Jeffrey Foskett, longtime touring member of the Beach Boys, died at age 67 after a battle with anaplastic thyroid cancer.
Brian Wilson confirmed the news of his longtime friend and bandmate in a social media statement.
"I'm so heartbroken that my dear friend Jeff Foskett has passed," Wilson wrote. "Jeff was always there for me when we toured and we couldn't have done it without him. Jeff was one of the most talented guys I ever knew. Love and mercy to Jeff's family and friends, we will remember him forever."
Born on Feb. 17, 1956, in San Jose, California, Foskett became a fan of the Beach Boys as a child. He would later perform their songs in his own local bands throughout the 1970s. He met Wilson in 1976 and visited his home in Bel-Air, according to Ultimate Classic Rock.
"Brian opened the door and said, 'Hey, come on in' — like he'd been expecting us!" Foskett told the Los Angeles Times in 2012. "I said, 'Great!' We hung around and went to the music room. [Wilson's then-wife] Marilyn made us a sandwich. He said, 'Stay in touch.' And I did — and I'm glad that I did."
Several years later, Foskett was offered the opportunity to join the Beach Boys after Mike Love discovered him performing in a bar near the University of California, Santa Barbara.
Foskett was initially recruited to join Love's Endless Summer Beach Band, but he went on to join the Beach Boys in the early 1980s, performing alongside Love, Dennis Wilson, Al Jardine, Bruce Johnston, and occasionally Brian Wilson.
In 1990, Foskett left the band and pursued a solo career, but reconnected with Wilson several years later to perform on the 1990 album "Imagination."
Foskett went on to become the musical director of the Brian Wilson Band and also rejoined the Beach Boys for their 50th anniversary reunion tour. In 2012, Foskett performed on the band's album "That's Why God Made the Radio."
Foskett continued touring with the Beach Boys until 2019 when he underwent throat surgery. Shortly after, he revealed his Stage 4 anaplastic thyroid cancer diagnosis.
In 2019, he released his last three studio albums: "Love Songs," "Vintage Summer," and "Voices."