David Foster facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
David Foster
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Foster in 2024
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | David Walter Foster |
| Born | November 1, 1949 Victoria, British Columbia, Canada |
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| Instruments | Keyboards, occasional vocals |
| Years active | 1971–present |
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| Children | 6 |
David Walter Foster is a famous Canadian record producer, composer, and musician. He was born on November 1, 1949. He has won many awards, including 16 Grammy Awards.
David Foster started his music journey as a keyboard player. He played for the pop group Skylark in the early 1970s. Later, he focused on writing and producing music for other artists. He has helped create over 40 pop hits that appeared on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. From 2012 to 2016, he was also in charge of Verve Records. In 2023, he wrote the music for a new show called Boop! The Musical, which later came to Broadway.
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Early Life and Music Beginnings
David Foster grew up in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. When he was 13, in 1963, he started studying music at the University of Washington. Two years later, he tried out to lead a band in an Edmonton nightclub. The owner, jazz musician Tommy Banks, became his mentor. Tommy taught David about jazz, producing records, and the music business.
After a year, David moved to Toronto to play with Ronnie Hawkins. In 1966, he joined the backup band for Chuck Berry. In 1972, he moved to Los Angeles with his own band, Skylark.
Music Career Highlights
Starting Out in Music
David Foster was the keyboardist for the pop group Skylark. Their song "Wildflower" became a top ten hit in 1973. After Skylark broke up, David stayed in Los Angeles. He formed a new band called Airplay with Jay Graydon.
In the mid-1970s, David played on albums for famous artists like George Harrison. He also produced an album for Alice Cooper in 1978. This showed how good he was at working with different music styles. In 1979, he helped with the Earth, Wind & Fire album I Am. He co-wrote six songs, including "After the Love Has Gone", which won a Grammy Award.
Big Hits and Collaborations (1980s-1990s)
David Foster produced albums for many popular bands and singers. He worked with The Tubes in the early 1980s, co-writing hits like "She's a Beauty". He also helped Boz Scaggs with songs like "Breakdown Dead Ahead".
He played a big part in the success of the band Chicago in the 1980s. He produced their albums Chicago 16, Chicago 17, and Chicago 18. He co-wrote many of their hit songs, such as "Hard to Say I'm Sorry" and "You're the Inspiration". He also helped Peter Cetera with his solo hit "Glory of Love".
David also worked with Kenny Loggins on songs like "Heart to Heart" and "Forever". He produced albums for country singer Kenny Rogers, including What About Me? and The Heart of the Matter.
In 1985, David composed the music for the movie St. Elmo's Fire. This included the popular instrumental song "Love Theme from St. Elmo's Fire". He also co-wrote and produced "Tears Are Not Enough" for a group of Canadian artists.
He continued to create music for movies, like The Secret of My Success (1987) and Stealing Home (1988). In 1988, he composed "Winter Games", the theme song for the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary. This song is now used for fountain shows in Las Vegas.
In 1992, David and his then-wife Linda Thompson wrote "I Have Nothing" for Whitney Houston in the movie The Bodyguard. In 1995, he started his own music label, 143 Records. He signed and produced the Irish band the Corrs. He also co-wrote "The Power of the Dream", the official song for the 1996 Summer Olympics. He produced many other famous songs, including "Un-Break My Heart" by Toni Braxton and "Because You Loved Me" by Celine Dion.
New Millennium Successes (2000s-Present)
In the 2000s, David Foster helped launch the careers of new artists. He produced the first albums for Josh Groban (2001), Michael Bublé (2003), and Charice (2010).
He worked with Lara Fabian and the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra to record "O Canada", the Canadian national anthem. In 2003, he won an Emmy Award for his music in The Concert for World Children's Day.
In 2005, David, his daughter Amy Foster-Gillies, and Beyoncé wrote "Stand Up For Love". This song became the anthem for World Children's Day, which helps raise money for children's causes.
In 2008, David held a special concert called "Hitman: David Foster & Friends" in Las Vegas. Many famous singers performed, including Andrea Bocelli, Michael Bublé, and Celine Dion. In 2011, he became the Chairman of Verve Music Group. He produced albums for Mary J. Blige and Andrea Bocelli in 2013. He also produced an album for Bryan Adams in 2014.
In 2018, he started writing a musical with singer Jewel. In 2023, his musical Boop! The Musical premiered in Chicago and later moved to Broadway.
Television Appearances
David Foster has appeared on many TV shows. In 2001, he was on Popstars, a reality show looking for a new girl group. He also appeared on American Idol as a mentor and on Nashville Star as a guest judge. In 2006, he was a judge on Celebrity Duets.
He was the musical director for "JCPenney Jam's The Concert For American Kids" in 2006. He also appeared in live concert DVDs for Andrea Bocelli. In 2007, he performed with Josh Groban on The Oprah Winfrey Show. He appeared on Oprah again with Charice and Andrea Bocelli.
In 2012, David appeared on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills with his then-wife, Yolanda Hadid. From 2015 to 2019, he was a judge on Asia's Got Talent. In 2019, a documentary about his life, David Foster: Off the Record, was released. In 2021, David and his wife Katharine McPhee competed on The Masked Singer as "Banana Split".
Christmas Album Productions
David Foster has produced many popular Christmas albums. These include Once Upon a Christmas by Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton (1984), and These Are Special Times by Celine Dion (1998). He also produced Noël by Josh Groban (2007) and Christmas by Michael Bublé (2011). Four of the Christmas albums he produced are among the top fifteen best-selling Christmas albums ever. He also wrote the song "Grown-Up Christmas List".
In 2022, David and his wife Katharine McPhee released a Christmas album called Christmas Songs.
Helping Others
David Foster started the David Foster Foundation. This foundation helps children who need medical transplants. He has been recognized for his charity work, including at the Juno Awards in 2019. In 2018, he helped raise a lot of money for the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces.
Personal Life
David Foster has been married five times and has five daughters, one son, and ten grandchildren. His first child, Allison Jones Foster, was born in 1970. He reconnected with her when she was 30. He has a daughter named Amy with his first wife, B.J. Cook. Amy is a songwriter and author.
With his second wife, Rebecca Dyer, he has three daughters: Sara, Erin, and Jordan. He was also a stepfather to Brandon and Brody Jenner, the sons of his third wife, Linda Thompson.
In 1992, David Foster was driving when he saw actor Ben Vereen on the highway. David helped Ben, who was in a difficult situation, and called for emergency services. Ben Vereen later said that David saved his life.
David married his fourth wife, Yolanda Hadid, in 2011. He was a stepfather to her three children: Gigi, Bella, and Anwar. They divorced in 2017.
In 2019, David married his fifth wife, Katharine McPhee. They had a son named Rennie David in 2021. David Foster is also a cousin of racecar driver Billy Foster. Besides being a Canadian citizen, he also became a US citizen in 2000.
Discography
- The Best of Me (1983)
- David Foster (1986)
- The Symphony Sessions (1988)
- River of Love (1990)
- Rechordings (1991)
- The Christmas Album (1993)
- Love Lights the World (1994)
- Eleven Words (2020)
- Christmas Songs (2022)
Filmography
- St. Elmo's Fire (1985)
Awards and Recognitions
David Foster has received many honors for his work:
- Order of British Columbia (1995)
- Hon. Doctorate University of Victoria (1995)
- Order of Canada (1998)
- Canadian Walk of Fame inductee (2002)
- Hon. Doctorate of Music Berklee College of Music (2002)
- Officer of the Order of Canada (2006)
- Canadian Music Hall of Fame inductee (2007)
- Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee (2010)
- Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee (2010)
- Hollywood Walk of Fame Star (2013)
- Governor General Performing Arts Awards (2022)
He has won 16 Grammy Awards, including three times for "Producer of the Year". He has been nominated for a Grammy 47 times. He was nominated three times for an Academy Award for Best Original Song. He won a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song in 1999 for "The Prayer". He has also been named BMI's "Songwriter of the Year". He was nominated for a Drama Desk Award for the music he composed for Boop! the Musical.
See also
In Spanish: David Foster para niños
- List of songs written by David Foster
- Music of Canada
- Canadian Music Hall of Fame
- List of Canadian composers
