Foster & McElroy


Denzil Foster and Thomas McElroy are an American R&B record production and songwriting duo, releasing recordings under the names Foster & McElroy and Fmob. They have written and produced songs for musicians such as Club Nouveau, Tony! Toni! Toné!, Alexander O'Neal, Regina Belle, Madonna, and Swing Out Sister. Their music has been sampled in hit songs by the Luniz, Puff Daddy, Ashanti, Jay-Z, Jennifer Lopez, LL Cool J, Jessica Simpson, and others. Foster & McElroy are best known as the founders of the group En Vogue, listed by Billboard as one of the Top 10 Girl Groups of All Time. In addition to producing music for various television shows, they are also credited for songs in numerous movie soundtracks including The Great White Hype, Lean on Me, and Who's That Girl.

Biography

Denzil Foster was born in Oakland, CA and was greatly influenced by different styles of music, from The Beatles to Parliament/Funkadelic. Thomas McElroy, also born in Oakland, was influenced by his father's love for jazz music. The two musicians first met in California while attending college and decided to work together as colleagues.

Career

Signing to the independent Triangle label, they released one 12" single. Soon after, Foster & McElroy joined forces with Jay King producing Timex Social Club's hit single "Rumors" in 1986. When that group disbanded, they regrouped with King to form Club Nouveau. Eventually, the duo left Club Nouveau after their first album Life, Love & Pain to focus on production and songwriting. In 1988, they landed a production deal with Wing Records, eventually signing the band Tony! Toni! Toné!, as well as brother and sister act Channel 2.
Foster & McElroy are considered pioneers of new jack swing, a genre they helped define with the group Tony! Toni! Tone!. The duo produced the group's first album and had success with the first single release, "Little Walter," which peaked at #47 on the Billboard Hot 100. In 1990, the group released The Revival, its second album which went 2x's Platinum and had numerous #1 singles. Following the success of Tony! Toni! Toné!, Foster & McElroy released their first album as a group, FM2, one of which included songs such as "Around the World in 80 Beats", "Gotta Be a Better Way", and "Dr. Soul", the latter of which was a top ten R&B hit featuring rapper MC Lyte. It earned moderate success. While working on the album, Foster & McElroy made plans to put together a girl group that would be a modern-day version of The Supremes, with what eventually became the group En Vogue.
After several audition calls, Foster & McElroy eventually selected Cindy Herron, Maxine Jones, and Dawn Robinson to become the members of the newly titled "For You." The group became a quartet after the addition of Terry Ellis and the name was changed to "Vogue." After learning that another group already had that moniker, Foster & McElroy changed the name to "En Vogue." The group's first album, Born to Sing, was released in 1990 and sold over one million copies with numerous singles reaching #1 on Billboard charts. En Vogue's second album, Funky Divas, was released in 1992 and became the highest selling album to date and one of the top selling albums of that year with over five million copies sold worldwide. With hits such as "Hold On", "Lies", "Free Your Mind", "My Lovin' ", and "Don't Let Go ", En Vogue has become one of the most successful girl groups in music history. It was also listed as one of the Top 10 Girl Groups of All Time by Billboard.
They recorded a second album in 1994, a hip-hop jazz album Once in a Blue Moon, under their new name FMob. The duo has also written a few television theme songs as well, including Hanging with Mr. Cooper, Roc, and BET's Video Soul. They have also been credited with numerous movie soundtracks.

Discography

Singles

YearTitleArtistCreditsNotes
2008Blue MagicJay ZWritersPeaked at #17 on Billboard Hot Rap Songs
2000RiddleEn VogueWriters & ProducersFrom the album Masterpiece Theatre
1999Satisfy YouPuff DaddyWritersPeaked at #1 on Billboard Hot Rap Songs and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
1995I Got 5 On ItThe LunizWritersPeaked at #4 on Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
1993Give It Up, Turn It LooseEn VogueWriters & ProducersPeaked at #10 on Mainstream Top 40 and #15 on Billboard Hot 100
1993Free Your MindEn VogueWriters & ProducersPeaked at #8 on Billboard Hot 100 and nominated for Grammy.
1992Something He Can FeelEn VogueWriters & ProducersPeaked at #1 on Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
1992My Lovin' En VogueWriters & ProducersCertified Gold by the RIAA and peaked at #1 on Billboard Hot R&B Singles
1991Don't GoEn VogueWriters & Producers#2 Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
1991Midnight RunAlexander O'NealWriters & Producers#3 Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, #49 Pop
1990You Don't Have To WorryEn VogueWriters & Producers#1 Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
1990So You Like What You SeeSamuelleWriters & Producers#1 Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
1990LiesEn VogueWriters & Producers#1 Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
1990Hold OnEn VogueWriters & ProducersPlatinum, #2 Pop
1989Dr. SoulFoster McElroyWriters & Producers#10 Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
1989Body TalkSharon BryantWriters & Producers#15 Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
1989For The Love Of YouTony! Toni! Tone!Writers & Producers#3 Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
1988Baby DollTony! Toni! Tone!Writers & Producers#2 Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
1988Born Not To KnowTony! Toni! Tone!Writers & Producers#2 Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
1988Tell Me It's Not Too LateLIAWriters & Producers#33 Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
1988True ObsessionLIAWriters & Producers#49 Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
1988Little WalterTony! Toni! Tone!Writers & Producers#1 Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
1988Little Drummer BoyAlexander O'NealWriters & Producers#1 Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
1987To Prove My LoveMichael CooperWriters & Producers#1 Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
1986Last TimeTheresaWriters & Producers#12 Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
1986Heavy On My MindClub NouveauWriters & Producers#7 Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
1986Why You Treat Me So BadClub NouveauWriters & Producers#2 Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, #21 Pop
1986Lean On MeClub NouveauWriters & Producers#2 Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, #1 Pop
1986Situation #9Club NouveauWriters & Producers#2 Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
1986JealousyClub NouveauWriters & Producers#1 Dance, #8 Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
1986RumorsTimex Social ClubProducers4x Platinum, #1 Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs & #6 Pop

Albums

YearTitleArtistCreditsNotes
2018Electric CaféEn VogueWriters & Producers
2004Soul FlowerEn VogueWriters & Producers#47 on the charts for Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and #15 on Billboard's Independent Albums chart
2002The Gift of ChristmasEn VogueWriters & Producers
2000Masterpiece TheatreEn VogueWriters & ProducersPeaked at #33 on Billboard R&B and #67 on Billboard 200
1997EV3En VogueWriters & ProducersPlatinum
1995Southern GalTerry EllisWriters & ProducersPeaked at #27 on Billboard R&B/Hip-hop albums
1995Reachin' BackRegina BelleWriters & ProducersPeaked at #18 on Billboard R&B
1994Once In A Blue MoonFMobWriters & Producers
1993Runaway LoveEn VogueWriters & ProducersPeaked at #16 on Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
1992Funky DivasEn VogueWriters & Producers5x Platinum, #8 Pop
1992ForeverPuff DaddySample tracks used from Why You Treat Me So Bad#2 on Billboard 200
1990Born To SingEn VogueWriters & ProducersPlatinum, #1 R&B, #8 Pop
1990RevivalTony! Toni! Tone!Writers & Producers2x Platinum, #1 R&B
1990Living in Black ParadiseSamuelleWriters & Producers#37 R&B
1989FM2Foster & McElroyWriters, Producers, Performers
1988Let It Be MeRobert BrookinsWriters & Producers#37 R&BTop R&B/Hip-Hop Albums
1988Who?Tony! Toni! Tone!Writers & ProducersGold, #1 R&B
1986Life, Love & PainClub NouveauWriters & Producers3x Platinum, #1 R&B, #2 Pop

Movie soundtracks

YearSoundtrackSongCredits
1996The Great White HypeWe Got ItWriters & Producers
1989Lean on MeLean on MeWriters & Producers
1987Who's That GirlStep by StepWriters & Producers