Sloop John B

Traditional song, performed and arranged by Jonathan Foster
New Single and Music Video - available for streaming and download August 14, 2025

Folk-Americana songwriter Jonathan Foster delivers his lively take on the iconic sea faring song Sloop John B, also referred to as The John B. Sails, I Want to Go Home, Wreck of the John B, and Hoist Up The John B Sails. It’s a Bahamian folk song that has been passed along for decades including modern recordings by The Beach Boys, Johnny Cash, Dan Zanes, The Kingston Trio, Jimmie Rogers, Dwight Yoakam, Jerry Jeff Walker, and The Ventures.

Foster sings and plays guitar and is joined by musicians Mo Ford on backing vocals and mandolin and Bruce Turgon on bass guitar and percussion. Foster is releasing the track with a unique music video creation that follows the bizarre story through the medium of cut paper collage inspired by the iconic painter Henri Matisse and graphic artist Jefferson Thomas.

Genre: Acoustic, Folk, Americana, Roots, Traditional

Recorded, mixed, and mastered in 2025 by Bruce Turgon at After Hours Recorders in Redding, California

www.JonathanFosterMusic.com

Americana songwriter Jonathan Foster delivers another beautiful new tune for our ears to help bring us into springtime. Prolifically releasing albums and songs for over twelve years now, Foster displays his growth as an artist while sticking to his laid back acoustic roots on Still Here. Sometimes you have to hit the pause button, listen to nature, be still, and remind ourselves of inevitable change since at the end of the day, only the lucky ones are still here. Even during the hardest times it’s okay to laugh, sing, dance and feel alright, that’s what music is for. Co-written with long-time collaborator Mo Ford, who also provides a tasty Dobro solo while rock veteran Bruce Turgon holds down the backend on bass guitar and percussion, with Foster on guitar and his distinct vocals.

Loosely influenced by the Farley Mowat book of the same name, its 1980s film adaptation, and Aesop's Fable - The Boy Who Cried Wolf, songwriter Jonathan Foster delivers a beautiful new song for our listening pleasure to kick off the year. Worn from what is getting rewarded and normalized in the modern world, Foster reminds himself to take a deep breath, stick to your roots, limit comprise, and keep marching on.

Wintertime in the north country, wherever your north country is, you're never too old to make a snow angel! Growing up in the Adirondack State Park in New York, Jonathan Foster knew true winters as a child. This is an ode to the joys of the season and his return home after 23 years in California. See the accompanying music video - https://youtu.be/iU3wh5qnyXo?si=rBuRAcULnV-GZvAe -

Playing countless shows, getting his van stuck in the mud, and staring mesmerized at the inversion layer dancing in fir trees, acoustic songwriter Jonathan Foster has found solace in coastal Oregon with the new single Washed Ashore. Like Lewis and Clark finding the breathtaking views of the ocean, the region’s artistry, and contemplation of uncertainty at the end of a great journey. Complemented by Mo Ford on a rollicking mandolin, Bruce Turgon holding down the groove on bass and percussion, while Foster emotes and provides acoustic guitar and an autoharp gateway into the catchy chorus lines of this tidy 3-mintue gem.

JF would like to give a special thanks to the volunteers and staff at Washed Ashore: Art to Save the Sea (washedashore.org), Bandon Fisheries Warehouse, Circles in the Sand (sandypathbandon.com), and the Umpqua Watersheds (umpquawatersheds.org) projects for providing a lifetime of inspiration.

Jonathan Foster takes a fresh approach to a classic folk style. Laced with addictive melodies, beautiful undertones, and plenty of character, the record boasts the aesthetic of singer-songwriter anthems.

"This is a song of hope and is dedicated to our friend Lori and the Malloy family in Austin, Texas. Lori is battling Glioblastoma (brain cancer). In Mesoamerican cultures, stories have been passed down through generations stating that when a jaguar is seen in the forest with a butterfly it is a sign of rebirth. May is Brain Tumor Awareness month and to learn more about this or to donate to research please visit https://glioblastomafoundation.org”, Foster said.

Jaguar Butterfly is available for streaming and download on all major outlets on May 7th, 2024. - Rag Mag

The new album Roadside Attraction by singer-songwriter Jonathan Foster. His 6th full-length, independent studio release is a snapshot of imagery presented through music and lyrics, primarily inspired by the past two years of touring solo across the continental United States. Accessible songs with in-focus hooks include the upbeat The Mountain Echo (reflection on primary school) and Lander Spring (the west), to thought provoking The Anchor (self-doubt) and The Warm Light (near death experience), to the laid back Cottonwood Vines (wine), the reckless Americana Insomnia (road tales), to the moody When You Leave (southwest), The Change (climate disruption), Roadside Table (season’s greetings) and his frame on traditional tune The Cuckoo (Appalachian). Take the exit, peak through the viewfinder, hear the depth of field, and enjoy the new long-player Roadside Attraction by Jonathan Foster.

JF’s Roadside Attraction U.S. Tour shutters to a city near you June through October 2023!

Influences: The Tragically Hip, Alan Lomax, Townes Van Zandt, Ansel Adams, Neil Young, Mark Knopfler, Rachel Carson, Johnny Cash, Tom Petty, Todd Snider, Earnest Hemingway, Gillian Welch

Recommended if you like: Bob Dylan, John Denver, James Taylor, Gordon Lightfoot, Steve Earle