Ruthie Foster

Ruthie Foster has been the pride of Texas for many years, but is has only been in the past few that the rest of the U.S. has begun to discover this talented guitarist/singer/songwriter.  A vocalist with the ability to wail like Mahalia Jackson or lightly touch a note like Shawn Colvin, Foster has created her own unique, attractive blend of folk, blues and gospel that simply deserves to be heard.

In 2002 Foster released Runaway Soul, a breathtaking album that won national critical acclaim and was, by any account, one of the truly great albums of that year.

Both live and on disc, Foster mixed contemporary folk with old-school gospel and blues with dazzling efficiency, showcasing a powerhouse voice that drew more favorable comparisons to the likes of Ella Fitzgerald and Aretha Franklin than she knew what to do with.

You can still hear traces of that Foster on her 2007 album The Phenomenal Ruthie Foster, but she set out to make an honest to goodness classic soul album. The kind that, in a different era, with a different singer, could just as easily have been called The Phenomenal Sam Cooke.

Ruthie Foster

The Phenomenal Ruthie Foster Ruthie Foster £9.99