Ruthie Foster at Gilcrease Museum Sunday

Video Report: Tulsa Roots Music & Gilcrease Museum are proud to present the final performance in the 2017 MUSIC ON EXHIBIT series, a special Mother's Day concert featuring Ruthie Foster.

Foster was born in rural Texas and raised in a family of gospel singers. With a chapel-bred bravado inspired by powerful African-American women such as Mavis Staples and Aretha Franklin, her sound evolved into an inspired blend of blues, folk and gospel. 

Ruthie Foster

As a young woman, she scored a deal with Atlantic Records, who thought they had snagged the next great pop artist. But Foster was more interested in exploring roots music than pop, so she turned her back on the deal and returned to Texas to immerse herself in both family and the music that had shaped her.

Foster has released a dozen critically acclaimed albums over the past two decades, three of which were nominated for Grammys.

Ruthie Foster earns the hyphenate title "singer-songwriter." She has a voice that can rock the house, coupled with a songwriting ability that cuts straight to truth in reflections of life's big issues. Foster's passionate soul/blues style have lead some to compare her to legends such as Aretha Franklin. Video follows:

Ruthie Foster - Woke Up This Morning - Live at McCabe's - June 24, 2013

https://youtu.be/1n_d4eWX0Ko

When It Don't Come Easy - Ruthie Foster - Apr 15, 2014

https://youtu.be/BT3BOOpiC60

"Mama Said" - Ruthie Foster - Dec 29, 2012 - The Purgatory Players at Strange Brew's Gospel Brunch headed by Ruthie Foster

https://youtu.be/qocFem_1dAI

Presented in collaboration with Gilcrease Museum. Music on Exhibit performances are generously sponsored by The Albert and Hete Barthlemes Foundation, Inc.