Area musician Foster will assist local causes during launch party for first CD March 28
Posted Mar 11, 2010 By Jeff Maguire
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EMC Entertainment - Wade Foster says he is not used to being front and centre.
John Wilberforce
Well known area musician Wade Foster, a Perth native who now lives near Innisville, will launch his debut compact disc (CD) during a special event at Carleton Place and District Community Centre on Sunday night, March 28. Foster, who has played the fiddle since age seven, has included 10 original tracks on the CD featuring the fiddle in various styles of music including traditional, Celtic and contemporary. All proceeds from the evening of country music featuring Foster and other local artists will go to the Carleton Place hospital and the Carleton Place Town Hall Auditorium Restoration Fund. Tickets are $10 in advance or at the door.
That will change on Sunday March 28, however, when the area musician launches his first compact disc (CD) at a special event to be held in the main upstairs hall at Carleton Place and District Community Centre.
"It's a new experience for me," admits Foster, whose recently completed CD entitled 'Sounds Like Home' will be formally introduced during an evening of live music which will include not only his songs, but also country music performed by several other artists.
"Yes, I will be at the centre of this (event). I'm usually in the background playing my music," he says with a laugh.
The 36-year-old Perth native is well known for his fiddle playing. His debut CD includes 10 original instrumental tracks and features several styles of music including traditional, Celtic and contemporary.
Nine of the tracks are Foster's own compositions while the 10th was co-written with Kemptville musician John Wilberforce, one of two artists who are featured on the recording. The other is guitarist Shawn McCullough from the Westport area.
The recording was completed over the course of a year at Wilberforce's home studio.
Admission to the Sunday night, March 28 CD launch is $10 per person and all proceeds will go to local charity.
"I am donating 100 per cent of the proceeds to the hospital (Carleton Place and District Memorial Hospital) and the Auditorium Restoration Fund," Foster explains.
The auditorium is the historic facility on the second floor of the Carleton Place Town Hall (circa 1897). Foster, who resides with his wife Janet near Innisville, is one of a number of area musicians who back the ongoing auditorium restoration program.
"There isn't another venue of that sort in Carleton Place," he observes. "I think it is very important to improve it."
Foster is hopeful the auditorium will eventually become the centre of entertainment it once was.
"A lot of people here don't even know it exists," he observes, noting the facility is not heavily used.
Besides being the home base of the Mississippi Mudds, the popular Carleton Place theatrical troupe, the auditorium is not a busy location. Foster believes that will change when the expensive upgrading program is complete.
As for the hospital he feels all local and area residents benefit from the institution.
"The hospital is important to everyone in the community," he states.
MUSICAL EVENT
The evening show will feature instrumental numbers from Foster's CD and many other popular country hits. The local musician will be joined by special guest 'URBAN', a musical tribute to popular New Zealand-born country singer, songwriter, guitarist Keith Urban.
The night will also feature talented musicians including Wilberforce and McCullough, along with Mark Lemieux of Almonte and Roch Lafleur from Carlsbad Springs.
"The five of us together have a couple of projects we do," Foster explains. Foster regularly plays fiddle for URBAN as well as DoubleBack.
He began playing the fiddle at age seven and started performing in contests a year later, continuing until age 19. At 13 he also began playing the guitar.
At age 21 Foster, who also plays acoustic and electric guitars on his first recording, began entertaining with area bands. He has performed across the district and the province including stints with such well known acts as Ransom, Colin Amey (now working from Kitchener), Nashville-based Johnny Reid and Jeff Callery and Runaway Train.
"I've done a lot of freelance work lately," Foster adds, saying he has worked with a number of entertainers including American country singer Stonewall Jackson.
In his day job Foster is shop foreman at Rivington Suzuki in Carleton Place where he has worked for more than nine years. Previously he worked in the auto shop at Canadian Tire in Carleton Place. He has also taught auto mechanics at Algonquin College in Ottawa.
His wife Janet is an accountant at Collins Barrow in Carleton Place.
"I'm from Perth but I have made my wages in Carleton Place for nearly 15 years," he chuckles, stressing that is why the release party is being held in the town.
His cousin Bob White is a long-time employee at the Carleton Place arena and he has assisted Foster in planning and publicizing the venture.
As for the reasons behind the CD, Foster says it has nothing to do with sales and making money.
"I just wanted something with my name on it," he says. "I have played on other people's recordings but had never done anything myself.
"I also wanted to touch a few different styles.
"And I wanted to make it (recording) as professional as possible."
Tickets for Wade Foster's CD launch will be available at the door or in advance at Collins Barrow Chartered Accountants, 143A Bridge St., Carleton Place (telephone 613-253-0014) or at Mark's Cobbler Shop, 98 Gore St. E., Perth (telephone 613-267-6626).
The show begins at 7 p.m. with the doors due to open at 6 o'clock.
For additional information call 613-812-0096 or visit the website: www.wadefostermusic.com.
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