Blues Grammy winner releases new single

GRAMMY Award-winning singer-songwriter Ruthie Foster has released “Take Time,” the second single from her forthcoming album Just Say Yes, due out August 28 via Sun Records.

Co-written by Tyler Bryant and Foster, “Take Time” is a blues-infused, mid-tempo track featuring Foster’s signature vocals over a Southern soul organ groove and melodic electric guitar work. Inspired by her mother’s encouragement to persevere through difficult times, the song celebrates the small steps that can lead to meaningful progress and reflects the central message of the upcoming album.

Speaking about the song, Foster said, “Some songs are written to get you moving. This one was written to bring you home to yourself. Take time. It’s the one thing you can never get back.”

“Take Time” follows the release of the album’s first single, “Thank You,” which blends rock, blues, and gospel while exploring feelings of imposter syndrome. The song reflects on Foster’s experiences being questioned as a blues artist despite earning multiple GRAMMY nominations and winning the GRAMMY Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album for Mileage.

Produced in Nashville by Tyler Bryant, Just Say Yes was co-written with Bryant, Rebecca Lovell of Larkin Poe, Megan Lovell, and Mike Seal. The 10-song collection spans soul, roots, and blues while documenting Foster’s personal journey through change, resilience, and self-discovery.

“I wrote this thing on a sticky note and it just said ‘Just say yes,'” Foster recalls.

The new album comes during another significant period of transition for Foster. After suffering a torn meniscus while running to catch a flight last year, she underwent knee surgery in December. The injury and recovery prompted her to reevaluate both her personal life and live performances.

“It’s not just about age. It’s really about the miles I’ve put on,” she says. “Every step matters.”

Foster recorded the album during a break from touring before her surgery, reuniting with Bryant and Rebecca Lovell in Nashville. Drawing from both physical and emotional challenges, the songs reflect a deeply personal chapter in her life.

“Every last one of these songs are about some aspect of my life,” Foster explains.

“This was my way of being true to who I am and knowing that I’m in yet another transition in my life, which is how these albums tend to happen,” she continues.

TRACK LIST

Thank You
Come on Up (ft. Larkin Poe)
Hold On
Yes
Take Time
Doubling Back
Tangled
Sitting Still
Maybe It Up
Reachin’

TOUR DATES

Jul 10 – Columbus, OH – Bicentennial Park
Jul 11 – Deadwood, SD – Deadwood Blues Festival
Jul 17 – Taos Pueblo, NM – She Rises International Women’s Music Festival
Jul 24 – South Park Township, PA – South Park Amphitheater
Aug 1 – Woodstock, NY – Sun Records Midnight Ramble
Aug 2 – Woodstock, NY – Sun Records Midnight Ramble
Aug 12-13 – Big Indian, NY – Catskills Crossroads Blues Camp
Aug 14 – Brattleboro, VT – Stone Church
Aug 16 – Thornton, NH – White Mountain Boogie N’ Blues
Aug 20 – Brownfield, ME – Stone Mountain Arts Center
Aug 21 – Plymouth, MA – Spire Center for the Performing Arts
Aug 22 – Falmouth, MA – Falmouth Academy
Aug 23 – Albany, NY – The Egg
Aug 25 – Okoboji, IA – Pearson Lakes Art Center
Sep 10-12 – Las Vegas, NV – Big Blues Bender
Sep 13 – Cerritos, CA – Cerritos Center For The Performing Arts
Sep 15-19 – Nashville, TN – AmericanaFest
Sep 23 – London, UK – The Lexington
Sep 24 – Paris, FR – Le Duc Des Lombards
Sep 26 – Assen, NL – Crossroads Festival
Oct 24 – Hopkins, MN – Hopkins Center For The Arts
Oct 31-Nov 7 – San Diego, CA – The Legendary Rhythm & Blues Cruise
Feb 26-Mar 5, 2027 – Miami, FL – Cayamo