Former child star Foster Emerson Sylvers died Saturday, May 30, after a battle with terminal cancer. He was 64. His older brother Leon Sylvers III confirmed his death.
Foster died in hospice after battling stage 4 pancreatic cancer, according to TMZ. However, Eurweb.com reported Foster was also diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer.
Foster’s daughter Erin shared a photo of her father on Facebook, writing, “Rest well, Daddy. I love you so much.”
Foster rose to fame at age 11 following the release of his solo album, Foster Sylvers, in 1973. The first single off the album, “Misdemeanor,” peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard R&B chart.
Foster Sylvers. ??
(02-25-1962 – 05-30-2026)
Misdemeanor pic.twitter.com/4zIhYmtlGJ
— Jermaine Watkins (@JermaineWatkins) May 31, 2026
The follow-up single, “Hey Little Girl” charted at number 63 on the Billboard R&B chart that same year. Foster was frequently compared to Jackson 5 lead singer Michael Jackson in the 1970s.
In 1974 Foster released his second album, Foster Sylvers Featuring Pat & Angie Sylvers. The album failed to chart.
By 1975 he joined the family group and played bass. The Sylvers are known for their hit songs including No. 1 hit “Boogie Fever”, “Fool’s Paradise” and “Hot Line.”
The Sylvers disbanded in 1975. A few of the members continued to work in the music industry. Leon, in particular, was a popular music producer and songwriter who worked with other well-known artists.
The family consisted of 10 siblings. Edmund Sylvers died from lung cancer in 2004 at age 47. The youngest sibling, Christopher, who never performed with the group, died in 1985 from hepatitis at age 18.
The remaining Sylvers siblings include Pat, 65, Angie, 66, Ricky, 67, James, 70, Charmaine, 72, Leon, 73, and Olympia, 74.
Foster Sylvers, a talented singer and songwriter who became a member of The Sylvers, has died, Donnie Simpson announced. He was 64. pic.twitter.com/j1TrVtSIfk
— WABJ – Washington Association of Black Journalists (@WABJDC) May 31, 2026