After fighting anaplastic thyroid cancer for a long time, beloved and seasoned touring musician Jeffrey Foskett of The Beach Boys passed away on Monday at the age of 67. Brian Wilson, the Beach Boys co-founder, verified the news on Facebook by expressing his appreciation and sorrow for Foskett.
Wilson paid a moving homage to Foskett, describing him as a very skilled person and an invaluable friend. Wilson, who called Foskett a wonderful musical leader, guitarist, and vocalist with an angelic voice, praised the important role that Foskett played during their tours. When Foskett knocked on Wilson’s door in Bel Air in 1976, the two first met and their friendship has lasted ever since.
When Foskett told the Los Angeles Times in 2012 about their first meeting, Wilson welcomed him in and laid the groundwork for a long-lasting friendship. Later, Foskett joined Mike Love’s Endless Summer Band and took over for Carl Wilson when the latter decided to pursue a solo career.
Jeffrey Foskett (Credits: Rolling Stone)
Foskett briefly quit The Beach Boys in 1990, but he later came back and continued working with Wilson in 1998. Even after experiencing health issues of his own, Foskett toured with Wilson for a number of years. His decades-long, highs and lows-filled relationship with The Beach Boys demonstrated his dedication to the group.
The Beach Boys’ longtime friend and colleague John Stamos wrote a heartfelt obituary lamenting the loss of a close friend and an important aspect of his life. Stamos said that Foskett was the one who first introduced him to the harmonies of The Beach Boys, which brightened and cheered his surroundings. Foskett was also honored by Nancy Sinatra and Al Jardine, who emphasized his musical accomplishments and upbeat demeanor.
Periods of separation and reunion marked Foskett’s life with The Beach Boys, and he continued for five more years before his untimely passing, even after receiving a terminal cancer diagnosis in 2018. The Beach Boys’ legacy is permanently altered by his influence on the music business as well as the abiding recollections that friends and colleagues have shared.
