Paul Foster was born in Grand Cane, Louisiana

Louisiana

Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...

 and sang with the legendary gospel group, the Soul Stirrers, from 1950 to 1963. Foster sang second lead alongside two other gospel greats, Rebert Harris

R.H. Harris

Rebert H. Harris was a gospel singer. In his work with the Soul Stirrers, he was instrumental in transforming the ensemble jubilee quartet style of the 30s into the lead-focused hard gospel style of the 40s and 50s. He was replaced by Sam Cooke....

 and Sam Cooke

Sam Cooke

Samuel Cook, , better known under the stage name Sam Cooke, was an American gospel, R&B, soul, and pop singer, songwriter, and entrepreneur. He is considered to be one of the pioneers and founders of soul music. He is commonly known as the King of Soul for his distinctive vocal abilities and...

. Foster possessed a powerful, mournful tenor voice, a perfect foil to both Harris' and Cooke's sweeter more-flowery tenor styles. During his long career in gospel music, Foster also sang for other quartets such as the Rising Stars

Rising Stars

Rising Stars is a 24-issue comic book limited series by J. Michael Straczynski about 113 people born with special abilities following the appearance of a mysterious light in the sky above Pederson, Illinois. The series explores how society may react to the advent of superpowers, and how those who...

 and the Golden Echoes. While nearly all of Foster's recordings take place in the recording studio, his powerful voice can be heard on the Soul Stirrers' dynamic performance on the album "The Great Shrine Concert of 1955", especially on the song "Be With Me Jesus", where Foster leads the group with his strong testimonial style.

Background

Paul Foster was born on July 12, 1920 in Grand Cane, Louisiana to Thomas and Lillie Foster. Here he sang in the family group ('The Fosters', which consisted of Paul and his six sisters; Jannie Mae, Hattie Mae, Ola Mae, Anna Mae, Midloise, and Patrice). Paul had one brother, Mitchell Foster. When he was 16 he joined the 'Hurricane Bluff Spiritual Gospel Singers'.

Early career

During the Second World War he served in the army at Ford Ord, California. and afterwards moved to Oakland, California. He brought his family to live with him. His wife, Mary and children, Esther, Mary, Paul, Jr., Thomas and Barbara Ann. Here he joined and recorded with the 'Rising Stars'. Paul, Jr. continues the legacy of his father by singing in the popular gospel quartet of the 1960s and 1970s called The Mighty Gospeltones. Paul, Jr., his late brother Thomas, McKinley "Mack" Williams and Rev. Lloyd Farr also recorded for RCA in the 1970s as the Brothers and Others. Paul, Jr. returned to gospel with Mack Williams, and they are now members of the popular group called CONSONANCE (www.cdbaby.com/cd/consonance). They have a cd entitled "See The Light" and their latest project (April 2011) which is "Message of Hope" (www.cdbaby.com/cd/consonance). Paul, Jr.'s voice has an uncanny resemblance to his father, and he keeps the spirit of his Paul, Sr. alive and well.

Paul, Sr. also sang with 'The Paramounts' and the 'Golden Harps'. After the death of his father in 1949 he joined 'Golden Echoes'. With this group he recorded for Specialty Recordings, for which he would later record with the Soul Stirrers. After only a few months he joined the 'Houston All-Stars'.

Soul Stirrers

When he performed with the Houstonaires (or Houston All-stars, the sources are different) in late 1949 he was spotted by the Soul Stirrers who also sang during that show. A few weeks later he was asked to replace James Medlock and Foster joined the Soul Stirrers, just after his father had died. When RH Harris left the group Foster did all the leads for two months but that was too much, up to the point of him getting migraines. That's when Sam Cook stepped in to lighten the load. He again was the only lead singer for a few months when Johnnie Taylor left the group. Foster would stay with the Soul Stirrers until 1963.

Later career

He then moved to Los Angeles to start a barbecue restaurant and sang with groups like the 'Sims Brothers' and the 'Los Angeles Golden Crowns'. But not for long. In 1965 he would become Reverend Foster, which was in line with his great religiosity. He became the pastor of the Union Baptist Church in Vallejo where he stayed until he retired in the early eighties. It was here that he died on August 20, 1995. He is interred in his hometown of Grand Cane, Louisiana in the Friendship Baptist Church cemetery. A nephew, J. T. Vosley sings with a local gospel group in Shreveport, Louisiana and a great nephew, Mitchell Lane, sung several years with a local gospel group in Mansfield, Louisiana.