CANDY FOSTER has been performing classic rhythm and blues throughout the midwest for 40 years. Based in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, Candy is well-known as one of the hardest working blues singers in the area. His strong vocals and high energy style always draws interactive enthusiasm from the audiences. His early influences include his mother (a locally prominent jazz singer) and jazz and blues recordings, and touring rhythm and blues artists of the 1950s. Over the years, Candy has appeared with such blues greats as Lonnie Brooks, Etta James, Big Daddy Kinsey, KoKo Taylor, Junior Wells, Gatemouth Brown, Little Milton, Eddie Shaw, Son Seals, Bobby Blue Bland, and Bobby Rush. While Candy has led his own band for many years, the core of his current Shades of Blue band have been together since early 1996. Collectively, the Shades of Blue musicians have performed with such major acts as Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, The Temptations, Natalie Cole, The Four Tops, The Marvelettes, Del Shannon, and Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels.Backed by seasoned professionals and performing the tight arrangements of the Shades of Blue, Candy provides audiences with "pure" rhythm and blues grooves that first originated from Chicago, Detroit, St. Louis, and Memphis (Delta) areas.
Candy Foster and the Shades of Blue were named the winners of the 1999 regional blues contest held at The Blues Creation in Urbana, Illinois. In addition, The Octopus (a local alternative weekly) named Candy Foster the Best Blues Artist in their 1999 Reader's Choice poll. In addition to frequent appearances at local night clubs, the band also performs for private parties, weddings, festivals, fund raisers, fraternity and sorority parties, and special events at the University of Illinois and Parkland College.
