Ruthie Foster

Biography

Ruthie Cecelia Foster (born February 10, 1964) is an American singer-songwriter of blues and folk music. She mixes a wide palette of American song forms, from gospel and blues to jazz, folk and soul. She has often been compared to Bonnie Raitt and Aretha Franklin. Foster has been nominated for multiple Grammy Awards for Best Blues Album and Best Contemporary Blues Album, and won her first Grammy on February 2, 2025.

Life and career

Foster is from Gause, Texas, and comes from a family of gospel singers. At the age of fourteen, Foster was a soloist in her hometown choir and was certain that her future would revolve around music. After high school, she moved to Waco, Texas, to attend McLennan Community College where her studies concentrated in music and audio engineering. She began fronting a blues band, learning how to command a stage in the bars of Texas.
Hoping to travel and gain a wider world perspective, Foster joined the United States Navy, and soon began singing in the naval band Pride which played pop and funk hits at recruitment drives in the southeastern United States. Following her tour of duty, Foster headed to New York City where she became a regular performer at various local folk venues. Atlantic Records heard of Foster's talent and offered her a recording deal with the intent of cultivating her as a budding pop star, but Foster was not interested in a pop career, preferring instead to explore the various strains of American roots music that had informed her childhood. When her mother fell ill in 1993, Foster left New York and her recording deal and returned to Texas to be with her family. She began working as a camera operator and production assistant at a television station in College Station, Texas, while she cared for her mother who died in 1996.

Career

In 1997, Foster self-released the album Full Circle×Full Circle1997 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Small Town Blues3:502Get Out of My Way4:043Rain From My Shoulders3:014Lost in the City5:225Home4:446Those Who've Flown Away2:257Prayin' for Rain4:578Full Circle5:419Heal Yourself4:0610The Fight4:09, the success of which paved the way to a long relationship with the record label Blue Corn Music.
Blue Corn released the follow-up album Crossover×Crossover1999 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 8 tracks1Stories3:212Changes (Annie's Song)4:163Another Rain Song5:144Crossover3:325Light Up the World3:116Real Love4:017Rainbows4:098To the Fallen5:01 in 1999, Runaway Soul×Runaway Soul23 July 2002 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Runwawy Soul4:002Woke Up This Morning3:553Smalltown Blues3:214Home4:145Hole in My Pocket4:426Give You My Love4:297Ocean of Fears3:558Walk On4:379Death Came A-Knockin3:2210Joy4:56 in 2002, and Stages×Stages2004 · Album · LiveSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1Ocean of Tears5:362Crossover3:443Another Rain Song4:174Real Love6:165God Bless the Child7:046Turn Me On5:437Death Came a Knockin'3:378Get Out of My Way3:529Lost in the City7:2410Prayin' for Rain5:1511Church7:1112Walk On4:1013Oh Susannah4:4414Full Circle6:30 (featuring a series of live tracks) in 2004. Foster's next release was Heal Yourself in 2006, followed by the studio album The Phenomenal Ruthie Foster×The Phenomenal Ruthie Foster6 February 2007 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1'Cuz I'm Here3:062Heal Yourself4:323Fruits of My Labor4:414People Grinnin' In Your Face3:225Up Above My Head (I Hear Music In the Air)3:456Harder Than the Fall3:317Beaver Creek Blues3:558Mama Said5:019Phenomenal Woman4:2310A Friend Like You3:4311I Don't Know What to Do With My Heart4:28 in 2008, which was produced by Papa Mali. In 2009, Blue Corn released The Truth According to Ruthie Foster, which was produced by Grammy-winning producer Chris Goldsmith and recorded at Ardent Studios in Memphis. The Truth According to Ruthie Foster earned her a Grammy Award nomination for Best Contemporary Blues Album. A second album of Foster's live performances, Live At Antone's×Live at Antone's21 June 2011 · Album · LiveSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1Stone Love4:252I Really Love You5:053(You Keep Me) Hangin' On2:434Up Above My Head (I Hear Music in the Air)5:115Runaway Soul5:066Fruits of My Labor4:197When It Don't Come Easy4:138Back to the Blues6:059Nickel and a Nail5:5210Heal Yourself5:5011Woke Up This Morning'5:4012Phenomenal Woman5:3513Death Came A-Knockin'11:2014Ocean of Tears5:21 (CD and DVD), was released in 2011. In 2012, Blue Corn released the studio album Let It Burn×Let It Burn31 January 2012 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1Welcome Home2:502Set Fire to the Rain4:193This Time4:484You Don't Miss Your Water3:595Everlasting Light3:346Lord Remember Me3:117Ring of Fire3:098Aim for the Heart3:279It Makes No Difference5:1010Long Time Gone5:1511Don't Want to Know6:2112If I Had a Hammer4:1113The Titanic2:51, which featured special guests the Blind Boys of Alabama, William Bell and the rhythm section of the Funky Meters, and was produced by Grammy Award winner John Chelew. Let It Burn earned Foster a second Grammy nomination, this time for Best Blues Album, and was the vehicle for numerous Blues Music Awards won by Foster.

Foster's awards list includes three Grammy nominations (Let It Burn for Best Blues Album, The Truth According to Ruthie Foster×The Truth According to Ruthie Foster2009 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Stone Love3:492I Really Love You4:373When It Don't Come Easy4:064You Keep Me Hangin' On3:115Truth3:586Love in the Middle4:447Nickel and a Nail4:538Dues Paid in Full3:569Joy on the Other Side3:4510Tears of Pain5:3911Thanks for the Joy3:24 for Best Contemporary Blues Album, and Promise of a Brand New Day×Promise of a Brand New Day19 August 2014 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Singing the Blues3:452Let Me Know4:043My Kinda Lover3:294The Ghetto3:595Outlaw4:506Second Coming2:527It Might Not Be Right3:258Learning to Fly3:289Believe5:0010Band New Day2:1711Complicated Love3:5612New3:12 for Best Blues Album), her numerous wins at the Blues Music Awards, including three awards for Best Female Vocalist and one for DVD of the Year for Live At Antone's, and Foster's crown for Best Female Vocalist at the 2013 Austin Music Awards. In 2016, she was nominated for two Living Blues Awards and won the Koko Taylor Award for Best Traditional Female Blues Artist. Her list of honors also include a nomination from the Living Blues Awards for Best Live Performer.
Foster performed with the Allman Brothers Band in 2012 at their annual Beacon Theatre run in New York City. She sang on four songs, including a cover version of "The Weight" on which she traded verses with Susan Tedeschi. She has toured with the Blind Boys of Alabama as well as Warren Haynes and also appears on Haynes' album Man In Motion. She was featured in February 2013 as a special guest on House of Blues and Elwood Blue's radio show, The BluesMobile, as well as an appearance in November 2012 in Austin Live: Tick Tock, a video short produced by the City of Austin. She performed at the Texas State Society of Washington D.C.'s Presidential Inauguration Ball in January 2013.
Foster continues to tour extensively around the world. As of 2016, her shows have spanned across the U.S., Italy, Germany, Spain, and Cuba.

She announced details for a 2017 album during an in-depth career retrospective interview with The Pods & Sods Network in November 2016. That album, Joy Comes Back×Joy Comes Back24 March 2017 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1What Are You Listening To?4:172Working Woman4:013Joy Comes Back4:314Open Sky4:265Good Sailor3:056War Pigs4:357Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever4:148Richland Woman Blues3:539Abraham4:4110Forgiven4:45, was released on March 24, 2017, via Blue Corn Records, and included collaborations with several artists, including Derek Trucks of the Tedeschi Trucks Band. Following Hurricane Harvey which damaged many coastal cities in Foster's home state of Texas, she was invited to participate in a benefit concert including Bonnie Raitt, Willie Nelson, Paul Simon, and James Taylor. Another significant moment was Foster's performance at Carnegie Hall in February 2018. Foster was also awarded one of US Artists' fellowship awards, which recognized her contributions to her field, accompanied by an unrestricted $50,000 award.
Foster earned the 2025 Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album for her album Mileage×Mileage23 August 2024 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Mileage4:112Rainbow3:303Good For My Soul3:314Heartshine4:495Slow Down3:156Six Mile Water5:227That’s All Right2:598Done2:399Take It Easy3:1610See You When I See You (Live)1:53.

Awards and honors

2008 Blues Music Awards Nominee – Traditional Blues Female Artist of the Year
2009 Blues Music Awards Nominee – Traditional Blues Female Artist of the Year
2010 Grammy Award Nominee - The Truth According to Ruthie Foster nominated for Best Contemporary Blues Album
2010 Blues Music Awards Winner – Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year
2010 Living Blues Critics' Poll Winner – Blues Artist of the Year (Female)
2011 Blues Music Awards Winner – Koko Taylor Award for Traditional Blues Female Artist of the Year
2011 Living Blues Awards Nominee – Blues Artist of the Year (Female)
2012 Blues Music Awards
Winner: Koko Taylor Award for Traditional Blues Female Artist of the Year
Winner: DVD of the Year for Live at Antone's
Nominee: B.B. King Entertainer of the Year
2012 Grammy Award Nominee – Let It Burn nominated for Best Blues Album
2013 Blues Music Awards Winner – Koko Taylor Award for Traditional Blues Female Artist of the Year
2014 Grammy Award Nominee - Promise of a Brand New Day nominated for Best Blues Album
2015 Blues Music Awards Winner – Koko Taylor Award for Traditional Blues Female Artist of the Year
2016 Living Blues Award Nominee - Blues Artist of the Year (Female) and Best Live Performer
2016 Blues Music Awards Winner – Koko Taylor Award for Traditional Blues Female Artist of the Year
2018 US Artists Fellowship Award
2018 Blues Music Award Winner - Koko Taylor Award for Traditional Blues Female Artist of the Year
2019 Texas Music Hall of Fame Inductee (Austin Music Awards)
2019 Blues Music Award Winner - Koko Taylor Award (Traditional Blues Female)
2023 Blues Music Award Winner - Contemporary Blues Female Artist of the Year
2025 Grammy Award winner - Mileage won for Best Contemporary Blues Album