Sitting alone on stage with just an acoustic guitar and no autotune, “American Idol” season 23 runner-up John Foster gave a heart-stopping performance of “Anymore” at a hometown show.
No big lights. No background vocals. Just raw talent and a voice that could fill a concert hall.
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From the very first line, the Louisiana native sang with such emotion and control that fans in the room were visibly moved.
With his strong, smooth vocals and classic country tone, Foster didn’t just sing Travis Tritt’s hit — he made it feel like his own. The performance was simple, honest, and packed with the kind of heart you can’t fake.
Watch his cover below.
A Personal Connection to the Song and to His Future
John Foster’s take on “Anymore” wasn’t just about vocals. It was about soul. Stripped down with only his guitar, he sang with the kind of old-school country sincerity that’s rare today. It was a reminder of why America fell in love with him on “Idol” — and why he’s just getting started.
Since finishing second on “American Idol”, Foster’s been diving deep into his music career. He recently opened up about his plans during an episode of The Fable House podcast, sharing that he’s been writing songs, working on new music, and heading back to Nashville.
“I’m writing,” Foster said in the interview. “I’m in talks with recording. I’m going back to Nashville soon and getting in talks with lots of people where we’re going to make lots of music really soon, and I think people are really going to like it.”
And when asked about dream collaborations, John didn’t hesitate — Jelly Roll.
“There’s a couple of different people coming at me from different directions. All great stuff,” he said. “Jelly himself is just a really great dude I’m fortunate enough to have built a relationship with.”
Why He Chose the Name “John Foster” and Not His Real Last Name
John Foster was actually born John Foster Benoit III, but as he recently explained, he chose to use John Foster as his professional name for personal and practical reasons.
“I’m from Louisiana, have a lot of Cajun heritage, a lot of French heritage,” he said. “Benoit is a rough translation to ‘blessed’ in English, so I always really loved that.”
READ MORE: John Foster teases music news, a big tour and a birthday performance at the famous Grand Ole Opry
But when he began performing in country music, he felt “John Foster Benoit” didn’t quite fit the genre. And growing up, everyone already called him John Foster anyway — a name suggested by his grandmother to avoid confusion in a family full of Johns.
“My dad was called Buddy, my grandpa was called John or Johnny,” Foster shared. “So, I think about it as a mononym…like Adele or Prince…or Beyoncé.”
