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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 that’s the perfect soundtrack for these summer days (and summer nights).  Something There – Remembering Jeffrey Foskett is an altogether joyful trip to a California that’s as much a state of mind as an actual locale.

The Something There in question is a whopping 25 songs (16 of which are previously unreleased) from Foskett’s often-too-unheralded solo discography and beyond.  The guest list speaks for itself, including Brian Wilson, Mike Love, America, Robert Lamm, Christopher Cross, John Stamos, David Pack, Los Straitjackets, Henry Kapono, and Jeff Larson.

Foskett’s friend and inspiration Brian Wilson was still alive when Something There was announced in early June.  With his passing on June 11, the previously unreleased “Mary Honey” takes on new resonance.  The happily quirky tune features 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 the beautiful “Everything I Need,” a Pet Sounds-evoking ballad by Wilson and that album’s primary lyricist Tony Asher which was originally penned for Carnie and Wendy Wilson’s family group The Wilsons.

Foskett joins Mike Love for a rip-roaring run through the Beach Boys’ classic arrangement of “Barbara Ann” as performed by The Endless Summer Beach Band in the mid-1980s; 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.  Full House fans will delight in the appearance here of “Splash City,” a brief but catchy ditty performed a cappella by John Stamos’ Uncle Jesse with multiple Fosketts on vocals.

Foskett’s longtime collaborator Jeff Larson, instrumental in putting together this collection as co-producer with Brad Rosenberger and Michael Campion, is heard on a previously unreleased alternate version of the jangly “The Word Go,” a song recognizable from Larson’s 2000 album Room for Summer and Foskett’s Twelve and Twelve the same year as well as their 2018 joint album ‘Elua Aloha.  The beauty of Foskett’s voice, and the seemingly effortless manner in which it blends with Larson’s, is striking; it’s clear throughout Something There that the singer was unafraid to use his voice in true support of others’ own instruments.

Another close friend, Gerry Beckley, is heard both on an alternate take of America’s wonderful Spector-meets-Beach-Boys homage “Remembering” and a duet with Larson on “She’s the One I Know.”  (Both tracks, too, are previously unreleased.)  Foskett adds his magic touch on backgrounds to the lovely and languid “She’s the One I Know.”

Chicago’s Robert Lamm, another classic rock legend and nonpareil songwriter, co-wrote and adds soulful vocals to the bittersweet “Living Alone” from Twelve and Twelve.  Beloved Hawaiian singer-songwriter Henry Kapono appears on a previously unissued acoustic version of his song “Feeling the Just the Way I Do.”  The pretty and romantic paean will be familiar to Foskett fans from its appearance on both ‘Elua Aloha and 2019’s Voices.  As the lyric goes, “it’s good for the soul.”

Surrounding the original songs is a bounty of fine and often faithful cover versions showcasing Foskett’s skills as an interpreter.  Gary Geld and Peter Udell’s “Hurting Each Other” was recorded by numerous artists including Jimmy Clanton, Ruby and The Romantics, and B.J. Thomas before Carpenters took the song up the charts in 1972.  The brief, a cappella section by Foskett brings out the haunting and desperate qualities in the melody and lyrics.  Jeffrey supports the masked Los Straitjackets on a cover of Ronny and The Daytonas’ “Little GTO,” and is heard with Ambrosia’s David Pack on a medley of The Beatles’ early hits “From Me to You” and “Love Me Do.”  Returning to the Beach Boys universe, an energetic romp through The Sunrays’ “I Live for the Sun” is another highlight, as is Jeffrey’s daughter Katie’s take on Phil Spector, Ellie Greenwich, and Jeff Barry’s “I Can Hear Music” (a 1969 hit for The Beach Boys) with Dad on the soaring backgrounds.  Papa Doo Run Run’s “Crying” allows Foskett to dramatically cut loose in Roy Orbison’s big, operatic style.

Remembering Jeffrey Foskett is a moving tribute to Jeffrey Foskett’s beautiful and truly wide-ranging voice-one which any fan of Brian Wilson and The Beach Boys is sure to remember with fondness and love.  It’s also a tribute to his spirit, one captured in loving remembrances within the booklet by Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Gerry Beckley, Dewey Bunnell, Robert Lamm, Jeff Larson, Christopher Cross, John Stamos, and Michael Campion.  This remarkable collection should broaden any fan’s appreciation of Foskett as a singer, songwriter, vocal arranger, harmonizer, and key part of the Southern California music genre he so cherished – sunshine all the time, indeed.  It’s available now from Omnivore Recordings.  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) *
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​