STEPHEN FOSTER

Stephen Edward Foster born in 1946, better known as Steve Foster, was an Australian singer/songwriter from Murray Bridge, South Australia. Foster recorded his first solo single in 1963 under the K-Bee Label while in high school. He was attending South Australian School of Art when he began a residency at The Catacombs Coffee Lounge in Hackney. He lived there for many years, even acting as caretaker. He appeared regularly on Adelaide TV including Adelaide Tonight, as well as ABC, ADS7 and Saturday mornings on Channel 10's InTime. In 1968 he won South Australia's version of New Faces.

Although most of his career focused on solo work, Foster led bands including Inkase (who recorded three singles on the Sweet Peach label at the Gamba studios owned by the late Derek Jolly in Melbourne Street, North Adelaide. They were ''Rene / I Love My Dog'' in 1969, ''I'm In A Dream / When She Goes She's Gone'' and ''Choo-Choo / Have You Ever Seen Me'' both in 1970. Of these releases "Choo Choo" was their most successful reaching #7 on the Adelaide charts), Alcheringa, Head First, Beautiful Dreamer, Steve Foster Band, Limited Edition, Blackwood County and OCQ. 

He was the opening act on the Brian Cadd & the Bootleg Family Australian tour 1972–1973. He performed in The Mount Lofty Rangers, which was a collection of Adelaide musicians including the late Bon Scott, before he joined AC/DC. In 1971, Foster was the only Adelaide act to play The Myponga Festival, which was Adelaide's answer to Woodstock.

In September 1972 Foster released his first solo album 'Coming Home in a Jar' on the Bootleg Label, under Ron Tudor's record label, Fable Records. In 1973 it won the 5KA Rock Award for Most significant contribution to Recording in South Australia & Australia. A single ''Frogs'' was lifted off the album but didn't see any chart action. In 1995, ''Forever Blue'', was co-written with Graeham Goble, recorded by Little River Band in 1986 on the album 'No Reins', the last album recorded with John Farnham. It became a huge hit in Europe. It eventually reached the Top 10 where it stayed for 12 weeks.

Foster performed across Australia and wrote and recorded over 500 songs. With Blackwood County, he toured outback South Australia and opened the 2006 Outback Fringe. Foster was selected by Arts SA to represent Adelaide in the first " Made in Adelaide" promotion at the 2016 Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland where his seven sold-out concerts ensured media attention and an invite to return. Foster was active in charity work; he volunteered two days a week at the South Australian Aviation Museum and worked on the sailing ketch Falie, helping to restore a part of Australia's maritime history. Foster was an Australia Day Ambassador and travelled every year to visit councils across South Australia to perform and explain what it means to be a proud Australian.

Steve Foster died on 25 January 2018 in Adelaide, South Australia, four years after being diagnosed with lung cancer. Steve Foster was inducted into the SA Music Hall of Fame, posthumously, at his memorial Tribute Concert at the Governor Hindmarsh Hotel where fellow musicians flew in from across Australia to perform his music and honour his legacy.

SINGLES
''Frogs / Back In The Country'' 1972 Bootleg

ALBUMS
'Coming Home In A Jar' 1972 Bootleg

References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Edward_Foster