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Biography
David Walter Foster OC OBC (born November 1, 1949) is a Canadian record producer, composer, arranger, and musician. He has won 16 Grammy Awards from 47 nominations. His career began as a keyboardist for the pop group Skylark in the early 1970s before focusing largely on composing and production. Often in tandem with songwriter Diane Warren,[4] Foster has contributed to material for prominent music industry artists in various genres since then and is credited with production on over 40 pop hits on the Billboard Hot 100. He also chaired Verve Records from 2012 to 2016. Foster composed Boop! The Musical, which premiered in 2023 and debuted on Broadway; he was nominated for a Drama Desk Award for outstanding music.
Awards & recognition
- Grammy Award — Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album · 2010
- Grammy Award — Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album · 2007
- Primetime Emmy Award — Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics · 2003
- Canada's Walk of Fame · 2002
- Jane Fonda Humanitarian Award · 2002
Show all 82 awards →
- Canadian Music Hall of Fame · 1998
- Grammy Award — Best Arrangement, Instrumental and Vocals · 1996
- Grammy Award — Album of the Year · 1996
- Grammy Award — Album of the Year · 1993
- Grammy Award — Producer of the Year, Non-Classical · 1993
- Grammy Award — Record of the Year · 1993
- Grammy Award — Best Arrangement, Instrumental and Vocals · 1993
- Grammy Award — Producer of the Year, Non-Classical · 1991
- Grammy Award — Record of the Year · 1991
- Grammy Award — Album of the Year · 1991
- Juno Award — Instrumental Album of the Year · 1989
- Juno Award — Instrumental Album of the Year · 1987
- Grammy Award — Best Arrangement, Instrumental and Vocals · 1986
- Jack Richardson Producer of the Year Award · 1986
- Juno Award — Instrumental Album of the Year · 1986
- Jack Richardson Producer of the Year Award · 1985
- Grammy Award — Producer of the Year, Non-Classical · 1984
- Grammy Award — Best Arrangement, Instrumental and Vocals · 1984
- Grammy Award — Best Musical Theater Album · 1982
- Grammy Award — Best R&B Song · 1979
- Horatio Alger Award
- Juno Humanitarian Award
- Officer of the Order of Canada
- star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
- Latin Grammy Award — Album of the Year · 2013 · nominated
- Jack Richardson Producer of the Year Award · 2012 · nominated
- Jack Richardson Producer of the Year Award · 2011 · nominated
- Grammy Award — Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album · 2010 · nominated
- Jack Richardson Producer of the Year Award · 2010 · nominated
- Jack Richardson Producer of the Year Award · 2009 · nominated
- Grammy Award — Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album · 2007 · nominated
- Jack Richardson Producer of the Year Award · 2007 · nominated
- Jack Richardson Producer of the Year Award · 2006 · nominated
- Latin Grammy Award — Best Male Pop Vocal Album · 2006 · nominated
- Jack Richardson Producer of the Year Award · 2005 · nominated
- Primetime Emmy Award — Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics · 2003 · nominated
- Academy Award — Best Original Song · 1999 · nominated
- Jack Richardson Producer of the Year Award · 1999 · nominated
- Jack Richardson Producer of the Year Award · 1997 · nominated
- Primetime Emmy Award — Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics · 1997 · nominated
- Grammy Award — Best Arrangement, Instrumental and Vocals · 1996 · nominated
- Grammy Award — Album of the Year · 1996 · nominated
- Grammy Award — Producer of the Year, Non-Classical · 1996 · nominated
- Jack Richardson Producer of the Year Award · 1996 · nominated
- Jack Richardson Producer of the Year Award · 1995 · nominated
- Grammy Award — Producer of the Year, Non-Classical · 1994 · nominated
- Academy Award — Best Original Song · 1993 · nominated
- Grammy Award — Best Arrangement, Instrumental and Vocals · 1993 · nominated
- Grammy Award — Producer of the Year, Non-Classical · 1993 · nominated
- Grammy Award — Record of the Year · 1993 · nominated
- Juno Award — Instrumental Album of the Year · 1992 · nominated
- Grammy Award — Producer of the Year, Non-Classical · 1991 · nominated
- Grammy Award — Record of the Year · 1991 · nominated
- Grammy Award — Album of the Year · 1991 · nominated
- Jack Richardson Producer of the Year Award · 1991 · nominated
- Jack Richardson Producer of the Year Award · 1989 · nominated
- Juno Award — Songwriter of the Year · 1989 · nominated
- Juno Award — Instrumental Album of the Year · 1989 · nominated
- Academy Award — Best Original Song · 1987 · nominated
- Golden Globe Award — Best Original Song · 1987 · nominated
- Juno Award — Instrumental Album of the Year · 1987 · nominated
- Juno Award — Songwriter of the Year · 1987 · nominated
- Golden Globe Award — Best Original Song · 1986 · nominated
- Grammy Award — Best Pop Instrumental Performance · 1986 · nominated
- Grammy Award — Best Arrangement, Instrumental and Vocals · 1986 · nominated
- Jack Richardson Producer of the Year Award · 1986 · nominated
- Juno Award — Instrumental Album of the Year · 1986 · nominated
- Juno Award — Songwriter of the Year · 1986 · nominated
- Grammy Award — Best R&B Song · 1985 · nominated
- Grammy Award — Best Pop Instrumental Performance · 1985 · nominated
- Jack Richardson Producer of the Year Award · 1985 · nominated
- Juno Award — Songwriter of the Year · 1985 · nominated
- Grammy Award — Best Arrangement, Instrumental and Vocals · 1984 · nominated
- Grammy Award — Producer of the Year, Non-Classical · 1984 · nominated
- Grammy Award — Best Musical Theater Album · 1982 · nominated
- Grammy Award — Best R&B Song · 1979 · nominated
- Grammy Award — Song of the Year · 1979 · nominated
Filmography28 titles
Jackie Evancho: Dream With Me in Concert
2011as Himself
2011as Himself
Celebrity Family Feud
2015as Self - Contestant
2015as Self - Contestant
The Masked Singer
2019as Banana Split - Banana
2019as Banana Split - Banana
Keeping Up with the Kardashians
2007as Self
2007as Self
Behind the Music
1997as Self
1997as Self
Now More Than Ever: The History of Chicago
2016as Self
2016as Self
Hired Gun
2016as Self
2016as Self
Quest for Camelot
1998Songs
1998Songs
The Bodyguard
1992as Oscar Conductor
1992as Oscar Conductor
Clive Davis: The Soundtrack of Our Lives
2017as Self
2017as Self
Hit Man Returns - David Foster & Friends
2011as Self
2011as Self
The Secret of My Success
1987Original Music Composer
1987Original Music Composer
Stealing Home
1988Original Music Composer
1988Original Music Composer
The Karate Kid Part II
1986Lyricist
1986Lyricist
If Looks Could Kill
1991Original Music Composer
1991Original Music Composer
St. Elmo's Fire
1985Original Music Composer
1985Original Music Composer
Great Performances
1971as Self
1971as Self
Baywatch
1989Original Music Composer
1989Original Music Composer
Andrea Bocelli 30: The Celebration
2024as Self
2024as Self
One Good Cop
1991Original Music Composer
1991Original Music Composer
LIVE with Kelly and Mark
1988as Self - Guest
1988as Self - Guest
The Jennifer Hudson Show
as Self
as Self
Diane Warren: Relentless
2024as Self
2024as Self
Lipstick
1976Music Arranger
1976Music Arranger
American Idol
2002as Self - Guest Performer
2002as Self - Guest Performer
Dr. Phil
as Self
as Self
The View
1997as Self
1997as Self
Letting Go
2012as Mogul
2012as Mogul