 1988's "Look Away" and "I Don't Wanna Live Without Your Love". During live shows, he performed the lower, baritone, vocal parts originated by original guitarist Terry Kath, who had died in 1978. He has won multiple Grammy Awards for songwriting.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bill Leverty</span> Musical artist

William G. Leverty II is an American guitarist. He is best known as a founding and current member of the rock band, FireHouse. Leverty is responsible for writing many of the band's hit songs. Throughout the 2000s, Leverty has also pursued a solo career, releasing five albums: Wanderlust, Southern Exposure, Deep South, Drive, and Divided We Fall.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Perry Richardson</span> American musician

Perry Richardson is an American bass guitarist who played in FireHouse until 2000 and is currently the bassist of Stryper.

Bruce Kenneth Waibel was an American musician who played for several artists and bands. He was last remembered for playing bass guitar and touring with rock band FireHouse. He died in 2003 and his death was ruled a suicide.

<i>FireHouse</i> (album) 1990 studio album by FireHouse

FireHouse is the debut album by American glam metal band FireHouse. Released in 1990, it launched the group into stardom. The record was certified double platinum in the United States and gold in Canada, Japan and Singapore.

<i>Hold Your Fire</i> (FireHouse album) 1992 studio album by FireHouse

Hold Your Fire is the second studio album by the hard rock band FireHouse. It was released in June 1992. The album spent thirty weeks in the Billboard 200 Top Albums chart peaking at No. 23.

<i>Good Acoustics</i> 1996 studio album by FireHouse

Good Acoustics is the fourth studio album by the hard rock band FireHouse. It was released in 1996 on Epic Records. The album featured acoustic versions of several of the band's biggest hits. However, it also featured four new songs.

<i>Category 5</i> (album) 1998 studio album by FireHouse

Category 5 is the fifth album of the rock band FireHouse. It was originally released in 1998 in Japan and in 1999 in the United States by Lightyear Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Allen McKenzie</span> American bassist

Allen McKenzie is an American musician, best known as the bass guitarist for the hard rock/glam metal band FireHouse.

"All She Wrote" is the fourth and final single from the FireHouse album by the American rock band FireHouse. The single peaked at No. 58 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was written by the guitarist Bill Leverty and the vocalist C.J. Snare. The promotional video for the song was filmed at the O.C. Tanner Amphitheater in Springdale, Utah.

"Reach for the Sky" is the fifth single released by the American rock band FireHouse. As the first single from their second album, Hold Your Fire, the track reached No. 83 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 27 on the Album Rock Tracks chart. The song was written by guitarist Bill Leverty and vocalist C.J. Snare.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">When I Look into Your Eyes</span> 1992 single by FireHouse

"When I Look into Your Eyes" is the sixth single released by American rock band FireHouse. The song, a power ballad, became the band's second hit ballad, reaching No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 for the week ending October 17, 1992. The song peaked at number 65 on the UK Singles Chart for the week ending December 19, 1992.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Live My Life for You</span> 1995 single by FireHouse

"I Live My Life for You" is the seventh single released by the American rock band FireHouse. A power ballad, the song reached number 26 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 20 on the Adult Contemporary charts. It is generally considered to be the last song released by a 1980s style glam metal band still classified as such to make a significant impact on the charts, something notable because it was released in 1995 which was a full three years after the genre was pushed out of the mainstream by the grunge movement. The song was written by guitarist Bill Leverty and vocalist C.J. Snare.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andrew Freeman (musician)</span> American singer and guitarist

Andrew Freeman is an American rock singer and guitarist who has played for a number of bands, including hard rock guitarist George Lynch's Lynch Mob. Freeman is currently the frontman for the hard rock supergroup Last in Line, composed of former members of Dio.

<i>Full Circle</i> (FireHouse album) 2011 studio album by FireHouse

Full Circle is a compilation studio album by American hard rock band, FireHouse. The album features re-recorded material from the band's previous releases. It features all original members excluding bassist Perry Richardson, and replacing him with ex-Jani Lane bassist Allen McKenzie, thus making the album the first to feature McKenzie on bass. It consists of 5 tracks from their debut, FireHouse, 3 tracks from their sophomore effort, Hold Your Fire 1 track from their 3rd release aptly titled, 3, 1 track from their acoustic release, Good Acoustics, and 1 track from The Best of FireHouse compilation. The album spawned a tour covering the United States, Japan, Thailand, Indonesia, Puerto Rico, Brazil, Peru, Korea, Portugal, and India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">C.R. Alsip Guitars</span>

C.R. Alsip Guitars, is a small American guitar manufacturing company founded in Arkansas City, KS on Feb. 2012. The company operated in Kansas from 2012 to 2014. The company is now based in the Atlanta, GA area. C.R. Alsip LLC was named after Connie Rae Alsip-Willoughby. C.R. Alsip LLC is owned & operated by Connie's son Jake Willoughby who originally planned to name the company "Mason Alsip".

References

  1. Curran, Colleen (Jan 9, 2016). "Richmond guitarist Bill Leverty on FireHouse fame". Richmond Times Dispatch.
  2. "FIREHOUSE Drummer To Fill In For WARRANT's STEVEN SWEET". Blabbermouth. Dec 27, 2012. Retrieved 2021-01-21.