Home Free is an a capella group. Among its members is Nederland native Tim Foust, who will be inducted into the Museum of the Gulf Coast’s Music Hall of Fame on Friday.
Home Free is an a capella group. Among its members is Nederland native Tim Foust, who will be inducted into the Museum of the Gulf Coast’s Music Hall of Fame on Friday.
Photo: Courtesy Photo
Home Free is an a capella group. Among its members is Nederland native Tim Foust, who will be inducted into the Museum of the Gulf Coast’s Music Hall of Fame on Friday.
Home Free is an a capella group. Among its members is Nederland native Tim Foust, who will be inducted into the Museum of the Gulf Coast’s Music Hall of Fame on Friday.
Photo: Courtesy Photo
A life of music and caring
With a voice range that equals the size of his heart, Tim Foust’s achievements in the world of music are being recognized locally.
Foust, a Nederland native and member of the popular a capella group Home Free, will be inducted into the Museum of the Gulf Coast’s Music Hall of Fame on Friday.
The following night, Home Free’s “Dive Bar Christmas Tour” will stop at the Nederland Performing Arts Center., The group is touring in support of its latest record, “Dive Bar Saints.”
Foust’s voice can easily maneuver through five octave levels, yet he handles bass-singing duties within Home Free. After being on the road for more than a decade, the country music-focused group gained national attention for winning NBC’s “The Sing-Off” in 2013.
Home Free’s popularity can be measured by these social media numbers: 153,000-plus followers on Spotify and 922,0000-plus fans on YouTube.
Growing up in Nederland, Foust’s desire to perform music was stoked by his teachers Twyla Nau and Renee Kloes who encouraged him to take part in choir competitions.
“I credit music programs in school for fostering my music interests,” he said. “When Ned & Co. was at Nederland High School, I came around and wanted to join the group. I lived and breathed music in high school. Ms. Kloes gave me the bulk of most of my formal training. She was the first person to encourage me to put together an a capella group. I’ve done a capella music for most of my career.”
According to Home Free’s website, Foust looked up to Richard Sterban, bass singer of The Oak Ridge Boys, and liked his style as a young man.
Home Free Dive Bar Christmas Tour
When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday
Where: Nederland Performing Arts Center, 2101 N. 18th St., Nederland
Cost: Tickets start at $19.50
Information: homefreemusic.com
Hall of Fame Induction
When: 2-4 p.m. Friday
Where: Museum of the Gulf Coast, 700 Procter St., Port Arthur
Cost: Free
Information: museumofthegulfcoast.com
Tom Neal, director of the Museum of the Gulf Coast, said Foust “had been recommended to us. The main criteria for making it into the Hall of Fame is they have to have reached such a pinnacle that they are on top of their field. Tim’s got a No. 1 record to his credit to go along with his talent, national notoriety and leadership of Home Free.”
It also matters that it’s someone from the Gulf Coast, too. Foust didn’t forget about his hometown, either, as Home Free raised more than $300,000 for the community after Hurricane Harvey roared through in 2017.
Foust went to Lamar University as a pre-med student for two years “but I had an itch for music.”
Good thing he scratched it.
“When I was a kid, I do remember going to the museums around the area,” Foust said. “I was always fascinated by (Port Arthur native and rock music legend) Janis Joplin and wanted to kind of follow in her footsteps. The community in Nederland and the entire area has always empowered me. It’s great to come back but also be able to bring my group to perform for the community.”
