Foster McGinty is a featured musician on Plattsburgh Pipeline Radio who has been playing music for years. His musical career really took off when he moved to New York City in the fall of 2006. McGinty writes his own lyrics and music, which are drawn from his everyday experiences. He says, “Inspiration is everywhere you just have to be open and aware of it. I don't leave my shoe box apartment without a pen, paper, and my trusty hand held recorder. I always leave those three devices next me when I sleep too. You never know when inspiration is going to spark you. It comes unannounced and you have to be on your toes.”

Foster McGinty's music cannot be classified into one specific genre; his album Peach Red blends together many, showcasing his diverse talents on the guitar as well as in his vocal performance. McGinty says, “My brand of rock n' roll draws from some of the more beautiful moments in rock history giving it a retro feel, but it's certainly not limited to that. It's got modern appeal for sure. I'll call it the ghost of the late sixties draped in a modern day sheet.”

According to Foster McGinty the main themes for the songs on his album Peach Red “have a lot to do with common relationship scenarios put to colorful words. Love lost love gained, cat and mouse, etc. Songs like "Can't Help But Shine", "10 Moons", and "Hard Jelly" all had to do with some of my personal experiences. I write a lot of stories as well. I like to write about dreams, the old west, and whatever else I can imagine.”

When writing a song Foster says, “There is no formula or recipe I stick to. When I find myself alone picking out a song tapping my foot with my eyes closed I know I'm on to something. You've got to be able to turn off the inner critic. Don't worry about what other people are going to think, they always have a totally different interpretation of the music anyway. Shaping the song around a sparked feeling is key. I don't put the guitar or pen down until I've milked the inspired moment dry. Then I revisit it later.”

Foster feels that the current themes of his songs will change. He says, “It's always changing.” Foster is currently in the studio working on a new EP. He adds, “The EP I'm working on has a few fictional escapades involving me and legendary outlaws of the old west, it's like something you would read in a dime novel in the late eighteen hundreds. You'll hear songs about me leaving San Francisco with Butch and The Sundance Kid, ditching a train for an Olds Mobile while police are mistaking me for Jesse James, etc.”

I asked McGinty what he wants the listener to experience when they hear his music. He replied, “I want the listener to go on a colorful journey to some place other than where the are at the time of their listening experience. I hope they can step into the song and escape to the place I was when I wrote.”

I asked, “What type of feel will your Extended Play have for listeners? When do you expect it to be released?” Foster says, “It's a five song EP I'm recording titled Arteola. The title stems from a small town (now pretty much a ghost town) back in Missouri where my great grandfather had a farm and mercantile store. He was alive during the civil war (75 when my grandmother was born) and all kinds of crazy stories have been told about him and his days in Arteola. Gun fights, wild card games, robberies, him losing a wife and a child in a horse and carriage accident. My head runs wild when I think about him and his life in Arteola--that played a major role on the creative side for this record. I'm recording the Arteola Extended Play at Dubway Studios in NYC with the same people I recorded Peach Red with. This EP is going to have a live feel, we are cutting all the rhythm tracks live and even a few of my solos as well. The five songs I've decided to record are some of the best tunes I've ever written. That's my opinion anyway. The same retro rock vibe you hear on Peach Red is there, but you will definitely here more of a modern influence. Arteola is kin to Peach Red, but totally different at the same time.” He adds, “The official release date has not been determined, but I am looking to release Arteola mid December.”

If you like rock, blues, and a twist of funk be sure to check out Foster McGinty's album Peach Red streaming on Plattsburgh Pipeline Radio. Foster is currently putting together a east coast tour and is hoping to add some upstate venues and plans being in the area by the beginning of the new year. If you would like to learn more about Foster McGinty please visit his website, http://www.fostermcginty.com.