John Foreman has been playing music his whole life and now he’s set to be given one of the highest honours a musician can get.
Foreman will be inducted into the Land O’ Lakes Traditional Music Hall of Fame. “He’s an entertainer extraordinaire,” Bob White, the President of the Hall of Fame, says about Foreman. White says Foreman – who will be turning 80 next month, has possibly taught hundreds of people how to play the fiddle over the years.
Foreman says he was surprised to hear of the honour. White says Foreman isn’t the type to “blow his own horn” so it’s not surprising he wasn’t expecting the honour.
With his 80th birthday coming up next month, Foreman says he’s lucky and happy to be able to still play music. For many his age they like to retire to a warm place like Florida to relax, but Foreman says his way of relaxing is playing music. “I’m always looking for an excuse to play music,” he says. “It’s always something to look forward to,” he continues.
When not performing, Foreman says he loves to go to open mics nights at places like The Arlington in Maynooth. He says he likes to get out and socialize. “I love to entertain, but at the same time I love to be entertained,” he said about his love of music.
This is the fourth year of inductions into the Hall of Fame. The induction ceremony will be held in October at the Lion’s Hall in Verona.