Longtime member of the band The Beach Boys, Jeffrey Foskett has died aged 67 after a battle with anaplastic thyroid cancer.
His bandmate Brian Wilson confirmed the news in an Instagram post for the “great musical leader”.
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“I’m so heartbroken that my dear friend Jeff Foskett has passed,” he began, posting a photo of him beside Foskett on Tuesday.
“Jeff was always there for me when we toured and we couldn’t have done it without him.
“Jeff was one of the most talented guys I ever knew. He was a great musical leader and guitarist and he could sing like an angel.”
“I first met Jeff in 1976 when he knocked on my door in Bel Air and I invited him in, and we were friends ever since.
“I don’t know what else to say. Love and mercy to Jeff’s family and friends, we will remember him forever,” his tribute ended.
Fans took to the comments to react and offer words of support.
“Very sorry to hear that Jeff has died. He was a huge part of the Beach Boys’ later story,” one said.
“This is absolutely heartbreaking. I met him when he came to one of our shows when Chicago and Brian toured together last summer,” added a second.
Also to share a tribute was actor John Stamos, who has played with The Beach Boys over the years, posting to Instagram a series of photos on Wednesday.
“Today, I lost more than a friend; I lost a part of my soul, my history — Jeffrey Foskett, my dearest friend, brother, and the brightest light in my life, has left this world,” he said.
“This morning, when I got the news, uncontrollable tears streamed down my face, a physical manifestation of the heartache within.”
He wrote that when his son heard his cries, the boy sketched a photo of Jeff “ascending to heaven” and gave it to his grieving dad.
“A simple yet powerful symbol of love and loss that pierced through my grief,” Stamos said of the drawing.
“Jeff was more than just a friend; he was the one who brought the harmonies of The Beach Boys into my life, and with them, a spectrum of colour and joy I never dreamed would be part of my life,” he continued.
‘He was a vibrant force, a radiant soul whose laughter and wisdom touched everyone he met.
“He was an older brother in spirit, guiding, lifting, and loving me, sometimes more than I thought I deserved.”
Stamos ended his post by sharing his gratitude for the “uproarious laughter, the music that we believed changed lives, and the unshakeable bond of brotherhood”.
“Grateful for every moment, every note, every piece of wisdom he shared with me.”
The California-born singer joined the Beach Boys after being a longtime fan of the band, which formed in 1961.
On his 20th birthday, the singer knocked on Beach Boy Brian Wilson’s door and the rest was history.
“Brian opened the door and said, ‘Hey, come on in’ — like he’d been expecting us,” Foskett recalled of the meeting in an interview with the Los Angeles Times in 2012.
“I said, ‘Great!’ We hung around and went to the music room … He said, ‘Stay in touch.’ And I did – and I’m glad that I did.”
In 1981 when Carl Wilson stepped away from the Beach Boys, it created a free spot for Foskett to fill.
After being a Beach Boy for more than nine years he exited the group in 1990 to pursue a solo career.
He rejoined the band in 2014 as a permanent member.
Four years later he was diagnosed with terminal cancer in 2018.
Anaplastic thyroid cancer is a very rare and aggressive form of cancer characterised by uncontrolled growth of cells in the thyroid gland that can be difficult to treat, according to Mayo Clinic.
While he kept quiet about his reasoning for going underground, Foskett announced on March 5, 2023 that he was marking four years of treatment at the Anderson Cancer Centre.
He called the years “the BEST four years of my life”.
“There are no words that can adequately describe how grateful I am to God and the excellent staff … these people have given me what no one else on Earth could have … LIFE,” he said.
Foskett shared a video of him ringing the bell after completing his second round of radiation.
This was his final post on Instagram.
His family also shared a tribute on Thursday morning on Foskett’s Instagram.
“We are overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support received from Jeff’s beloved friends and fans,” they said.
“Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all of the kind words and memories you have shared with us. We love reading about every show, every tour memory, and every laugh he provided to the world. We are deeply touched knowing Jeff has played such a pivotal role in so many of your lives, as he did ours.
“He was so special, and we are grateful that the world got to experience him. Jeff will be dearly missed by everyone who had the pleasure of knowing him.
“There was truly no one like him, and there never will be.
“No better way to say it other than ‘Adios’.”
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