An acclaimed singer and songwriter, Billy Foster is currently recognized as the founder and director of Chains of Love Sober Living. Established in 1992, Chains of Love Sober Living is a sober living house for women in the Los Angeles and surrounding areas. Celebrating 42 years of sobriety himself, Mr. Foster is recognized as a past vice president of the Los Angeles County Sober Living Coalition.
Prior to delving into the field of recovery, Mr. Foster commenced his career in the 1950s with The Medallions, a famous doo-wop and rhythm and blues group that existed from the 1930s until the 1960s when the band first separated. The Medallions were responsible for such acclaimed songs as “Behind the Door” and “The Letter” and, although the group broke up, Mr. Foster and other musicians reunited to perform under the name The New Medallions until the early 2000s. While The Medallions were at the height of fame, they were signed to the infamous Dootone record label and performed with such revered musicians and singers as Fats Domino, The Coasters and The Drifters.
Most notably, perhaps, Mr. Foster co-wrote the hit song “I’d Rather Go Blind” with Ellington Jordon in 1967, which was subsequently recorded by rhythm and blues singer Etta James. The song, considered a blues and soul classic, advanced to the Top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and has since been covered by a myriad of other musicians through the present day. As a solo artist, Mr. Foster has continued to write songs and record music and, looking toward the future, he intends to release two more songs.
As a testament to his success in both the music industry and in substance recovery, Mr. Foster has been recognized with the 2018 Accommodation Award from Maxine Waters. Most recently, he was nominated to the Martin Luther King Man of the Year by the Los Angeles Sentinel in 2021. Lending his expertise to authorship, he penned his memoir, “High Road, Low Road,” which is currently pending publication.
