Rex Foster, age 50, known to LeFevre fans as "Little Rex", went home to be with the Lord on Tuesday morning, June 19, 2001, after a period of declining health. He and his wife, Jackie, and son, Christopher, 14 years of age, were living in Greenville, South Carolina.

      Rex began his professional career as the first male pianist with the Hopper Brothers and Connie in Madison, North Carolina. In remembering Rex, Claude told us that, "When we decided to hire a pianist so Connie could concentrate more on her singing, Rex was the obvious choice for many reasons. He loved Southern Gospel Music, and he could play like anybody he had ever heard. He especially loved the distinctive style of Eva Mae LeFevre and could play like Connie as well. He was a fine young Christian, so he was perfect for the Hoppers. We were fortunate to give him his first break in Southern Gospel Music."

    In 1971, his love of Eva Mae and the LeFevres' style was rewarded when he learned that the LeFevres were also going to hire a pianist. He went to the audition, and according to Eva Mae, no one else was even considered. He quickly became a crowd favorite, delighting fans as they heard Eva Mae's distinctive piano licks coming from his hands. He would remain with the group for a while after the group's name was changed to the Nelons, until 1979 when he married his sweetheart, Jackie.

    When told of his passing, after fighting back the tears, Kelly Nelon remarked that it was some of the saddest news she had received since her father, "Big Rex" Nelon passed away in Ireland. She said that, "I feel like we've lost another member of our family." This was the general sentiment voiced by everyone who was contacted in the hours following the news.
    Can you even imagine how happy "Big Rex" was to see him!

    Rex was also a big fan of Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, so we suspect he'll want to visit with them for a few million years, as well.

    We have lost a very talented young man, but only for a while. While we cannot know the workings in heaven, we know that Rex is now in the presence of his Savior, and no doubt he has been added to the pianists in heaven's choir.

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