List of Foreigner band members

Foreigner is a British-American rock band from New York City and London. Formed in 1976, the group originally included lead vocalist Lou Gramm, lead guitarist Mick Jones, rhythm guitarist and woodwind player Ian McDonald, bassist Ed Gagliardi, drummer Dennis Elliott, and keyboardist Al Greenwood.

Foreigner onstage in 2016

The band's current lineup includes lead vocalist Kelly Hansen (since 2005), lead guitarist Mick Jones (since 1976, and the only remaining original member), woodwind player and rhythm guitarist Thom Gimbel (from 1992 to 1993, and since 1995), bassist Jeff Pilson (since 2004), keyboardist Michael Bluestein (since 2008), rhythm and lead guitarist Bruce Watson (since 2011) and drummer Chris Frazier (since 2012).

History

1976–1995

Foreigner was formed in April 1976 by former Leslie West Band guitarist Mick Jones, with the original lineup also including former Black Sheep vocalist Lou Gramm, former King Crimson guitarist and woodwind player Ian McDonald, bassist Ed Gagliardi, former Ian Hunter drummer Dennis Elliott, and keyboardist Al Greenwood.[1] After two albums – 1977's Foreigner and 1978's Double Vision – Gagliardi left the band in April 1979 and was replaced by Rick Wills, formerly of Small Faces.[2] Following the release and promotion of 1979's Head Games, McDonald and Greenwood were fired in September 1980.[3] The group remained a quartet and released 4 in 1981.[4] For the album's promotional tour, McDonald's vacated spot was taken by Mark Rivera, while Bob Mayo and Peter Reilich performed live keyboards.[3] Foreigner's lineup remained the same for Agent Provocateur and Inside Information, before Gramm announced his departure from the band in May 1990 due to differences with Jones and to focus on his solo career.[5]

Jones replaced Gramm with Johnny Edwards, formerly of Montrose, Buster Brown, King Kobra, and Wild Horses, who contributed to the group's next album, Unusual Heat.[6] Keyboardist Jeff Jacobs joined after the album's release.[7] The Unusual Heat touring cycle was the last for Elliott, who left the band in 1993.[8] The drummer had ceased working with the group in 1991, with Larry Aberman filling in on tour, before Mark Schulman joined in early 1992 in time to perform on three new tracks for The Very Best ... and Beyond.[9] The new recordings also marked the return of Gramm, who rejoined Foreigner in May 1992 after working out his differences with Jones during the Los Angeles riots; he also brought his own bassist Bruce Turgon to replace the outgoing Wills.[10] For a tour in promotion of the compilation, Thom Gimbel joined on guitar and saxophone, before Scott Gilman took over the following year when Gimbel returned to touring with Aerosmith.[11] The group released and promoted its next album, Mr. Moonlight, in 1994.[12]

1995 onwards

After the end of the Mr. Moonlight touring cycle, Gilman left Foreigner and Gimbel returned in his place.[11] Around the same time, in January 1995, Schulman was replaced by Ron Wikso on drums.[13] The group continued touring, but did not release any new material before Brian Tichy replaced Wikso in April 1998.[14][15] Schulman returned for a second stint in 2000, before Denny Carmassi took over in time for the group's 25th anniversary tour in 2002.[16] After the tour ended in early 2003, Gramm and Turgon left Foreigner, and the band was put on hiatus for over a year.[17] Jones, now the sole remaining original member of the group, reformed Foreigner for a one-off charity show in July 2004 with a lineup including Gimbel and Jacobs, plus vocalist Chas West, bassist Jeff Pilson and drummer Jason Bonham.[18][19] Early the following year, the group reformed on a permanent basis, adding new frontman Kelly Hansen in place of West.[20] The group's lineup remained stable until December 2007, when long-time member Jacobs left.[7]

Jacobs was replaced for Foreigner's final shows of 2007 by Paul Mirkovich,[21] who later made way for Michael Bluestein in early 2008.[22] Bonham also left in August 2008,[23] to be replaced briefly by Bryan Head and later by the returning Tichy.[24][25] Foreigner released its first studio album in 15 years, Can't Slow Down, in 2009.[26] After the subsequent touring cycle, Jason Sutter took over from Tichy in May 2010,[27] although within a year he had been replaced by Schulman.[28] During a tour in 2011, Jones was unable to perform a number of shows due to undisclosed reasons; he was replaced by Joel Hoekstra and later Bruce Watson for select dates, the latter of whom remained a full-time member of the group.[29] Schulman left again in August 2012, with Tichy filling in before Chris Frazier's arrival the next month.[25][30]

In recent years, Foreigner has reunited on several occasions with numerous past members. In July 2017, Lou Gramm, Al Greenwood and Ian McDonald performed a three-song encore with the current lineup of the group.[31] In October, the same three alumni returned to perform five songs and join the current lineup for an encore of two more, in addition to Rick Wills and Dennis Elliott.[32] Late the following year, the reunions expanded into a series of four special shows featuring all aforementioned past members, dubbed "Double Vision: Then and Now".[33]

Members

Current

Image	Name	Years active	Instruments	Release contributions
	Mick Jones	1976–present	lead & rhythm guitar keyboards backing vocals	all Foreigner releases
	Thom Gimbel	1992–1993 1995–present	rhythm guitar keyboards saxophone flute backing vocals	all Foreigner releases from All Access Tonight: Live in Concert 25 (2003) onwards, except Live at the Rainbow '78 (2019)
	Jeff Pilson	2004–present	bass backing vocals	all Foreigner releases from Extended Versions (2006) onwards, except Live at the Rainbow '78 (2019)
	Kelly Hansen	2005–present	lead vocals percussion
	Michael Bluestein	2008–present	keyboards backing vocals	all Foreigner releases from Can't Slow Down (2009) onwards, except Live at the Rainbow '78 (2019)
	Bruce Watson	2011–present	rhythm and lead guitars backing vocals	all Foreigner releases from The Best of Foreigner 4 & More (2014) onwards, except Live at the Rainbow '78 (2019)
	Chris Frazier	2012–present	drums percussion

Former

Image	Name	Years active	Instruments	Release contributions
	Dennis Elliott	1976–1993 (inactive 1991–93) (plus select shows in 2017 and 2018)	drums percussion occasional backing vocals	all Foreigner releases from Foreigner (1977) to Unusual Heat (1991) Classic Hits Live (1993) Live at the Rainbow '78 (2019)
	Lou Gramm	1976–1990 1992–2003 (plus select shows in 2017 and 2018)	lead vocals percussion	all Foreigner releases from Foreigner (1977) to Inside Information (1987), and from The Very Best ... and Beyond (1992) – three new studio recordings – to All Access Tonight: Live in Concert 25 (2003) Live at the Rainbow '78 (2019)
	Ian McDonald	1976–1980 (plus select shows in 2017, 2018 and 2019)	rhythm and lead guitars keyboards saxophone flute backing vocals	Foreigner (1977) Double Vision (1978) Head Games (1979) Classic Hits Live (1993) Live at the Rainbow '78 (2019)
	Al Greenwood		keyboards synthesizers
	Ed Gagliardi	1976–1979 (died 2014)	bass backing vocals	Foreigner (1977) Double Vision (1978) Classic Hits Live (1993) Live at the Rainbow '78 (2019)
	Rick Wills	1979–1991 (plus select shows in 2017, 2018 and 2019)		all Foreigner releases from Head Games (1979) to Classic Hits Live (1993)
	Johnny Edwards	1990–1992	lead vocals rhythm and lead guitars	Unusual Heat (1991)
	Jeff Jacobs	1991–2007	keyboards backing vocals	The Very Best ... and Beyond (1992) – three new studio recordings all Foreigner releases from Live at Deer Creek (1994) to Live: Soundstage (2009)
	Mark Schulman	1992–1995 2000–2002 2011–2012	drums backing vocals	The Very Best ... and Beyond (1992) – three new studio recordings Live at Deer Creek (1994) Mr. Moonlight (1994)
	Bruce Turgon	1992–2003	bass backing vocals	The Very Best ... and Beyond (1992) – three new studio recordings Live at Deer Creek (1994) Mr. Moonlight (1994) All Access Tonight: Live in Concert 25 (2003)
	Scott Gilman	1993–1995	rhythm and lead guitars saxophone backing vocals	Live at Deer Creek (1994) Mr. Moonlight (1994)
	Ron Wikso	1995–1998	drums	none
	Brian Tichy	1998–2000 2008–2010 (plus fill-in shows in 2007, 2011 and 2012)		Can't Slow Down (2009) Can't Slow Down ... When It's Live! (2010)
	Denny Carmassi	2002–2003		All Access Tonight: Live in Concert 25 (2003)
	Jason Bonham	2004–2008		all Foreigner releases from Extended Versions (2006) to Can't Slow Down (2009)
	Chas West	2004	lead vocals	none
	Paul Mirkovich	2007–2008	keyboards
	Bryan Head	2008	drums
	Jason Sutter	2010–2011

Touring

Image	Name	Years active	Instruments	Details
	Ian Wallace	1977 (died 2007)	drums	Wallace performed alongside Elliott, who had broken his right hand, during select tour dates throughout 1977.[34]
	Mark Rivera	1981–1988 1991–1992	rhythm guitar saxophone flute keyboards	Rivera, Mayo and Reilich all joined the touring group in 1981, and Rivera contributed to multiple studio albums.[3]
	Bob Mayo	1981–1988 (died 2004)	keyboards synthesizers piano rhythm guitar backing vocals
	Peter Reilich	1981–1982	keyboards
	Larry Oakes	1988	rhythm guitar keyboards	Oakes and Cortelezzi took over from Rivera and Mayo, who were temporarily unavailable, during a tour in 1988.[35]
	Lou Cortelezzi		saxophone
	Larry Aberman	1991–1992	drums	Aberman filled in for Elliott following his departure in November 1991, before Schulman arrived the next year.[35]
	John Purdell	2000 (died 2003)	keyboards backing vocals	Purdell, who produced several songs for the band, performed with Foreigner on the Jukebox Hero Tour 2000.[36]
	Doug Aldrich	2010	rhythm guitar	Aldrich performed with Foreigner on May 22, 2010 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Paradise, Nevada.[37]
	Joel Hoekstra	2011	lead guitar	Hoekstra filled in for Jones, unavailable due to illness, during a 2011 tour with his other group Night Ranger.[38]
	Ollie Marland	2012	keyboards	After taking a leave of absence due to cancer, Bluestein was temporarily replaced by Marland and then Hilland.[39][40]
	Derek Hilland	2012–2013

Timeline

Lineups

Period	Members	Releases
April 1976 – April 1979	Lou Gramm – lead vocals, percussion Mick Jones – lead guitar, keyboards, backing vocals Ian McDonald – rhythm guitar, woodwind, backing vocals Ed Gagliardi – bass, backing vocals Dennis Elliott – drums, percussion Al Greenwood – keyboards, synthesizers	Foreigner (1977) Double Vision (1978) Classic Hits Live (1993) Live at the Rainbow '78 (2019)
April 1979 – September 1980	Lou Gramm – lead vocals, percussion Mick Jones – lead guitar, keyboards, backing vocals Ian McDonald – rhythm guitar, woodwind, backing vocals Rick Wills – bass, backing vocals Dennis Elliott – drums, percussion Al Greenwood – keyboards, synthesizers	Head Games (1979) Classic Hits Live (1993)
September 1980 – May 1990	Lou Gramm – lead vocals, percussion Mick Jones – guitar, keyboards, backing vocals Rick Wills – bass, backing vocals Dennis Elliott – drums, percussion	4 (1981) Agent Provocateur (1984) Inside Information (1987)
Summer 1990 – July 1991	Johnny Edwards – lead vocals, rhythm guitar Mick Jones – lead guitar, keyboards, backing vocals Rick Wills – bass, backing vocals Dennis Elliott – drums, percussion	Unusual Heat (1991)
July – November 1991	Johnny Edwards – lead vocals, rhythm guitar Mick Jones – lead guitar, keyboards, backing vocals Rick Wills – bass, backing vocals Dennis Elliott – drums, percussion Jeff Jacobs – keyboards, backing vocals	none
November 1991 – March 1992	Johnny Edwards – lead vocals, rhythm guitar Mick Jones – lead guitar, keyboards, backing vocals Rick Wills – bass, backing vocals Jeff Jacobs – keyboards, backing vocals Larry Aberman – drums (touring)
March – May 1992	Johnny Edwards – lead vocals, rhythm guitar Mick Jones – lead guitar, keyboards, backing vocals Rick Wills – bass, backing vocals Mark Schulman – drums, backing vocals Jeff Jacobs – keyboards, backing vocals
May – October 1992	Lou Gramm – lead vocals, percussion Mick Jones – guitar, keyboards, backing vocals Bruce Turgon – bass, backing vocals Mark Schulman – drums, backing vocals Jeff Jacobs – keyboards, backing vocals	The Very Best ... and Beyond (1992)
October 1992 – spring 1993	Lou Gramm – lead vocals, percussion Mick Jones – lead guitar, keyboards, backing vocals Thom Gimbel – rhythm guitar, woodwind, backing vocals Bruce Turgon – bass, backing vocals Mark Schulman – drums, backing vocals Jeff Jacobs – keyboards, backing vocals	none
Spring 1993 – early 1995	Lou Gramm – lead vocals, percussion Mick Jones – lead guitar, keyboards, backing vocals Scott Gilman – rhythm guitar, woodwind, backing vocals Bruce Turgon – bass, backing vocals Mark Schulman – drums, backing vocals Jeff Jacobs – keyboards, backing vocals	Live at Deer Creek (1994) Mr. Moonlight (1994)
January 1995 – April 1998	Lou Gramm – lead vocals, percussion Mick Jones – lead guitar, keyboards, backing vocals Thom Gimbel – rhythm guitar, woodwind, backing vocals Bruce Turgon – bass, backing vocals Ron Wikso – drums Jeff Jacobs – keyboards, backing vocals	none
April 1998 – summer 2000	Lou Gramm – lead vocals, percussion Mick Jones – lead guitar, keyboards, backing vocals Thom Gimbel – rhythm guitar, woodwind, backing vocals Bruce Turgon – bass, backing vocals Brian Tichy – drums Jeff Jacobs – keyboards, backing vocals
Summer 2000 – early 2002	Lou Gramm – lead vocals, percussion Mick Jones – lead guitar, keyboards, backing vocals Thom Gimbel – rhythm guitar, woodwind, backing vocals Bruce Turgon – bass, backing vocals Mark Schulman – drums, backing vocals Jeff Jacobs – keyboards, backing vocals
May 2002 – early 2003	Lou Gramm – lead vocals, percussion Mick Jones – lead guitar, keyboards, backing vocals Thom Gimbel – rhythm guitar, woodwind, backing vocals Bruce Turgon – bass, backing vocals Denny Carmassi – drums Jeff Jacobs – keyboards, backing vocals	All Access Tonight: Live in Concert 25 (2003)
Band on hiatus early 2003 – July 2004
July 2004	Chas West – lead vocals Mick Jones – lead guitar, keyboards, backing vocals Thom Gimbel – rhythm guitar, woodwind, backing vocals Jeff Pilson – bass, backing vocals Jason Bonham – drums Jeff Jacobs – keyboards, backing vocals	none
March 2005 – December 2007	Kelly Hansen – lead vocals, percussion Mick Jones – lead guitar, keyboards, backing vocals Thom Gimbel – rhythm guitar, woodwind, backing vocals Jeff Pilson – bass, backing vocals Jason Bonham – drums Jeff Jacobs – keyboards, backing vocals	Extended Versions (2006) Alive & Rockin' (2007) Live: Soundstage (2009)
December 2007 – early 2008	Kelly Hansen – lead vocals, percussion Mick Jones – lead guitar, keyboards, backing vocals Thom Gimbel – rhythm guitar, woodwind, backing vocals Jeff Pilson – bass, backing vocals Jason Bonham – drums Paul Mirkovich – keyboards	none
Early – August 2008	Kelly Hansen – lead vocals, percussion Mick Jones – lead guitar, keyboards, backing vocals Thom Gimbel – rhythm guitar, woodwind, backing vocals Jeff Pilson – bass, backing vocals Jason Bonham – drums Michael Bluestein – keyboards, backing vocals
August – late 2008	Kelly Hansen – lead vocals, percussion Mick Jones – lead guitar, keyboards, backing vocals Thom Gimbel – rhythm guitar, woodwind, backing vocals Jeff Pilson – bass, backing vocals Bryan Head – drums Michael Bluestein – keyboards, backing vocals
Late 2008 – May 2010	Kelly Hansen – lead vocals, percussion Mick Jones – lead guitar, keyboards, backing vocals Thom Gimbel – rhythm guitar, woodwind, backing vocals Jeff Pilson – bass, backing vocals Brian Tichy – drums Michael Bluestein – keyboards, backing vocals	Can't Slow Down (2009) Can't Slow Down ... When It's Live! (2010)
May 2010 – March 2011	Kelly Hansen – lead vocals, percussion Mick Jones – lead guitar, keyboards, backing vocals Thom Gimbel – rhythm guitar, woodwind, backing vocals Jeff Pilson – bass, backing vocals Jason Sutter – drums Michael Bluestein – keyboards, backing vocals	none
March – September 2011	Kelly Hansen – lead vocals, percussion Mick Jones – lead guitar, keyboards, backing vocals Thom Gimbel – rhythm guitar, woodwind, backing vocals Jeff Pilson – bass, backing vocals Mark Schulman – drums, backing vocals Michael Bluestein – keyboards, backing vocals	Feels Like the First Time: Live in Chicago (2011)
September 2011 – August 2012	Kelly Hansen – lead vocals, percussion Mick Jones – lead guitar, keyboards, backing vocals Bruce Watson – rhythm guitar, backing vocals Thom Gimbel – woodwind, guitar, backing vocals Jeff Pilson – bass, backing vocals Mark Schulman – drums, percussion Michael Bluestein – keyboards, backing vocals	none
September 2012 – present	Kelly Hansen – lead vocals, percussion Mick Jones – lead guitar, keyboards, backing vocals Bruce Watson – rhythm guitar, backing vocals Thom Gimbel – woodwind, guitar, backing vocals Jeff Pilson – bass, backing vocals Chris Frazier – drums, percussion Michael Bluestein – keyboards, backing vocals	The Very Best of Foreigner 4 & More (2014) In Concert: Unplugged (2016) "The Flame Still Burns" (2016) Foreigner with the 21st Century Symphony Orchestra & Chorus (2018) Live in Concert (2019)

References

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External links

• Foreigner official website