News

Jeffrey Foskett surely embodied the California Dream.  The San Jose native his dues gigging around the Golden State with such early bands as Reverie and The Pranks.  A knock on Brian Wilson’s door in 1976 led to a long friendship with the Beach Boy, while Wilson’s cousin Mike Love became a Foskett fan three years later upon hearing Reverie live in a Santa Barbara bar.  Love brought Foskett into the Beach Boys fold – first in The Endless Summer Beach Band, then in the Beach Boys themselves.  Gifted with an ethereal falsetto, an ear for harmony, and unerring musicianship, Foskett remained in the orbit of the Beach Boys until cancer silenced his voice in December 2023 at the age of 67.  Now, Omnivore Recordings has teamed with Foskett’s estate to celebrate his extraordinary musical legacy on a new collection.  Something There – Remembering Jeffrey Foskett arrives from the label on July 11, featuring 25 songs (16 of which are previously unreleased) from the singer’s often-too-unheralded solo discography and beyond.  The guest list speaks for itself, including Brian Wilson, Mike Love, America, Robert Lamm, David Pack, Los Straitjackets, Henry Kapono, and Jeff Larson.

Something There launches today with the streaming debut of “Mary Honey,” a previously unheard Brian Wilson composition featuring Foskett on lead vocals supported by Brian and Gary Griffin.  (Longtime Wilson fans will recognize the DNA of the tune from the still-unreleased “Turning Point” as well as 2004’s “You’ve Touched Me” from Gettin’ In Over My Head.)  Brian, with whom Jeffrey toured from the late 1990s through 2013 including on the 2004 premiere of SMiLE, can also be heard on “Everything I Need,” a Wilson/Tony Asher song originally penned for Carnie and Wendy Wilson’s family group The Wilsons.

Foskett joins Mike Love for the Beach Boys’ classic arrangement of “Barbara Ann” as performed by The Endless Summer Beach Band; after sharing in many of the band’s ’80s triumphs (including their Live Aid performance, appearances on Full House, and the recording of “Kokomo”) Jeffrey rejoined Mike in The Beach Boys from 2014 until 2019, when cancer forced him off the road.

Foskett’s longtime friend and collaborator Jeff Larson, instrumental in putting together this collection, is heard on a previously unreleased alternate version of “The Word Go,” a song recognizable from Larson’s 2000 album Room for Summer and their 2018 joint album ‘Elua Aloha.  Another close friend, Gerry Beckley, is heard both on an alternate take of America’s 2020 song “Remembering” and a duet with Foskett on “She’s the One I Know.”  (Both tracks, too, are previously unreleased.)  Another classic rock legend, Chicago’s Robert Lamm, appears on “Living Alone” from Foskett’s 2000 album Twelve and Twelve.  Beloved Hawaiian singer-songwriter Henry Kapono appears on his song “Feeling the Just the Way I Do.”  An acoustic version of the track heard on both ‘Elua Aloha and 2019’s Foskett solo album Voices premieres here.

Other gems on Something There include the title track (originally from the 1996 album Thru My Window); the a cappella “Splash City” from Full House featuring John Stamos supported by Foskett on all background vocals; an a cappella take on Gary Geld and Peter Udell’s Carpenters hit “Hurting Each Other”; Los Straitjackets’ cover of Ronny and The Daytonas’ “Little GTO;” Christopher Cross’ “Simple” from his 2014 album Secret Ladder; a Beatles medley with Ambrosia’s David Pack; and songs by The Pranks and Papa Doo Run Run.  Jeffrey’s daughter Katie sings an acoustic “I Can Hear Music.”

Remembering Jeffrey Foskett promises to be a moving tribute to Jeffrey Foskett’s beautiful voice-one which any fan of Brian Wilson and The Beach Boys is sure to remember with fondness.  This remarkable collection is due on CD and digital formats from Omnivore Recordings on July 11.  “Mary Honey” is streaming now at YouTube and everywhere else.  As an Amazon affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Jeffrey Foskett, Something There – Remembering Jeffrey Foskett (Omnivore, 2025) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada / Omnivore)

1. Tell Me – The Pranks *
2. Barbara Ann – Mike Love’s Endless Summer Beach Band *
3. Splash City (A Cappella) – John Stamos and Jeffrey Foskett *
4. I Live For The Sun
5. Something There
6. Thru My Window
7. Mary Honey – Jeffrey Foskett with Brian Wilson *
8. Summer Love (A Cappella) *
9. You Remind Me Of The Sun (Alternate Version) *
10. Remembering (Alternate Version) – America *
11. Cool And Gone
12. Simple – Christopher Cross
13. Sunshine All The Time (A Cappella) *
14. The Word Go (Alternate Version) – Jeff Larson & Jeffrey Foskett *
15. I Wanted You To Know – Gary Griffin with Jeffrey Foskett
16. Feeling Just The Way (Alternate Acoustic Version) – Jeffrey Foskett with Henry Kapono *
17. Everybody
18. Little G.T.O. – Los Straitjackets with Jeffrey Foskett *
19. Hurting Each Other (A Cappella) *
20. Living Alone – Jeffrey Foskett with Robert Lamm
21. Everything I Need – Jeffrey Foskett with Brian Wilson
22. Crying – Papa Doo Run Run
23. She’s The One I Know – Jeff Larson with Gerry Beckley *
24. I Can Hear Music (Acoustic Version) – Katie Foskett *
25. Love Me Do/From Me To You – David Pack & Jeffrey Foskett *

All songs performed by Jeffrey Foskett except as noted

(*) denotes previously unreleased track

Tracks 4-6 from Thru My Window, Pioneer (Japan) PICP-1115, 1996
Tracks 11 & 17 from Cool and Gone, Pioneer (Japan) PICP-1149, 1997
Track 12 from Secret Ladder, Christopher Cross Records CCR 500112, 2014
Track 15 from Sympathetic Vibrations, Vivid Sound VSCD3947, 2017
Tracks 20-21 from Twelve and Twelve, New Surf Limited NC 00-1117, 2000
Track 21 from It’s Alive, Blue Pacific CD-94003, 1994​