The Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame will induct one of the most successful songwriters of all time, David Foster, on Sept. 24, 2022. The B.C.-born music veteran has written chart-topping international hits, and songs for culture-defining soundtracks for blockbuster films like The Bodyguard, Urban Cowboy, and St. Elmo’s Fire, as well as classic holiday albums for Michael Bublé, Josh Groban, and Celine Dion, to name a few.
Foster has won 16 Grammy Awards, including three for Producer of the Year, an Emmy Award, a Golden Globe, and racked up three Oscar nominations for Best Original Song. For his remarkable catalogue of work spanning more than four decades, he‘ll be honoured during the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame Gala on Sept. 24, 2022, at Massey Hall in Toronto. Friends of Foster – including R&B icon Deborah Cox and Chicago’s Neil Donell – will perform his hit songs.
Also at the event, additional performers such as Maurice Moore, winner of the 2021 SOCAN Foundation Black Canadian Music Award, and JUNO nominee of Métis heritage Ruby Waters, have been added to the star-studded tributes for David Foster, and his fellow inductees Bryan Adams, Jim Vallance, Alanis Morrisette, and Daniel Lavoie. The Gala will be hosted by singer-songwriter Marie-Mai, who will also perform.
Previously announced performers include Nickelback’s Chad Kroeger and Ryan Peake, Corey Hart, Jessie Reyez, Charlotte Cardin, and Serena Ryder. For the full list of confirmed performers confirmed to date, go to cshf.ca. Tickets are available through Massey Hall.
“David Foster is renowned for his razor-sharp instinct in all aspects of his boundless talent, from songwriting, to composing, to producing, as a musician, and for discovering the next great superstar,” says Stan Meissner, Board Chairman, CSHF. “His musicality and innovation have created some of the most enduring songs of the century, that have not only been mega chart-toppers, but have been etched in our cultural zeitgeist.”
Foster seems constitutionally incapable of resting on his laurels, and his relentless drive has propelled him throughout his career. Few other individuals can claim to have their fingerprints on more major moments in all of popular music than David Foster. He’s created hit songs and award-winning Gold and Platinum albums for a diverse array of artists, including Barbra Streisand, Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, Madonna, Andrea Bocelli, Michael Bublé, Josh Groban, Rod Stewart, Stevie Wonder, Earth, Wind & Fire, Diana Krall, Kenny Rogers, Dolly Parton, Chicago, Hall & Oates, and ’N Sync.
As one of the most illustrious composers of our time, Foster’s skill set of writing indelible melodies, and building dramatic moments, has churned out classics such as “The Prayer” (Celine Dion and Andrea Bocelli), “Through the Fire” (Chaka Khan), “Hard to Say I’m Sorry” (Chicago), and “I Have Nothing” (Whitney Houston). And as one of the most successful songwriters and record producers in history, he has shepherded albums that have collectively sold in the hundreds of millions.
Foster also helped to compose and produce the music for 1985’s “Tears Are Not Enough” to raise money for Ethiopian famine efforts, as well as the 1988 Winter Olympic Games theme song.
Currently, Foster is gearing up to take on Broadway with several projects. These include writing the music for a new musical about the iconic animated character Betty Boop, which will be directed by Tony Award winner Jerry Mitchell.
An official feature documentary on his career and life debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) September 2019 and was released on Netflix worldwide. David Foster: Off The Record is an up close and personal look at the extraordinary career of a producer, composer, and entertainer who has helped sell more than a half billion records working with some of the most successful artists of all time. Powerful and sometimes humorous, the film follows Foster’s relentless ambition, hunger, and rise to the top, as he becomes an iconic producer and songwriter.
Foster has made charitable work his life’s other priority. Meeting with a young girl from his hometown who was awaiting a liver transplant had a profound impact, and led him to create The David Foster Foundation in 1986. Its mission is to provide financial support to Canadian families with children in need of life-saving organ transplants, along with a focus on organ donor awareness in both Canada and the United States. Four years ago, the Foundation had a mandate to raise $30 million for an endowment. Foster has also volunteered his time and talent to over 400 charities over the past two decades.
For more information about the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame go to cshf.ca.