Narrative Biography

Jeni K. Foster

After living in Central Oregon for 36 years, my husband Bill and I relocated to Grants Pass in the fall of 2000. I formerly lived in the charming community of Camp Sherman, where I taught music at Black Butte Grade School for a number of years.

I have always loved to sing - my Mother says I started singing as soon as I could talk. I grew up on a cattle ranch in Montana, and living in relative isolation I became very good at entertaining myself. Singing and reading were my favorite pastimes. I often would sit on a windmill platform and sing to the cows --- which in retrospect was a good exercise in learning vocal projection! All of my life I have entertained at family gatherings and I sing at family weddings and funerals. I have written and collected songs celebrating the lives of each of my nieces and nephews.

Folk music had a great impact upon me in the 1960's, when I was a teenager. I took up the guitar and sang at every opportunity in high school and college. In more recent years I have presented a variety of programs of songs related to history and literature, as well as performing for various Celtic organizations, including singing for a formal Burn's Night banquet for Scottish Power (Pacificorp) at the Portland Benson Hotel, singing for the Sisters Quilt Show, the Sisters Country Fair and as a soloist for five years with the Sisters Community Choir.

Since moving to Grants Pass, I have been a soloist with the RCC Chorus and the Three Rivers Chorale. I have presented programs for a variety of organizations, including "Dine and Discover" in Ashland and the Mule Deer Foundation in Reno, Nevada and have been a lecturer for the Southern Oregon University Elderhostel program. I have presented workshops for the Portland Folklore Society at their annual Singtime Frolics gatherings. Beginning in 1999, I spent 10 years as a Chautauqua Scholar with the Oregon Council for the Humanities presenting my programs to non-profit organizations around the state of Oregon.

My specialty is combining songs with history and literature. It is a wonderful educational tool, which is surprisingly seldom used. Beginning in 1999, I spent 10 years as a Chautauqua Scholar with the Oregon Council for the Humanities presenting my programs to non-profit organizations around the state of Oregon. I have been a Library Presenter in Pima County, Arizona since 2007.

In all of my programs, I include songs that the audience can participate in by singing along on the choruses. Folk music has been a neglected music genre in recent years, and I hope that these programs play a small part in making people more aware of its great diversity, its inclusiveness, and its ability to make an emotional connection with events of history.

I'm thankful to have had so many wonderful opportunities to travel and meet people throughout Oregon. I've been blessed with love and support from my dear husband, Bill (who is also my driver, companion, and CD sales person) and encouragement from my family and friends. I lead a charmed life!

Thanks for your interest in my programs - I do appreciate it!

I also present programs in Arizona in March and April of each year.
 

I'd love to hear from you - my email address is jeniwren@q.com.