John Stamos has shared a heartbreaking tribute to his dear friend and longtime Beach Boys collaborator Jeff Foskett, who died Monday, December 11, at age 67 after a battle with anaplastic thyroid cancer.
Videos by American Songwriter
Stamos befriended Foskett more than 40 years ago, and Foskett, who joined The Beach Boys’ touring band in 1980, helped connect the actor/musician with the famous surf-rock group. Since the mid-1980s, Stamos has frequently performed with The Beach Boys at many concerts and other special events and also recorded with the band.
Mourns Jeff Foskett’s Death
“Today, I lost more than a friend; I lost a part of my soul, my history,” Stamos wrote in a lengthy social media post on Monday. “Jeffrey Foskett, my dearest friend, brother, and the brightest light in my life, has left this world.”
Stamos then touched on how Foskett had “brought the harmonies of The Beach Boys into my life,” adding, “and with them, a spectrum of color and joy I never dreamed would be part of my life.”
Stamos praised Foskett as “a vibrant force, a radiant soul whose laughter and wisdom touched everyone he met,” noting that he considered him “an older brother in spirit, guiding, lifting, and loving me, sometimes more than I thought I deserved.”
[RELATED: The Beach Boys Set to Share Definitive Autobiography]
The 60-year-old TV star admitted in the post that he was experiencing “unbearable pain” over the loss of his friend.
Having expressed that, Stamos, noted, “Yet, when I think of the 40 years we shared – the uproarious laughter, the music that we believed changed lives, and the unshakable bond of brotherhood – I can’t help but feel grateful. Grateful for every moment, every note, every piece of wisdom he shared with me.”
How Stamos’ Son Tried to Cheer Up His Dad
Stamos also revealed that after his son Billy heard saw crying about Foskett’s death, the young boy created a touching drawing to try to cheer him up.
“His innocent hands sketched a picture of Jeff with hearts ascending to heaven, with me, waving goodbye,” Stamos wrote. “A stairway of hearts, and next to the top heart, he wrote God. A simple yet powerful symbol of love and loss that pierced through my grief.”
Saying Farewell
Near the end of his missive, Stamos directed more heartfelt words to his departed friend.
“Jeff, saying farewell is a task I am not ready for,” he wrote. “You have left an indelible mark on my heart, but the legacy of your love and laughter will continue to resonate within all of us. So, as I say goodbye to my dear friend, I choose to remember not only the ache of his absence but also the brilliance of his presence.”
Talking to Rolling Stone
Meanwhile, Stamos also took part in a Zoom interview with Rolling Stone, and shared more about his friendship with Foskett. He recalled that Foskett invited him visit backstage at a Beach Boys show in 1983 at Jack Murphy Stadium in San Diego, which is where Stamos established what became a long-standing relationship with the group.
He also revealed that Foskett sang at his mother’s funeral and at both of his weddings, to his first wife, Rebecca Romijn, and his current spouse, Caitlin McHugh.
In addition, Stamos discussed how Foskett bravely fought cancer for years after being diagnosed with the disease in 2018 and being given only a short time to live.
He also discussed how talented a singer Foskett was—for years he handled the high vocal lines Brian Wilson was no longer able to hit, both with The Beach Boys and in Wilson’s solo touring band—and lamented that the cancer eventually affected Foskett’s ability to sing.
As he finished his tribute, Stamos again reflected on the important part Foskett played in his life, particularly with regard to bringing him into The Beach Boys’ orbit.
“Next to my wife and my kid, Jeff gave me the greatest gift in life that I ever received,” he said. “He let me be a tiny bit of the conduit that gets this music out into the world. I see how badly the world needs that now. I see people walk into Beach Boys concerts one way and walk out another. Being a part of that is a gift I got from Jeff.”
The Beach Boys currently aren’t touring, but the band will be hitting the road again in 2024, starting in March. You can purchase tickets to their upcoming concerts here.
(Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images for Points of Light)
Leave a Reply
Only members can comment. Become a member. Already a member? Log in.