Stephen Foster was born in Ipswich in October 1959. He attended Sidegate Lane Primary and Copleston Secondary schools. After a few years as an insurance claims clerk he landed a job as a trainee reporter at Radio Orwell. In 1990 he joined BBC Radio Suffolk where he has produced and presented a wide range of music and current affairs programmes.

Over the years he has interviewed hundreds of big names including many of the stars featured in this book, among them Sir Cliff Richard, Lonnie Donegan, Bill Wyman, Gene Pitney, Helen Shapiro, Joe Brown and Dave Davies.

In 1995 Stephen worked at Abbey Road studios in London on a special project for EMI Records. He researched and compiled a 5 CD boxed set of recordings by rhythm and blues band Dr Feelgood and that led to extensive work for the group's own label Grand Records.

Stephen lives in Ipswich and is married to Belinda. They have two sons, Oliver and Joseph.