Ruthie Foster

After high school, she moved to Waco, Texas, to attend McLennan Community College, where her studies concentrated in music and audio engineering.

[3] Hoping to travel and gain a wider world perspective, Foster joined the Navy, and soon began singing in the naval band Pride, which played pop and funk hits at recruitment drives in the southeastern United States.

[citation needed] When her mother fell ill in 1993, Foster left New York and her recording deal and returned to Texas to be with her family.

In 1997 Foster self-released the album Full Circle, the success of which paved the way to a long relationship with the record label Blue Corn Music.

[3] Blue Corn released the follow-up album Crossover in 1999, Runaway Soul in 2002, and Stages (featuring a series of live tracks) in 2004.

In 2012, Blue Corn released the studio album Let It Burn, which featured special guests The Blind Boys of Alabama, William Bell and the rhythm section of The Funky Meters, and was produced by Grammy Award winner John Chelew.

Following Hurricane Harvey which damaged many coastal cities in Foster's home state of Texas, she was invited to participate in a benefit concert including Bonnie Raitt, Willie Nelson, Paul Simon, and James Taylor.

Foster in 2008
Foster performing at the Kitchener Blues Festival 2018