Chris Foster: podcast appearances and interviews

Chris Foster, born on 23 April 1948, is an English singer and guitarist recognized for his interpretations of traditional and contemporary songs. Hailing from Yeovil, Somerset, England, he developed an interest in traditional music early on, listening to local folk traditions. Foster trained as an artist at the Norwich and Chelsea Schools of Art. His professional career began in the early 1970s after a music agent discovered him singing at Dingles Folk Club in London, which led to eight years as a solo folk singer and guitarist. During this period, he recorded two well-regarded albums, Layers in 1977 and All Things in Common in 1979, both featuring traditional songs accompanied by complex fingerstyle guitar techniques, sometimes using open tunings. In the 1980s, Foster shifted away from full-time touring to focus on arts-based projects. He co-founded Mobile Arts, a community arts organization based in Salisbury. Since September 1999, he has served as the coordinator of the Baring-Gould Heritage Project. Foster is also a founding member and director of the Vaka Folk Arts Festival in Iceland, where he now resides. Throughout his career, he has continued producing solo albums, touring internationally, and collaborating with other artists, including his current partner, Icelandic folk singer and composer Bára Grímsdóttir, as Funi.