View source for Foster and Allen

{{Short description|Country & Irish musical double act}}
{{EngvarB|date=August 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}}
{{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Musicians -->
| name                = Foster and Allen
| image                 = FosterAllen2.jpg 
| caption            = 
| image_size            =
| background          = group_or_band
| alias               =
| origin              = Ireland
| genre               = [[Traditional Irish music|Trad. Irish]], [[Folk music|folk]], [[Middle of the road (music)|MOR]], [[Country music|country]], [[Country and Irish]]
| years_active        = 1975–present 
| label               = [[CMR Records|CMR]], [[Ritz Records|Ritz]], [[Stylus Records|Stylus]], [[Telstar Records|Telstar]], [[Demon Music Group|DMG TV]]
| associated_acts     = 
| website             = {{url|http://fosterandallen.ie/}}
| current_members     = [[#Mick Foster|Mick Foster]] <br />[[#Tony Allen|Tony Allen]]

}}

'''Foster and Allen''' are a musical duo from [[Ireland]] consisting of '''Mick Foster''' and '''Tony Allen'''. In their 49-year career, they have released over 52 albums, many of which entered the [[UK Albums Chart]]. Along with "[[A Bunch of Thyme]]" (entering the Irish chart in 1979 and becoming their first No. 1 single), "[[When You and I Were Young, Maggie|Maggie]]" became a No. 1 in [[List of number-one singles in 1984 (New Zealand)|New Zealand]] for four weeks, making the two songs their signature tunes. They started in the 1970s as a duo, but in 1982 they added a band to their show. They have achieved album and video sales in excess of 25 million worldwide.
As well as the albums, they have released thirteen videos/DVDs, again all of which have entered the British charts.  The video ‘Souvenirs and Memories’ reached No. 3 in the charts around Christmas 1991, the “By Request” video went straight into the No. 1 spot in 1993.“Around the World with Foster & Allen” was a Top 10 Chart Release in the U.K.
Foster and Allen have toured Ireland, the UK, the US, Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. They have also had their own TV series on television in Ireland.

==History==
Foster and Allen began in 1975 when they were playing in [[country music]] bands around Ireland.<ref name=LH>[http://www.lighthousetheatre.com.au/index.php?q=node/140 Lighthouse Theatre – Foster and Allen]</ref> Soon after they formed a small group and went over to the UK to work the Irish music venues on a short tour. At this stage they had the idea of working together as a duo, playing [[easy listening]] music with traditional Irish [[instrumental]]s.

When their UK tour finished, they decided to let the band return to Ireland whilst they stayed behind to try to break into the public eye. They played several venues in the London area and the reaction was favourable; they decided to remain as a duo, and Foster and Allen was formed. After a time working around the circuit in the UK and Ireland, they released their first single, "The Rambles of Spring".<ref name="LH" /> This made an impact on the Irish market and Foster and Allen were soon in demand for cabaret venues all over Ireland.

At the end of 1979, Foster and Allen released the single, "[[The Sprig of Thyme|A Bunch of Thyme]]" in Ireland, and it entered the Irish chart. Despite the romance and charm of the music and lyrics the song is in reality a warning to young women to protect their virginity. The girl in the song loses her virginity to a "lusty sailor who chanced to pass her way, he stole her bunch of thyme away". It became their first number one single, and stayed on the chart for 40 weeks.<ref name=Irishchart>{{cite web|title=The Irish Charts: All There Is to Know |url=http://www.irishcharts.ie/search/placement |website=Irish Recorded Music Association |access-date=21 February 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090602061251/http://www.irishcharts.ie/search/placement |archive-date=2 June 2009 |df=dmy }}</ref>  It was not until 1982 that this single was released in the UK. It was played by all the radio stations in Britain, and peaked at No. 18 in the [[UK Singles Chart]].<ref>{{cite book | first= David | last= Roberts | year= 2006 | title= British Hit Singles & Albums | edition= 19th | publisher= Guinness World Records Limited | location= London | isbn= 1-904994-10-5 | pages= 208–209}}</ref> At the time, Foster and Allen were in the United States on a tour. They were contacted and told to fly back to the UK to appear on [[BBC Television]]'s ''[[Top of the Pops]]''.

Demand for Foster and Allen's services at venues all over Ireland and the UK increased. They released another single, "Old Flames", which peaked at No. 51 in the UK chart. They undertook their first concert tour of the UK in 1983, and this tour was boosted by the release of another single "[[When You and I Were Young, Maggie|Maggie]]". This reached No.27 in the UK Singles Chart and became a No.1 in [[List of number-one singles in 1984 (New Zealand)|New Zealand]] for four weeks.

Foster and Allen have toured Ireland, the UK, the US, Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. They have also had their own TV series on [[RTÉ]] Television in Ireland.

In the early days, Mick Foster and Tony Allen performed on stage as a duo, but in 1982 (when the concert tours started) they added a band to their show, thus giving a much fuller sound to their program. On the recording front, Foster and Allen have released over 52 albums, many of which entered the [[UK Albums Chart]]. As well as the albums, they have released thirteen videos. The video "Souvenirs and Memories" reached No. 3 in the UK video chart around Christmas 1991, the "By Request" video went straight into the No. 1 spot in 1993. Their DVD/video release ''After All These Years'' became Top 10 in the UK. To date, Foster and Allen have achieved album and video sales in excess of 25 million worldwide.<ref>[http://www.allmusic.com/artist/foster-allen-mn0000741094/biography Allmusic – Foster and Allen]</ref>

Foster and Allen celebrated their 30th Anniversary together in the [[music industry]] with the release of their album, ''Foster and Allen Sing the No. 1's'', which was a Top 30 hit in the UK Albums Chart during Christmas 2005. Their "World Concert Tour – 2005/2006" took them to the United Kingdom, Canada, South Africa, Ireland, US and Australia.

==Mick Foster==
{{unreferenced section|date=June 2019}}

Foster was born in 1947 in [[County Kildare]], in sight of [[the Curragh]]. He now lives in [[Mullingar]], and has a small farm where he spends all his time, when not touring, looking after his horses. He has one son(Jackie) & three daughters(Denise and twins Sandra&Louise).

Foster was taught to play the accordion by a Sr Anges Murray, a nun of the Mercy Order in [[Ballymahon]] and Frankie Gavigan. Other influences on his playing included [[Jimmy Shand]] and [[Will Starr]]. He has recorded a tribute to the latter, entitled ''The Old Button Box'', and has claimed that his accordion would probably be the last thing he would be prepared to give up

==Tony Allen==
{{Citations needed section|date=August 2022}}
Allen was born on 24 February 1952 in [[Mount Temple, County Westmeath|Mount Temple]], [[County Westmeath]], the youngest of a family of nine children. He was keen on music from an early age, and was encouraged by his parents and teachers. His father, Patrick, was a [[fiddle]] player while his mother was a singer. Allen started playing the [[accordion]] after one of his brothers brought him an accordion home from England. It was not long before he joined the Mary Landers, (a local band), and subsequently, the Kieran Kelly Band, replacing [[Brendan Shine]].

In 1973, along with his brother Tom ([[T.R. Dallas]]), Allen was part of Doc Carroll's Nightrunners Showband. It was another [[Athlone]] man, Kevin Sheerin, who recommended Allen for the job in this band. They used to play mostly around the Midlands and a residency in the Irish Club, [[Parnell Square]], Dublin, every Tuesday night.

Allen opened{{when?|date=August 2022}} a recording studio in [[Moate]], Roseland Studios, and most major acts{{who?|date=August 2022}} in Ireland record their albums there. He is motivated by music; having the studio, he is now directing his interests into the technical side of the business. {{citation needed|date=August 2022}} He has two boys, Ian and Keith.

== Discography ==

=== Albums ===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!scope="col" rowspan="2"|Year
!scope="col" rowspan="2"|Title
!scope="col" colspan="4"|Peak chart positions
!scope="col" rowspan="2"|Certifications
|-
!scope="col" style="width:4em;font-size:85%"|[[Irish Albums Chart|IRE]]<br /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://irish-charts.com/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Foster+%26+Allen|title=Discography Foster & Allen|website=Irish Charts Portal|access-date=22 April 2022}}</ref>
!scope="col" style="width:4em;font-size:85%"|[[UK Albums Chart|UK]]<br /><ref>[http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/_/foster%20%26%20allen/ Official UK Charts – Foster and Allen Albums]</ref>
!scope="col" style="width:4em;font-size:85%"|[[Kent Music Report|AUS]]<br /><ref name=aus>{{cite book|last=Kent|first=David|author-link=David Kent (historian)|title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992|edition=illustrated|publisher=Australian Chart Book|location=St Ives, N.S.W.|year=1993|isbn=0-646-11917-6|page=116}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Ryan|first=Gavin|title=Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010|year=2011|publisher=Moonlight Publishing|location=Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia|edition=pdf}}</ref>
!scope="col" style="width:4em;font-size:85%"|[[Official New Zealand Music Chart|NZ]]<br /><ref name="NZ">{{cite web|url=https://charts.nz/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Foster+%26+Allen|title=Discography Foster & Allen|publisher=Hung Medien|access-date=October 29, 2021}}</ref>
|-
| 1976
| ''The Blacksmith''
| align="center"|—
| align="center"|—
| align="center"|—
| align="center"|—
|
|-
| 1980
| ''A Bunch of Thyme''
| align="center"|—
| align="center"|—
| align="center"|—
| align="center"|—
|
*[[British Phonographic Industry|BPI]]: Silver<ref name="BPI">{{cite web|url=https://www.bpi.co.uk/brit-certified/|title=Certified Awards Search|publisher=[[British Phonographic Industry]]|format=To access, enter the keywords "Foster and Allen"|access-date=29 October 2021}}</ref>
|-
| 1982
| ''The Foster and Allen Selection''
| align="center"|—
| align="center"|—
| align="center"|—
| align="center"|—
|
|-
| rowspan="2"|1983
| ''Maggie''
| align="center"|—
| align="center"| 72
| align="center"| 22
| align="center"|1
|
*BPI: Silver<ref name="BPI"/>
|-
| ''I Will Love You All My Life''
| align="center"|—
| align="center"|71
| align="center"|4
| align="center"|3
|
|-
| rowspan="2"|1984
| ''The Foster and Allen Selection''
| align="center"|—
| align="center"|—
| align="center"|56
| align="center"|—
|
|-
| ''The Very Best of Foster and Allen''
| align="center"|—
| align="center"|18
| align="center"|43
| align="center"|—
|
*BPI: Gold<ref name="BPI"/>
|-
| rowspan="2"|1986
| ''After All These Years''
| align="center"|—
| align="center"|82
| align="center"|—
| align="center"|2
|
|-
| ''Reminiscing with Foster and Allen''
| align="center"|—
| align="center"|11
| align="center"|24
| align="center"|—
|
*BPI: Platinum<ref name="BPI"/>
|-
| rowspan="2"|1987
| ''Love Songs – The Very Best <br>of Foster and Allen Volume 2''
| align="center"|—
| align="center"|92
| align="center"|—
| align="center"|—
|
|-
| ''Reflections''
| align="center"|—
| align="center"|16
| align="center"|18
| align="center"|25
|
*BPI: Platinum<ref name="BPI"/>
|-
|rowspan="2"|1988
| ''Remember You're Mine''
| align="center"|—
| align="center"|16
| align="center"|11
| align="center"|40
|
*BPI: Gold<ref name="BPI"/>
|-
| ''The Worlds of Foster and Allen''
| align="center"|—
| align="center"|16
| align="center"|84
| align="center"|—
|
*BPI: Gold<ref name="BPI"/>
|-
| rowspan="2"|1989
| ''The Magic of Foster and Allen''
| align="center"|—
| align="center"| 29
| align="center"| 13
| align="center"| 11
|
*BPI: Gold<ref name="BPI"/>
|-
| ''Christmas Collection''
| align="center"|—
| align="center"| 40
| align="center"| —
| align="center"| 19
|
*BPI: Gold<ref name="BPI"/>
|-
| rowspan="2"|1990
| ''Souvenirs''
| align="center"|—
| align="center"| 15
| align="center"| 56
| align="center"|—
|
*BPI: Gold<ref name="BPI"/>
|-
| ''The Christmas Collection''
| align="center"|—
| align="center"| 44
| align="center"| —
| align="center"|—
|
|-
|1991
| ''Memories''
| align="center"|—
| align="center"| 18
| align="center"| 34
| align="center"| 10
|
*BPI: Gold<ref name="BPI"/>
|-
| 1992
| ''Heart Strings''
| align="center"|—
| align="center"| 37
| align="center"| 96
| align="center"|—
|
|-
| 1993
| ''By Request''
| align="center"|—
| align="center"| 14
| align="center"| 10
| align="center"| 48
|
*BPI: Gold<ref name="BPI"/>
*[[ARIA]]: Gold<ref name=ARIACert94>{{cite certification|region=Australia|artist=Foster and Allen|type=album|certyear=1994|access-date=28 November 2021}}</ref>
|-
|1994
| ''Songs We Love to Sing''
| align="center"|—
| align="center"| 41
| align="center"| 59
| align="center"|—
|
*BPI: Silver<ref name="BPI"/>
|-
| 1995
| ''100 Golden Greats''
| align="center"|—
| align="center"| 39
| align="center"| 12
| align="center"|—
|
*BPI: Gold<ref name="BPI"/>
*ARIA: Gold<ref name=ARIACert96>{{cite certification|region=Australia|artist=Foster and Allen|type=album|certyear=1996|access-date=28 November 2021}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan="2"|1996
| ''Foster and Allen's Ireland''
| align="center"|—
| align="center"| —
| align="center"| —
| align="center"|—
|
|-
| ''Something Special – 100 Golden Love Songs''
| align="center"|—
| align="center"| 46
| align="center"| 14
| align="center"| 14
|
*BPI: Silver<ref name="BPI"/>
*ARIA: Gold (DVD)<ref name=ARIACert98>{{cite certification|region=Australia|artist=Foster and Allen|type=video|certyear=1998|access-date=13 December 2021}}</ref>
|-
|rowspan="2"|1997
| ''Shades of Green''
| align="center"|—
| align="center"| 55
| align="center"| 59
| align="center"|—
|
|-
| ''Best Friends''
| align="center"|—
| align="center"| 36
| align="center"| 30
| align="center"| 25
|
*BPI: Gold<ref name="BPI"/>
|-
|1998
| ''Greatest Hits''
| align="center"|—
| align="center"| 52
| align="center"| 29
| align="center"| 19
|
*BPI: Silver<ref name="BPI"/>
|-
|1999
| ''One Day at a Time''
| align="center"|—
| align="center"| 61
| align="center"| 30
| align="center"| 9
|
|-
| 2000
| ''The Love Collection''
| align="center"|—
| align="center"| —
| align="center"| 96
| align="center"|—
|
|-
| 2001
| ''Partners in Rhyme''
| align="center"|—
| align="center"| —
| align="center"| 29
| align="center"| 45
|
|-
| 2002
| ''Sincerely''
| align="center"|—
| align="center"| 30
| align="center"| 35
| align="center"| 9
|
|-
| 2003
| ''By Special Request – <br>The Very Best of Foster and Allen ''
| align="center"| 65
| align="center"| 30
| align="center"| —
| align="center"|—
|
*BPI: Gold<ref name="BPI"/>
|-
| 2004
| ''Sing the Sixties''
| align="center"|—
| align="center"| 31
| align="center"| —
| align="center"|—
|
*BPI: Gold<ref name="BPI"/>
|-
|2005
| ''Sing the Number Ones''
| align="center"|—
| align="center"| 30
| align="center"| —
| align="center"| 38
|
*BPI: Gold<ref name="BPI"/>
|-
| 2006
| ''At the Movies''
| align="center"|—
| align="center"| 48
| align="center"| —
| align="center"|—
|
|-
| 2006
| ''The Great Foster & Allen''
| align="center"|—
| align="center"| —
| align="center"| —
| align="center"|—
|
* ARIA: Gold<ref name=ARIACert08>{{cite certification|region=Australia|artist=Foster & Allen|type=album|certyear=2008|access-date=28 December 2021}}</ref>
|-
| 2007
| ''Songs of Love and Laughter''
| align="center"| 94
| align="center"| 50
| align="center"| —
| align="center"|—
|
*BPI: Silver<ref name="BPI"/>
|-
|2008
| ''The Country Collection''
| align="center"|—
| align="center"| —
| align="center"| —
| align="center"|—
|
|-
|2009
| ''Sing the Million Sellers''
| align="center"|—
| align="center"| 34
| align="center"| —
| align="center"| 24
|
*BPI: Silver<ref name="BPI"/>
|-
|2009
| ''Love Love Love: 36 Classic Hits for the One You Love''
| align="center"|—
| align="center"| —
| align="center"| 67
| align="center"| 5
|
|-
| 2010
| ''Magic Moments''
| align="center"|—
| align="center"| 40
| align="center"| —
| align="center"|—
|
|-
| 2012
| ''The Ultimate Collection''
| align="center"| 76
| align="center"| 38
| align="center"| —
| align="center"|—
|
*BPI: Silver<ref name="BPI"/>
|-
| 2017
|''The Gold Collection''
| align="center"|—
| align="center"| 34
| align="center"| —
| align="center"|—
|
|-
| 2018
|''Putting On the Style''
| align="center"| 96
| align="center"| 29
| align="center"| —
| align="center"|—
|
|-
| align="center" colspan="6" style="font-size:90%" | "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
|}

=== Singles ===

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!scope="col" rowspan="2"|Year
!scope="col" rowspan="2"|Title
!scope="col" colspan="4"|Peak chart positions
|-
! scope="col" style="width:4em;font-size:85%"|[[Irish Singles Chart|IRE]]<br /><ref name=Irishchart/>
! scope="col" style="width:4em;font-size:85%"|[[Kent Music Report|AUS]]<br /><ref name=aus/>
! scope="col" style="width:4em;font-size:85%"|[[UK Singles Chart|UK]]<br /><ref>[http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/_/foster%20%26%20allen/ Official UK Charts – Foster and Allen Singles]</ref>
! scope="col" style="width:4em;font-size:85%"|NZ<br /><ref name="NZ"/>
|-
| 1976
| "The Rambles of Spring"
| align="center"| —
| align="center"| —
| align="center"| —
| align="center"| —
|-
| 1979
| "A Bunch of Thyme"
| align="center"| 1
| align="center"| —
| align="center"| —
| align="center"| —
|-
|rowspan="2"|1982
| "A Bunch of Thyme" <small>(re-issue)</small>
| align="center"| 8
| align="center"| —
| align="center"| 18
| align="center"| —
|-
| "Old Flames"
| align="center"| 3
| align="center"| —
| align="center"| 51
| align="center"| —
|-
| rowspan="3"|1983
| "[[When You and I Were Young, Maggie|Maggie]]"
| align="center"| 6
| align="center"| 17
| align="center"| 27
| align="center"| 1
|-
| "Sweethearts in the Spring"
| align="center"| 13
| align="center"| —
| align="center"| —
| align="center"| —
|-
| "I Will Love You All My Life"
| align="center"| 17
| align="center"| 45
| align="center"| 49
| align="center"| —
|-
| rowspan="2"|1984
| "Just for Old Time's Sake"
| align="center"| 22
| align="center"| —
| align="center"| 47
| align="center"| —
|-
| "We Will Make Love"
| align="center"| 25
| align="center"| —
| align="center"| —
| align="center"| —
|-
|1985
| "After All These Years"
| align="center"| 11
| align="center"| —
| align="center"| 43
| align="center"| —
|-
| rowspan="2"|1986
| "Nobody's Darlin' But Mine"
| align="center"| 10
| align="center"| —
| align="center"| —
| align="center"| —
|-
| "When I Dream"
| align="center"| —
| align="center"| —
| align="center"| —
| align="center"| —
|-
|rowspan="4"|1987
| "True Love" <br><small>(with [[Gloria Hunniford]])</small>
| align="center"| —
| align="center"| —
| align="center"| —
| align="center"| —
|-
| "When My Blue Moon Turns to Gold Again"
| align="center"| —
| align="center"| —
| align="center"| —
| align="center"| —
|-
| "Part of Me"
| align="center"| 16
| align="center"| —
| align="center"| —
| align="center"| —
|-
| "The Black Sheep"
| align="center"| 11
| align="center"| —
| align="center"| —
| align="center"| —
|-
|1988
| "Golden Years"
| align="center"| 16
| align="center"| —
| align="center"| —
| align="center"| —
|-
|1989
| "I'll Never Stop Wanting You"
| align="center"| 22
| align="center"| —
| align="center"| —
| align="center"| —
|-
|2003
| "The Fields of Athenry"
| align="center"| 19
| align="center"| —
| align="center"| —
| align="center"| —
|-
|2013
| "[[Galway Girl (Steve Earle song)#Other versions|Galway Girl]]"/"One Little Christmas Tree" <br><small>(featuring [[Shayne Ward]])</small><ref>{{Cite web | url=https://music.apple.com/gb/album/galway-girl-one-little-christmas/723711937 | title=Galway Girl / One Little Christmas Tree (With Shayne Ward) - Single by Foster & Allen & Shayne Ward | website=[[iTunes]] | date=21 October 2013 }}</ref>
| align="center"| —
| align="center"| —
| align="center"| —
| align="center"| —
|-
| align="center" colspan="6" style="font-size:90%" | "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.fosterandallen.ie/ Official website] 
* [http://www.allmusic.com/artist/foster-allen-mn0000741094 Foster & Allen] at Allmusic.com
* [http://musicbrainz.org/artist/42cb63fa-0cbc-49cb-9cc3-34080b709921.html Discography] at [[MusicBrainz]] 
* [http://unitedireland.tripod.com/index.html lyrics and chords]

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Irish folk musical groups]]
[[Category:Musical groups established in 1975]]
[[Category:Irish musical duos]]