Ralph David Foster (April 25, 1893 – August 11, 1984) was an American broadcasting executive and philanthropist who created the framework for Springfield, Missouri, to challenge Nashville, Tennessee, as the nation's country music capital during the 1950s.

Unable to get its transmitting power increased, the next year he bought the license of a station in Grant City and moved it to Springfield, signing on December 25, 1933, on 560 kHz.

To expand his business into country music, Foster started RadiOzark Enterprises, Inc. with Si Siman as vice president and local businessman Lester E. Cox as a financial backer.

Many country music stars either got their start or performed on the station, including Porter Wagoner, Chet Atkins, the Carter Family, The Browns, Wynn Stewart, Les Paul, Homer and Jethro, and Slim Wilson.

Foster believed Springfield might overtake Nashville, Tennessee, to become the "crossroads of country music," and knew his best opportunity would be to put his local TV show, Ozark Jubilee, on national television.

In April 1954, Siman lured Red Foley, considered America's top country music star, from Nashville with the promise of hosting a national TV program.

On January 22, 1955, Ozark Jubilee debuted on ABC-TV, the first network television series featuring national country music stars, which ran for almost six years.

[6] Known by the cast and crew as "the Skipper," Foster made his only appearance on its final telecast (by then renamed Jubilee USA) on September 24, 1960, singing "Woodman, Spare That Tree".

"Lucky" Moeller); and to publish their compositions, he founded Earl Barton Music, Inc. in partnership with Si Siman, John Mahaffey and Lester E. Cox, originally headed by C.R.