Josephine foster born

Josephine Foster in concert in Barcelona – May 3

American singer, multi-instrumentalist, and composer Josephine Foster (born in 1974) is known for breathing new life into archaic musical forms. Her career, marked by a unique mezzo-soprano voice and captivating interpretive genius, has spanned nearly two decades of self-produced recordings.

Born in the Rocky Mountains, Foster began her musical journey at the age of 15, singing hymns in a small wooden church. With a style that blends eras, inspired by America’s folk culture, her work has been described as “anachronic,” a term that reflects her ability to cross temporal boundaries and shape a unique and timeless songbook.

In her twenties, Foster immersed herself in Chicago’s alternative scene, where experimental rock and free jazz redefined her abandoned operatic aspirations. Later, she spent over a decade in rural Spain, absorbing its cultural essence and adding it to her music. Additionally, stays in Nashville shaped a prolific production, including solo albums and collaborations with various bands.

Her performances are hypnotic, with a dreamlike voice that intertwines with the sound of her guitarrón, piano, harp, or autoharp. Her songs, crafted in folk artistry, often defy traditional musical logic with surprising designs and a playful touch. Albums like No Harm Done (2020), rooted in country-blues and americana, or Godmother (2022), with a unique gothic style, are examples of her artistic evolution, available through Fire Records.

Josephine Foster will perform at El Molino on May 3.

Check out the full program in El Molino’s agenda.

Info & Timings

Josephine Foster is an American singer-songwriter and musician from Colorado. In addition to her solo recordings, she has performed with Born Heller (a duo featuring bassist Jason Ajemian) and The Children's Hour (an indie pop band with songwriter Andrew Bar), plus she has releases under the name Josephine Foster and the Supposed and Josephine Foster & The Victor Herrero Band.

As an adolescent Foster worked as a funeral and wedding singer, and aspired to become an opera singer. After her studies she began to record demos of her own songs, resulting in the early recordings There Are Eyes Above (2000), an album of ukulele accompanied songs strongly influenced by Tin Pan Alley, and an album of children's songs, Little Life (2001).

For several years she worked as a singing teacher in Chicago, recording and performing with a variety of musical acts on the side including Born Heller, a project with free jazz-bassist Jason Ajemian, and The Children's Hour, a pop band formed with songwriter Andrew Bar. In 2004, joined by her occasional backing band The Supposed (Brian Goodman on guitar and Rusty Peterson on drums), she released an album of psychedelic rock called All the Leaves Are Gone which has drawn comparison to Patti Smith and Jefferson Airplane.

The songs on her first solo studio album Hazel Eyes, I Will Lead You (2005, Locust Music) evoke American folk and blues forms of the early 20th century. A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing, released in 2006, features unorthodox interpretations of 19th century German Lieder. This Coming Gladness, was released in 2008 and featured the contributions of Victor Herrero on electric guitar and percussion by Alex Neilson. In early 2009 she released an album of 27 Emily Dickinson song settings entitled Graphic as a Star with UK label Fire Records. Thereafter began her work in rural Spain with her husband Victor Herrero collecting and arranging collections of folk songs resulting in the recordings Anda Jaleo (a res

American singer-songwriter

Musical artist

Josephine Foster is an American singer, songwriter, and musician from Colorado. She is known for her anachronistic voice and work that weaves older styles with the modern, escaping simple classification.

As a teenager, Foster worked as a church singer and aspired to become an opera singer. She moved to Chicago in 1998 to further her opera studies, and began home-recording her songs, resulting in the albums There Are Eyes Above, influenced by Tin Pan Alley, and an album of children's songs, Little Life. She then released collaborative albums with local folk bands The Children's Hour (SOS JFK), Born Heller (S/T), as well as All the Leaves Are Gone, a psychedelic rock album with backing band The Supposed.

A number of solo records followed, including the all acoustic Hazel Eyes, I Will Lead You, an unorthodox collection of 19th century German Lieder titled A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing, and This Coming Gladness, a psychedelic folk-rock album.

Foster released most of her recordings the following decade with Fire Records, including Graphic as a Star, her settings of 27 Emily Dickinson poems.

Thereafter she began to record frequently with engineer Andrija Tokic, who co-produced with Foster her solo albums Blood Rushing,I'm A Dreamer, and Faithful Fairy Harmony; also More Amor, a psych-folk album by her new b

Josephine was born May 30, 1930, in Little Rock, Arkansas to William Luther and Nettie Jackson where she lived throughout her childhood.  She was the last of her ten siblings; five brothers, Robert Walker, Luther Jackson, Eddie Jackson, James Jackson and Earnest Jackson; five sisters, Florida Allen, Maggie Webb, Nelly Evans, Lou Stacy and Sally Mills; parents William Luther and Nettie Jackson, one daughter Pearline Powell, four sons; Bishop Luther Carter, Kenneth Carter, Willie Carter and Anthony Carter, all preceded her in death.

While living in Arkansas Josephine married David Carter, Sr. then later moved to Chicago where she married Willie Foster, both of whom also preceded her in death.

At the age of 22 (1952) Josephine moved to Chicago, IL, where she worked in various places throughout the city and suburbs (Fred Harvey Restaurant, O’Hare Airport, Coke Cola Company) to name a few.

Josephine accepted Christ at the age of 12 in a little church in Arkansas.  she lived a long full life serving and praising her God until the end.  Even in her illness and as the disease was taking over her body, she did not lose her Faith.   When she could hardly form sentences anymore, she would often say “Lord Have Mercy!”  After moving to Chicago Josephine joined Mercy Seat Baptist Church under the leadership of the late Pastor Amos Waller.  Later she joined Mars Hill Baptist Church under the leadership of the late Pastor Clarence E. Stowers, Sr.; she loved working in the church; she served on the Mother’s Board, Sick and Shut-in Ministry, Senior Women Mission, Baptism and Communion Committee, and a member of the Golden Girls Choir.  In her later years she joined Christ Tabernacle Baptist Church under the leadership of Pastor Dave Ford until her health began to fail and she was no longer able to attend.

Josephine loved attending Sunday School, Bible study and prayer meetings.  She w