David Foster
David Foster is a renowned Canadian musician, record producer, and songwriter, celebrated for his impactful contributions to the music industry. Born on November 1, 1949, in Victoria, British Columbia, Foster developed a passion for music from a young age, starting piano lessons at five and later studying at the University of Washington. He gained early recognition as a member of Chuck Berry's backup band and co-founded the successful band Skylark, known for the hit "Wildflower."
Foster's prolific career spans several decades, where he has collaborated with iconic artists including Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, and Michael Bublé, earning numerous accolades such as 16 Grammy Awards. His work is notable for producing memorable songs and soundtracks for popular films and Broadway shows. In addition to his production success, Foster has ventured into television, co-creating the reality series Popstars. He has also received significant honors, including a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and induction into multiple music halls of fame.
Currently, Foster continues to innovate, having recently written music for a new stage musical based on the character Betty Boop, which plans to transition to Broadway in 2025. Throughout his life, he has been married five times, most recently to singer Katharine McPhee, with whom he shares a child.
Subject Terms
David Foster
Record producer
- Born: November 1, 1949
- Place of Birth: Victoria, British Columbia
Contribution: David Foster’s work as a record producer and songwriter for such musical greats as Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, Chicago, Michael Bublé, and Earth, Wind & Fire earned him many awards and nominations. Foster developed a love of music at an early age and capitalized on his talents, becoming one of the music industry’s most prominent figures.
Early Life and Education
David Walter Foster was born November 1, 1949, in Victoria, British Columbia. Foster developed his love of music at the age of five, when he started taking piano lessons. At age thirteen, he enrolled in the University of Washington’s music program, where he continued his musical education. When he was just sixteen, Foster was a member of legendary singer Chuck Berry’s back-up band.
Early Career
Foster went on to cofound the band Skylark with fellow musicians Donny Gerard, Carl Graves, Bonnie Cook, Duris Maxwell, and Steven Pugsley. In 1971, the band moved to Los Angeles, and one year later, the band recorded the album Skylark. The single “Wildflower” became a hit, reaching the top ten on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart. Skylark released a follow-up album in 1975 before disbanding. Foster next embarked on a solo career as a keyboardist and played in recording bands for John Lennon, Barbra Streisand, Diana Ross, and Rod Stewart.
In 1976, Foster produced an album for his new band, Attitudes, which included himself, Danny Korthmar, Paul Stallworth, and Jim Keltner. After that, Foster wrote and produced songs for Hall & Oates, Deniece Williams, and Boz Scaggs, to name a few. He also wrote the song “After the Love Has Gone” for Earth, Wind & Fire, for which he earned a Grammy Award in 1980. In 1983, he won another Grammy Award for producing the album for the Broadway show Dreamgirls. Two years later, Foster won the Grammy Award for producer of the year for his work on the band Chicago’s hit single “Hard Habit to Break.”
Throughout the 1980s, Foster produced songs for the soundtracks of a number of well-known films, including Urban Cowboy (1980), Ghostbusters (1984), Footloose (1984), and St. Elmo’s Fire (1985). Also in the 1980s, Foster worked with music greats Al Jarreau, Dionne Warwick, Neil Diamond, Barbra Streisand, Kenny Rogers, Michael McDonald, and Patti Labelle, to name a few.
In 1987, Foster won the Grammy Award for best instrumental arrangement accompanying vocals for the Barbra Streisand song “Somewhere.” Also in 1987, he was nominated for the Academy Award for best original song for “Glory of Love” from The Karate Kid, Part II. The song was nominated for the Golden Globe for best original song as well, and Foster’s song “The Secret of My Success,” from the film of the same name, was nominated for the same award the following year.
The 1990s
The early 1990s were successful years for Foster. In 1992, he won Grammy Awards for record of the year and album of the year for Natalie Cole’s Unforgettable, and he also won the award for producer of the year. In 1994, Foster won the Grammy Awards for record of the year for Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You,” album of the year for the soundtrack to The Bodyguard, best instrumental arrangement accompanying vocals for “When I Fall in Love” from the film Sleepless in Seattle, and producer of the year. Foster’s success continued in 1997, when he won Grammy Awards for Falling into You, an album featuring Celine Dion and other artists, and “When I Fall in Love,” sung by Natalie Cole and Nat King Cole. He was again nominated for producer of the year.
Later Work
Throughout the 2000s, Foster worked with singer Michael Bublé and was nominated for several Grammy Awards for his contributions to Bublé’s albums. Foster and Bublé won the Grammy Award for best traditional pop album in 2008 and 2011, for the albums Call Me Irresponsible and Crazy Love, respectively.
In 2001, Foster helped create and produce the reality television series Popstars for the WB network. Popstars was based on a series from Australia and had the goal of creating an all-female pop group. Songwriters Diane Warren, Richard Marx, Eric Foster White, and Anders Bagge also worked on the Popstars project. In 2007, Foster was inducted into the Canadian Music Industry Hall of Fame in Toronto.
In 2011, Foster took on the new role of chair of Verve Music Group, a record label owned by Universal Music Group and specializing in adult contemporary music. As chair, Foster is responsible for overseeing the label’s creative operations.
In recognition of his achievements in the fields of songwriting and producing, Foster was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in May of 2013. He has won five Juno Awards and sixteen Grammy Awards. He is a member of the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, the Canadian Music Industry Hall of Fame, and the US Songwriters Hall of Fame. He is a member of the Order of British Columbia and an Officer of the Order of Canada.
In 2023, Foster wrote the music for a stage musical based on the iconic 1930s cartoon character Betty Boop. BOOP! The Betty Boop Musical, opened in Chicago with plans of moving to Broadway in 2025.
Personal Life
Foster has been married five times. He married singer and actress Katharine McPhee in 2019. They are the parents of one child. He also has four children from his earlier marriages.
Bibliography
Burgess, Richard James. The Art of Music Production. New York: Oxford UP, 2013. Print.
"David Foster." Grammy Awards, www.grammy.com/artists/david-foster/2127. Accessed 23 Sept. 2024.
Edwardson, Ryan. Canuck Rock: A History of Canadian Popular Music. Toronto: U of Toronto P, 2009. Print.
Gans, Andrew. “BOOP! The Betty Boop Musical Will Make Pre-Broadway World Premiere in Chicago." Playbill, 14 Feb. 2023, playbill.com/article/boop-the-betty-boop-musical-will-make-pre-broadway-world-premiere-in-chicago. Accessed 26 Sept. 2024.
Ehrlich, Ken. At the Grammys! New York: Leonard, 2007. Print.
Foster, David. Hitman: Forty Years Making Music, Topping the Charts, and Winning Grammys. New York: Simon, 2009. Print.
King, Betty Nygaard. "David Foster." The Canadian Encyclopedia, 21 Mar. 2019, www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/david-foster-emc. Accessed 23 Sept. 2024.
Schultz, Barbara. Music Producers: Conversations with Today’s Top Hit Makers. Emeryville: MixBooks, 2000. Print.