Pops Foster facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Pops Foster
Background information
Birth name	George Murphy Foster
Born	(1892-05-19)May 19, 1892 McCall, Louisiana, U.S.
Died	October 30, 1969(1969-10-30) (aged 77) San Francisco, California, U.S.
Genres	Jazz
Occupation(s)	Musician
Instruments	String bass, Tuba, Trumpet
Associated acts	King Oliver, Kid Ory

George Murphy "Pops" Foster (born May 19, 1892 – died October 30, 1969) was an American jazz musician. He was famous for his energetic "slap bass" style on the string bass. He also played the tuba and trumpet.

Biography

Early Life and Start in Music

Pops Foster was born in McCall, Louisiana, in the United States. His parents were Charley and Annie Foster. His mother, Annie, was almost fully Cherokee. His family lived on a large farm called a plantation.

When Pops was about 10 years old, his family moved to New Orleans. His older brother, Willard Foster, started playing the banjo and guitar. Pops first tried the cello, but then he switched to the string bass. He got married twice, first to Bertha Foster in 1912, and later to Alma Foster in 1936.

Becoming a Professional Musician

Pops Foster began playing music professionally around 1907. He worked with many well-known jazz bands of that time. Some of these bands included those led by Jack Carey, Kid Ory, Armand J. Piron, and King Oliver.

In 1921, he moved to St. Louis, Missouri. There, he played with the Charlie Creath and Dewey Jackson bands for many years. He also joined Kid Ory's band in Los Angeles. He earned the nickname "Pops" because he was older than most of the other musicians in the bands he played with.

Playing in New York and Touring

In 1929, Foster moved to New York City. He played with the bands of Luis Russell and Louis Armstrong until 1940. Throughout the 1940s, he continued to play with New York bands. These included groups led by Sidney Bechet and Art Hodes. He also often performed on a national radio show called This Is Jazz.

Pops Foster made recordings with different groups. One of these was the Mezzrow-Bechet Quintet. He recorded with them in 1945.

In the late 1940s, he started traveling more. He played in many countries in Europe, especially France. He also toured all over the United States, returning to New Orleans and California.

Later Career and Legacy

In 1952, Foster toured Europe with Jimmy Archey's Band. He often played at Central Plaza in New York. For a short time in 1954, he played in New Orleans with Papa Celestin.

In the late 1950s and early 1960s, he played with Earl Hines' Small Band. In 1966, he toured Europe again with the New Orleans All-Stars. Pops Foster lived in San Francisco until he passed away there.

His life story, The Autobiography of Pops Foster, was published in 1971. A new version came out in 2005. In the book, Foster shared his own experiences. He wanted to make sure his story was told accurately.

Gallery

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  Pops Foster with Ole South Band in New York City, February 1947

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  Pops Foster playing string bass with Fate Marable's New Orleans Band on the S. S. Sidney, around 1918 or 1919

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  Art Hodes' new band at the "Ole South" in New York, around October 1946. From left to right: George Luggi on trombone, Pops Foster on bass, Henry Goodwin on trumpet, Hodes on piano, and Cecil Scott on clarinet. The drummer, Baby Dodds, is hidden.

See also

In Spanish: Pops Foster para niños