I think about the years that have passed and how we have seen so many great artists regularly fill the halls of The Cove Inn. Country has always been a music that seems to be the main sonic fabric of this community and the sounds of Wade Foster’s fiddle have often been the colourful embellishments to some of the best performances here!

Connected to so many local musicians and the scene here in Westport, his sound feels like home. As a native of Perth, he has been a fixture in many local groups and continues to be. It’s been a while, but with his long time buddies, Jeff Callery and Shawn McCullough, Wade returns to play as The Plaid Bastardz for a holiday primer show, next Friday, December 5, 2025 from 6-10pm. Details and reservations here. https://kingstonlive.ca/show/859681/view

Seamus Cowan: Happy to have you back in the house next week! You are always busy being an amazing fiddler but what have you been up to in life and music over the last year?

Wade Foster: Glad to be back at the Cove making music! It’s always such a fun time here. The past year has been steady again with freelance and session work with a few artists as well as with my cover band doubleBack. Life is always quite busy and it sometimes feels like it takes time away from passion for music, but I will always make time to make good noise!

Q: It would seem like getting into country music and then maybe picking up the fiddle would be a natural progression of events in our area. Right? How did you get into fiddle playing and what set you on your path in the beginning? 

Yes, this area has a long history of traditional fiddle music and step dancing, and a lot of classic country bands when I was growing up. The sound of the fiddle caught my attention as a little kid and I remember asking for a toy plastic fiddle around age 4. Lessons started at age 7 learning traditional and Celtic fiddle. For me, it is as close to the emotion of a singing voice as you can get in a musical instrument. Even though I also play guitar and sing, the fiddle has always been my musical voice.

Q: I love classical, where the instrument can be very prominent. Did you have a time in your development where you really got into that music and learned about the fiddle and its capabilities in another light?

It’s funny you ask about classical music. I was not really exposed to classical as a kid so I have never strongly gravitated to it, but I do love the expressiveness of the violin in classical pieces. I always joke that I am not sophisticated enough to play violin, so I play fiddle. However, I have experimented with other styles like jazz and adult contemporary where the musical lines are more classical than traditional. I love improvising in many styles of music. The freedom to create and have a ‘musical conversation’ with other players live is my most favourite part of performing, listening for what can happen next. 

Q: It’s been a long and I’m sure, a very satisfying career for you in music. What are some moments and performances that stand out as extra special and inspiring?

I’ve been lucky to have been performing live since I was a kid, and I’ve got to do some travelling and recording with many really great artists. Yet, I feel like there are still many places I want to go, both physically and musically. There have been some great large festivals like Ottawa Bluesfest a number of times and Boots & Hearts, many live television and radio appearances, and national venues like the National Arts Centre.

One night that stands out was the first time we performed as Country Pickin’ Mayhem at the Cove with Steve Piticco, Wendell Ferguson, Shawn McCullough, Roch Lafleur and Mark Lemieux. It was loud and unrehearsed, and we played over three hours straight in what was basically a jam session at 160bpm! Mostly improvised and passing solos back and forth with A-list players doesn’t get any better. My favourite kind of venue to play is always a listening room like a small venue or a theatre. Knowing that the audience has come to actually listen to the music, and that they will hear EVERYTHING, whether good or bad, makes me dig a little deeper and play more focused. I like the bit of added pressure these performances bring as it makes me up my game. 

Q: Having recorded, performed, toured and witnessed so much great music in your life, what are still some of the things you’d like to challenge yourself with artistically and musically? We look forward to your show Jeff and Shawn on December 5?

I am constantly challenging myself to play better, write better, perform better. I am rarely satisfied with where my skills are at. Musically, I want to explore more musical styles and work with artists in genres other than country and traditional music. Not that I do not enjoy playing these styles, but playing mainly fiddle has meant I have been hired mostly for these styles over the years. 

To truly grow as a musician to where I want to be, I love to be challenged to learn music that is new to me, and I especially love getting to create new music with other original artists. That said, I’ve been making music with Shawn for over 15 years and with Jeff for over 25 years. After all this time, we are still excited to make music together and are looking forward to being back on stage at the Cove! 

Posted: Nov 28, 2025