Don Foster – Country Gospel L.P. Record

LP Its Gotta Be Love.fixed

Back in 1972, when I was visiting South Africa, I did a Country Gospel L.P. record called “It’s gotta be love.” (L.P. means long playing record). Hennie Schoeman and his band “Selah” backed me. On the record I called them ‘Sela Sound.’ Playing bass guitar was Peter Hawley, and Hennie played rhythm guitar on some cuts. The singers were Kittie Schoeman, Engele Kok and Hennie Schoeman. The special effects man was Andre van Jaarsveldt who played Hawaiian guitar, mandolin and 12 string guitar on various songs. I played rhythm guitar and piano on various songs. Many thanks to Leo and Leona Tremblay for giving me the record that they bought from me back in the eighties.

1. It’s gotta be love

I wrote this song after visiting Hillbrow, Johannesburg in 1971. It looked like people were stoned on drugs sitting on the sidewalks.

2. Fly high

I wrote this song in Durban in 1970 after seeing a motor bike accident. I was coming back late one night from a meeting with the Full Gospel Church in Amanzimtoti, when 4 motorbikes came swerving around my car doing about 80 miles per hour. When I got to the single lane at the end of the freeway, the one bike had hit the rail and the guy had gone over the edge and landed about 40 feet down. The girl was lying on the tar near the bike. I rushed to the nearest phone and called the ambulance. It was very traumatic for me.

The other songs I had on the record have been taken off because I didn’t write them. I did pay copyright years ago, but someone complained, so I have deleted them.

Since them I have discovered that someone else has uploaded my LP onto the YouTube, so I will put links to their site. If there is any problems with copyright, then they can ‘Face the music’ themselves.

3. Across the bridge

I had a record of Jim Reeves singing this one.

4. Are all the children in

Johnny Cash wrote this song. Many people gave their hearts to the Lord after I had sung this song in various meetings.

5. Wings of a dove

I think I heard this as a hit song on the radio.

6. Where could I go but to the Lord

I had a record of Elvis Presley singing this one. That’s me playing piano!

7. Church in the wildwood

This one reminded me of my childhood experiences in Salisbury, of going to church and Sunday School.

8. Don’t shake hands with the devil

I heard this song by Cowboy Copas on a record some friends had in Gwelo, when I was doing military training with the Air Force.

9. Precious memories

I often sang this song to myself while doing night shit security in the Air Force in Gwelo.

10. Jesus and me

I play piano on this one.

11. The Latter rain song

When I stayed in Honeydew with Mr. Willie Roeland, he came back from an overseas visit with a record by The Cameron Brothers. This was one of the songs I learnt from them, and Brother Dick Bosschieter from Vereeniging asked me to put it on the record. The song was written by Roy Turner, who also songs like ‘All over the world’ and ‘A dancing heart.’

12. Happiness

I bought a record in Bulawayo of some American sisters singing this song. I think it was written by Bill Gaither.