Tara Foster

Tara Foster was born and raised in Richmond, Virginia. As a child she grew up singing to all of the greats such as Cyndi Lauper, Wilson Phillips, and Mariah Carey. She performed in various productions for SPARC, and never missed performing in school plays. She also grew up singing at school assemblies and sporting events including singing the National Anthem for the Richmond Braves, and the Richmond Renegades. Tara also appeared on Channel 8's "8 Rising Stars." She attended The Governor's School, and it was there where she began to truly expand her musical influences. She became the Vocalist for the Governor's School Jazz Messengers under the instruction of James "Saxsmo" Gates. Gates introduced her to the TRUE greats such as Ella Fitzgerald, Ray Charles, Nina Simone, Sarah Vaughn, and Billie Holiday. She held on to her sugar-pop guilty pleasures, but began to realize how much more could be done with her voice. She began to express herself more than ever before. Through connections with her school Mentorship program, Tara was able to study the art of studio sound engineering at Montana Studios. She was mentored by Grant Rutledge and had the pleasure of sitting in on studio sessions with Gwar, Carbon Leaf, and Copper Sails. This is also where she sat in on a studio session with members of The Hot Boyz Production team (now disbanded.) She was hired to perform two song demos, which were shopped to established acts in the recording industry. While attending College, life took over and Tara did not really have the direction or guidance she had previously. This ultimately resulted in a hiatus with minor attempts at local contests, including a win at The Virginia State Fair. Tara met Kelli Strawbridge during this period. Kelli really pushed Tara to explore even more music. He also pushed her to turn unfocused songwriting into clear concise ideas. She has also learned how to play the piano. Tara and Kelli formed KSR Productions in 2007 and things have been progressing very well since. The Sweet Collision featuring Tara Foster was formed in early 2008 to showcase her original music. She has performed at various venues such as The Landmark Theater, The Richmond Convention Center, The Carpenter Center, The Diamond, The Richmond Coliseum, Strawberry Hill, and various other local stages. Tara Foster is currently writing and in the studio. Stay tuned for more information on the newly formed Sweet Collision featuring Tara Foster :)