Gwen Foster- Biography
Besides being one of the finest early harmonica players Gwen Foster was also an excellent guitarist and singer. He played 2nd guitar or back-up guitar on the Tar Heel recordings. Foster used a “rack” to hold his harmonica so he could play guitar at the same time. His friend David McCarn (composer of “Cotton Mill Colic” and “Everyday Dirt”) recalled that with his dark skin, and an oriental look to him, Gwen acquired the nickname "China" pronounced “Chinee.” McCarn worked with Foster at the Victory Mill in South Gastonia said Gwen “entertained them when the work slowed down and they thought his French harp (harmonica) was as powerful as a pipe organ. Gwen ruined a flour barrel full of harps by his constant playing” [Archie Green]. Although Gwen Foster was a musical genius, he drank too heavily at times. Tom Ashley would laugh and tell about sobering him up on cider and moonshine before they went to play.
Foster was a mill worker like many musicians (Charlie Poole, Henry Whitter) from the Gastonia, NC area. One of the favorite gathering places for Foster and other local musicians was in front of Lackey's Hardware Store in Old Fort, North Carolina. Regulars at Lackey's were Foster on guitar and harmonica, Clarence Greene on fiddle and Roy Neal on three-finger style banjo. Occasionally, musicians from out of town, like Will Abernathy, who played the autoharp, would join the mob assembled on the front porch of the store. The musicians left a hat out front for bystanders to pitch a penny but never made much money from it.
Foster became known for his playing and drinking as well as his antics. At Lackey's he first met talented guitarist Walter Davis. The two musicians became fast friends and frequently could be found playing on street corners for pennies all across North Carolina. Walter remembers one time in particular when they were together in Morganton, North Carolina:
"Me and Gwen were in Morganton one time broke, and looking for some way to make a little money. Gwen said he knew of a way to make some money fast. He was going to pretend that he was blind while we played on the street corner in front of the courthouse. He put on some sunglasses, and told me to pass the hat around. I told him, 'no, you attach the tin cup to your guitar strap and people will sympathize with you more. I don't want any part of this deal.' So he played for a while and some lady came up and tried to put a fifty cent piece in his cup. But she missed the cup and the coin went rolling down the street. Gwen went right after that coin like a man who could see. That lady said something like 'That boy don't look so blind to me.' At that point me and Gwen took off running, and I believe that was our last engagement in Morganton."
Gwen Foster Solo Recordings (Charlotte; August, 1927 on Victor): Black Pine Waltz; Wilkes County Blues
The Carolina Twins
After the Tar Heels Foster played in a duo with David Fletcher, one of the original members of the Four Yellowjackets, called The Carolina Twins. These were credited to 'Fletcher and Foster' -- Gennett, and 'The Carolina Twins' -- Victor. Gwen Foster's importance lies not in some great ability to create original songs, but in his innovation and improvisation in dealing with basically traditional material, and his fine musicianship...Another waltz from the Carolina Twins. Probably this one dates back top the American Civil War. The Song is interesting because Fletcher and Foster have added a yodel which would never have been present in more traditional versions.
The Carolina Twins Recordings (Fletcher and Gwen Foster) Feb. 20, 1928 Victor Records – last session Champion Sept. 23, 1930: A Change Of Business All Around; Boarding House Bells Are Ringing; Charlotte Hot Step; Gal Of Mine Took My Licker From Me; Going A Courtin’; I Sat Upon The River Bank; I Want My Black Baby Back; Mr. Brown Here I Come; New Orleans Is The Town I Like Best; Off To the War I’m Going; One Dark And Rainy Night; Red Rose Rag; She Tells Me I Am Sweet; Since My Baby’s Gone Away; Southern Jack; Travelin’ North; When You Go A- Countin’; Where Is My Mama; Who’s Going To Love Me; Working So Hard; Your Wagon Needs Greasing
The Blue Ridge Mountain Entertainers
From the group that gathered at Lackey’s Hardware store came The Blue Ridge Mountain Entertainers made up of Tom Ashley, guitar and vocals; Clarence Green, fiddle; Gwen Foster, harmonica; Will Abernathy, autoharp and harmonica; and Walter Davis, lead guitar.
The Blue Ridge Entertainers Recordings- Nov. 30, 1931; ARC: Baby All Night Long; Bring Me A Leaf From The Sea; Cincinnati Breakdown; Corrina Corrina; Crooked Creek Blues; Drunk Man Blues; Far Across the Deep Blue Sea (unissued); Goodnight Waltz; Ham and Eggs (unissued); Haunted Road Blues; Honeysuckle Rag; I have No Loving Mother Now; My Sweet Farm Girl; Nine Pound Hammer (unissued); Penitentiary Bound; Short Life Of Trouble; There Will Come a Time (unissued); Washington and Lee Swing; Gwen Foster recorded his last songs fronting a group (probably the Three Tobacco Tags- Luther Baucom, Reid Summey and Sam Pridgin) in Rock Hill SC for Bluebird in Feb., 1939: “How Many Biscuits Can You Eat?” and “Side Line Blues.”