david foster: music lover by ryan johnson intro. to music 1010, sec. 48

David Foster: Music Lover

By Ryan JohnsonIntro. To Music 1010, sec. 48

David Foster: Biography

Composer, singer, musician, songwriter, and producer.

Born November 1, 1949 on Vancouver Island, B.C.

Father was a maintenance worker, mother was a housewife

Foster was the only boy of 7 children


Began piano lessons at 4 years old

Able to replay note for note an entire song he heard 2 or 3 times by age 7

By age 10, was an accomplished classical pianist

“I owe much of my success to my classical foundation” (Foster 32).


By age 11, moved past classical music into popular music of the 50s

Middle school band teacher allowed him to switch instruments he learned several instruments


At 12 years, created rock-n-roll dance band

At 13, made more money than his father with gigs

At 13, received scholarship to Univ. of WA Summer Music Program for high school students


Traveled to London with band and did gigs at 16 years old

Father passed away when he was 18 after telling him to pursue his dream of music.


At 19, moved with band, Skylark, to L.A.

Skylark got a record deal with Capitol Records

Song, “Wildflower” made #9 on the Billboard charts

Band broke up, he stayed in L.A.


At 24, B.J., his wife and agent, had their 1st child

1st “real job” with a paycheck was playing piano for the Rocky Horror Picture Show, starring Tim Curry and Meat Loaf.


Helped arrange music for George Harrisson and Barbara Streisand.

Career morphed from studio pianist to producer.


Numerous producing invitations from celebrity musicians.

Won awards for work with Lionel Richie, Peter Cetera, Barbra Streisand

Left: Foster and Barbra Streisand


In 1985 he “scored the music for ‘St. Elmo’s Fire’” and produced songs for movies: Footloose, Ghostbusters, Pretty

Woman, and Three Men and a Baby (Foster 107).


1990s, introduced to Celine Dion 1992, worked with Whitney Houston

on The Bodyguard soundtrack.

Till present, has worked with Michael Bublé, Josh Groban, Natalie Cole, and many more famous musicians.

David Foster: Composition History

“Hard Habit to Break”

released in 1984 Foster produced and arranged performed by Chicago On album, Chicago 17 been re-made by All-4-One, R&B

group Foster worked with


“Love Theme From St. Elmo’s Fire” Foster composed, produced and

arranged recorded in 1985 by Atlantic

Recording Corporation. found on the St. Elmo’s Fire

Soundtrack song reached #15 on the Billboard

Charts in 1985


“Love Theme From St. Elmo’s Fire” Song and album were nominated for

3 Grammy awards for: Best Instrumental Composition Best Pop Instrumental Performance Best Album of Original Score Written for

a Motion Picture (Foster 220).


“I Have Nothing” released in 1992 by Arista Records performed by Whitney Houston

written by both Foster and his third wife, singer and songwriter, Linda Thompson

released on The Bodyguard: Original Soundtrack

Left: Foster and Houston at 1992 Grammy Awards


“I Have Nothing” Nominated for:

Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocals (credited to Foster and William Ross)

Best Song Written Specifically for Motion Picture or TV in 1993 (credited to Foster and Linda Thompson).

The Bodyguard Soundtrack won Record of the Year in 1993.

David Foster: Listening Guide:“Hard Habit to Break”

Song has 4 verses, a Chorus, Bridge, Chorus w/add-on, and a Fadeout.

in quadruple/simple meter, in the major key, with a conjunct melody.

Two main vocalists (guitarist Bill Champlin and Peter Cetera) trade off singing the 4 verses of the song.

Vocals are in a high tenor key (relatively high for male vocals), and blend with the synthesizer playing.

*see Notes for timings and details

David Foster: Listening Guide:“Hard Habit to Break”

Chorus is in duple meter, not quadruple like verses 2-beat rhythm creates tension Tempo picks up Dynamics-higher pitch at second half

Verse 3, changes back to quadruple/simple meter

Link to video featuring Cetera and Champlin


David Foster: Listening Guide:“Love Theme From St. Elmo’s Fire”

Song is in quadruple/simple meter

Is instrumental, or a musical poem that has 2 themes A & B) that are alternately played.

Various synthesized sounds: Saxophone, violins, piano, drums, cello/strings

Link to video


David Foster: Listening Guide:“I Have Nothing”

Song is in quadruple/simple meter, major key

Song has Intro, 4 Verses, Pre-chorus and Chorus

Includes synthesized and “real” instrumental sounds, along with vocals to create varied dynamics.

Link to music video


Works Cited

Blue Desert: the Home of West Coast Music. David Foster. 2010. Web. 26 Sept 2010.

Chicago. Chicago: the Band. 2010. Web. 26 Sept 2010.

Foster, David. Hitman. New York: Pocket Books: A Division of Simon & Schuster, Inc., 2008. Print.

Imdb.com, Inc. Biography for David Foster. 2010. Web. 26 Sept 2010.

Warner Bros. Records. Hit Man: David Foster & Friends. WB, 2007. Web. 25 Sept. 2010.

david foster: music lover by ryan johnson intro. to music 1010, sec. 48

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