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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| Years active | 1971–present |
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| Children | 6 |
David Walter Foster (born November 1, 1949) is a famous Canadian music producer, songwriter, and composer. He has won 16 Grammy Awards, which are like the Oscars for music! He was nominated 47 times.
David Foster started his music journey in the early 1970s. He played keyboards for a pop group called Skylark. Later, he focused on writing and producing songs for many popular artists. He has helped create over 40 pop hits that made it onto the Billboard Hot 100 charts. He also led Verve Records, a music company, from 2012 to 2016.
Contents
Early Life and Music Start
David Foster was born in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. His dad, Maurice, worked in an office, and his mom, Eleanor, was a homemaker.
When he was just 13, in 1963, David began studying music at the University of Washington. Two years later, he tried out to lead a band at a nightclub in Edmonton. The club was owned by a jazz musician named Tommy Banks. Banks became David's mentor, teaching him about jazz, making records, and the music business.
After a year, David moved to Toronto to play with Ronnie Hawkins. In 1966, he even joined the backup band for the legendary Chuck Berry. In 1974, David moved to Los Angeles with his band, Skylark.
David Foster's Music Career
Starting Out in Music
David Foster was the keyboard player 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.
David also played on albums for famous artists. In 1975, he played on George Harrison's album Extra Texture. The next year, he played on Harrison's album Thirty Three & 1/3. He also worked with Ringo Starr in 1976.
In 1979, David helped a lot with the Earth, Wind & Fire album I Am. He played in the studio and helped arrange the music. He even co-wrote six songs on the album, including "After the Love Has Gone." For this song, he and his co-writers won a Grammy Award for Best R&B Song in 1980.
Hits in the 1980s and 1990s
David Foster produced albums for bands like The Tubes in the early 1980s. He co-wrote some of their popular songs, such as "Talk to Ya Later" and "She's a Beauty," which was a top 10 hit in the US. He also worked with Boz Scaggs, writing and playing keyboards on songs like "Breakdown Dead Ahead."
He played a big part in the success of the jazz-rock band Chicago in the 1980s. He produced their albums Chicago 16 (1982), Chicago 17 (1984), and Chicago 18 (1986). Chicago 17 was their best-selling album! David co-wrote many of their hits, including "Hard to Say I'm Sorry" (a US No. 1 song) and "You're the Inspiration." He also helped Peter Cetera, Chicago's bassist, write his No. 1 solo hit "Glory of Love."
David also worked with Kenny Loggins on songs like "Heart to Heart" and "Forever." He produced hit albums for country singer Kenny Rogers, including What About Me? and The Heart of the Matter.
In 1985, Rolling Stone magazine called David Foster a "master of . . . bombastic pop kitsch." That same year, he wrote the music for the movie St. Elmo's Fire. This included the instrumental song "Love Theme from St. Elmo's Fire," which reached No. 15 on the US pop charts. Another song from the movie, "St. Elmo's Fire (Man in Motion)" by John Parr, became a No. 1 hit.
David also co-wrote and produced "Tears Are Not Enough" in 1985. This song was recorded by many Canadian artists, including Joni Mitchell and Neil Young.
He continued to compose music for movies, like The Secret of My Success (1987) and Stealing Home (1988).
David composed "Winter Games," the theme song for the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, Alberta. This song is still used today for fountain shows at the Bellagio resort in Las Vegas!
In 1992, David worked with his then-wife, Linda Thompson, on the song "I Have Nothing." This song was sung by Whitney Houston in the movie The Bodyguard.
In 1995, David started his own record label called 143 Records. One of the first groups he signed was an Irish folk-rock band called the Corrs. By 1997, he sold his label back to Warner Brothers and became a senior vice president there. David and Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds wrote "The Power of the Dream," the official song for the 1996 Summer Olympics. David also produced many hit songs written by Diane Warren, such as "Un-Break My Heart" by Toni Braxton and "Because You Loved Me" by Celine Dion.
Music in the 2000s and 2010s
David Foster helped launch the careers of many new artists in the 2000s. He produced the first major albums for Josh Groban (2001), Michael Bublé (2003), Renee Olstead (2004), and Charice (2010) through his 143 Records label.
In 2001, he worked with Lara Fabian and the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra to record different versions of the Canadian national anthem, "O Canada." In 2003, David won an Emmy Award for his music and lyrics for 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, an event that raises money for children's causes. Over $50 million has been raised for charities like Ronald McDonald House Charities.
In 2008, David held a special concert in Las Vegas called "Hitman: David Foster & Friends." He played the keyboard and featured many famous singers like Andrea Bocelli, Michael Bublé, Josh Groban, Celine Dion, and Katharine McPhee.
In 2011, David worked with young singer Jackie Evancho for her "Dream With Me Concert" on PBS. Later that year, he became the Chairman of Verve Music Group.
In 2013, David produced Mary J. Blige's first Christmas album, A Mary Christmas. He also produced Andrea Bocelli's album Passione, which featured duets with Jennifer Lopez and Nelly Furtado.
He produced an album with Bryan Adams called Tracks of My Years, released in 2014. David left Verve Records in 2016. As of 2018, he was working on a musical with singer Jewel.
Recent Projects in the 2020s
David Foster composed a musical based on the cartoon character Betty Boop. Boop! The Musical had its first show in Chicago in November 2023.
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 helped write and produce songs for the winning group, Eden's Crush.
In 2005, his home life was shown in a reality TV show called The Princes of Malibu. The show featured David trying to teach his stepsons, Brandon and Brody Jenner, to become more independent.
He has been a guest mentor or judge on popular shows like American Idol and Nashville Star. In 2006, he was a judge on Celebrity Duets.
David has also appeared on The View and The Oprah Winfrey Show. In 2008, he appeared on Oprah with singer Charice and Andrea Bocelli.
In December 2008, PBS aired a special called Hit Man: David Foster & Friends, which was a concert featuring David and many other performers.
From 2015 to 2019, David was a judge on Asia's Got Talent. He also judged the Chinese version, World's Got Talent.
In 2019, PBS hosted "An Intimate Evening with David Foster," a show featuring his wife, Katharine McPhee, and other singers. A documentary about his life, David Foster: Off the Record, also came out in 2019.
In 2021, David and his wife, Katharine McPhee, competed on The Masked Singer as "Banana Split." David played instruments while Katharine sang.
Christmas Albums
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 Christmas albums for Josh Groban, Andrea Bocelli, Michael Bublé, and Rod Stewart.
Four of the Christmas albums he produced are among the top fifteen best-selling Christmas albums ever! He also wrote the popular song "Grown-Up Christmas List" in 1990.
In 2022, David and his wife, Katharine McPhee, released a Christmas album called Christmas Songs. They added more songs and re-released it in 2023.
Helping Others (Philanthropy)
David Foster started the David Foster Foundation. This foundation helps children who need medical transplants. For his work, he was recognized at the Juno Awards in 2019.
In 2018, David and his fiancée, Katharine McPhee, attended a fundraiser that raised $60 million for an organization called 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, was born in 1970. He reconnected with her when she was 30 years old. His first marriage was to singer B.J. Cook, and they had a daughter named Amy.
He has three other daughters, Sara, Erin, and Jordan, from his second marriage to Rebecca Dyer.
His third marriage was to songwriter Linda Thompson. They worked together on songs like "I Have Nothing" for The Bodyguard. David was also a stepfather to Linda's sons, Brandon and Brody Jenner.
In 1992, David was driving when he accidentally hit actor Ben Vereen with his car. Vereen had suffered a stroke and was stumbling on the highway. Vereen was badly hurt but recovered. He later said that David saved his life by hitting him and then calling for help.
David's fourth marriage was to Dutch model Yolanda Hadid. He was a stepfather to her three children, Gigi, Bella, and Anwar Hadid. They divorced in 2017.
In 2019, David married singer and actress Katharine McPhee. They had a son named Rennie David in 2021.
David Foster's Albums
- 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)
Awards and Recognition
David Foster has won many awards for his music. He has received the Order of British Columbia (1995) and the Order of Canada (1998), which are high honors in Canada. He also has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (2013).
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 also nominated three times for an Academy Award for Best Original Song. In 1999, he won a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song for "The Prayer" (sung by Andrea Bocelli and Celine Dion) from the movie Quest for Camelot. He has also been named BMI's "Songwriter of the Year."
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
