The Beach Boys musician Jeffrey Foskett has died after succumbing to anaplastic thyroid cancer. He was 67.
Foskett was also known for performing in the touring bands led by both Brian Wilson and Mike Love.
Wilson broke his silence on Foskett’s death via Instagram on Monday.
“I’m so heartbroken that my dear friend Jeff Foskett has passed. 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. He was a great musical leader and guitarist and he could sing like an angel,” the singer-songwriter penned. “I first met Jeff in 1976 when he knocked on my door in Bel Air and I invited him in, and we were friends ever since. I don’t know what else to say. Love and Mercy to Jeff’s family and friends, we will remember him forever.”
Foskett last posted on social media on March 4, sharing a video of himself ringing a bell at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston after spending four years in treatment there.
“These people have given me what no one else on earth could have… LIFE…. Some of the past four years has been trying (I guess that’s why it’s called a clinical trial). It tries your body, mind and spirit but it has left me THRIVING and most importantly able to meet my grandson Domenic,” Foskett wrote.
He added that it was “the best four years” of his life.
John Stamos, who has been a longtime friend to the band and has played with them through the years, paid tribute to Foskett on Tuesday.
“Today, I lost more than a friend; I lost a part of my soul, my history — Jeffrey Foskett, my dearest friend, brother, and the brightest light in my life, has left this world. This morning, when I got the news, uncontrollable tears streamed down my face, a physical manifestation of the heartache within,” Stamos captioned a throwback photo of the pair.
“My son Billy heard my cries, joined my wife in holding me up, and then ran off, only to return with a small, tender offering — a drawing. His innocent hands sketched a picture of Jeff with hearts ascending to heaven, with me, waving goodbye. A stairway of hearts, and next to the top heart, he wrote God. A simple yet powerful symbol of love and loss that pierced through my grief,” he continued.
“Jeff was more than just a friend; he was the one who brought the harmonies of The Beach Boys into my life, and with them, a spectrum of color and joy I never dreamed would be part of my life,” wrote Stamos.
The “Full House” alum called the late musician a “vibrant force” and “radiant soul” in his sweet tribute. He also described him as “an older brother in spirit.”
“Jeff taught me that love is a beautiful and necessary part of our lives, but it comes with a cost — the unbearable pain of loss. It’s the kind of pain that can make us question whether we should ever allow ourselves to love so deeply, so completely,” Stamos added on social media. “But then, as I reflect on Jeff’s remarkable life and the profound impact he had on mine, I realize that this pain is the price we pay for the privilege of knowing and loving someone like him. Yes, the pain is excruciating and cuts deep into our souls, but it is a testament to the depth of our connection.”
The two were friends for more than 40 years. Stamos ended his post by noting he was “grateful for every moment, every note” and “every piece of wisdom” that Foskett shared with him.