David Foster – Biography, Career, Net Worth

As a Canadian musician, songwriter, arranger, record producer, and music executive, David Walter Foster was the chairman of Verve Records from 2012 to 2016. He has received nominations for 47 Grammys and has won 16 of them. For more than five decades, he has been involved in the music industry, starting as a pianist for the pop group Skylark in the early 1970s. He is best known for working on the soundtracks of blockbuster films like “The Bodyguard” and “Titanic”, as well as producing the albums of some of pop music’s biggest names, such as Whitney Houston, Madonna, and Celine Dion.

Biography

November 1, 1949 was the date of David Walter Foster’s birth in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. Foster’s passion for music was apparent from a young age, as he was raised in a family that was musically inclined. Maurice Foster, Maurice’s father, served as a maintenance yard superintendent, while Eleanor May Foster was a homemaker. There are five sisters in his family: Jaymes, Ruth, Jeanie, Maureen, and Marylou.

The University of Washington’s music program was where he began in 1963. In 1966, he joined Chuck Berry’s backup band. He traveled to England as a teenager with the Victoria-based group ‘The Strangers’ and then returned to Toronto to work with Ronnie Hawkins.

Personal Life

David Foster, a man who has been married four times, has five biological daughters and is also the grandfather of four granddaughters and three grandsons. Allison Jones Foster, Foster’s first child, was born at the age of 20 in 1970. He was compelled to give her up for adoption immediately after she was born. For the next 30 years, he would be unable to see her again.

Amy Foster-Gillies was born in 1973 and his first wife, singer/writer B. J. Cook, was married to him in 1972.

He married Rebecca Dyer on October 27, 1982 after their divorce in 1981. Their daughters Sara (brought into being in 1981), Erin (brought into being in 1982), and Jordan (brought into being in 1986) were born to her. In 1986, Foster and Dyer ended their marriage.

In 1991, he got married to Linda Thompson, a songwriter and lyricist. Before their divorce in 2005, the union lasted 14 years. His fourth wife was Dutch model Yolanda Hadid, who he wed on November 11, 2011 in a ceremony that had an 11/11/11 theme. Late 2015 saw the filing of their divorce and it was completed in May 2017.

Career

David Foster became a part of Skylark, a pop group, and played the keyboard. They released their self-titled debut album in 1972. In 1973, Wildflower, a song from the album, achieved top ten status. The group disbanded in 1973 and Foster subsequently worked with George Harrison in the latter’s albums ‘Extra Texture’ (1975) and ‘Thirty Three & 1/3’ (1976), and contributed to Earth, Wind & Fire’s album ‘I Am’ (1979).

The maestro was occupied for a decade in the 1980s. Foster was involved in the production of The Tubes, a band that was based in San Francisco. He contributed to the band with two albums, ‘The Completion Backward Principle’ (1981) and ‘Outside Inside’ (1983). Chicago’s third album, ‘Chicago 16’ (1982), ‘Chicago 17’ (1984), and ‘Chicago 18’ (1986), was also produced by him. He worked closely with the band’s frontman, Peter Cetera (1986), to write the chart-topping song ‘Glory of Love’. The song ‘I Have Nothing’, which Whitney Houston sang in the movie ‘The Bodyguard,’ was co-written by Foster and his former wife Linda Thompson.

He was able to launch his own boutique label, 143 Records, with his then-manager Brian Avnet as CEO, after signing a deal with Warner Brothers in 1995. He collaborated with Kenneth ‘Babyface’ Edmonds to compose ‘The Power of the Dream,’ the official song for the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

In April 2005, he was a guest mentor on ‘American Idol’ and then appeared as a guest judge on ‘Nashville Star’. He was the one who put together the PBS special called ‘Hit Man: David Foster & Friends’ in December 2008. Foster and other well-known artists were on hand to perform at the event.

During 2011, he played a role in Andrea Bocelli’s live album ‘Concerto: One Night in Central Park’. He has been a judge on the ‘Asia’s Got Talent’ panel since 2015.

Discography

• 1983 The Best of Me 
• 1986 David Foster 
• 1988 The Symphony Sessions 
• 1990 River of Love 
• 1991 Recordings 
• 1993 The Christmas Album 
• 1994 Love Lights the World 
• 2020 Eleven Words 
• 2022 Christmas Songs 

Awards & Achievement

Numerous awards and recognitions have been bestowed upon David Foster for his contributions to music. His record includes 16 Grammy Awards, with three of them being for Producer of the Year. Foster was recognized with an induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

His contribution to iconic songs and albums has left a lasting impact on the music industry, resulting in the respect and admiration of both peers and fans.

In 1995, he received the Order of British Columbia civilian honor merit and in 1998, he received the Order of Canada honor merit.

The 1998 Golden Globe Awards honored him with the Best Original Song Award for ‘The Prayer’ from ‘Quest for Camelot’.

In 2003, he won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics for ‘The Concert for World Children’s Day’ (shared with Linda Thompson)

Net Worth

David Foster has amassed considerable wealth through his successful career. In 2024, he is estimated to have a net worth of approximately $150 million. Foster earns money through different sources, such as music production, songwriting, live performances, and royalties. His financial success can be traced back to his talent, hard work, and ability to consistently create music that resonates with audiences.

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