ME AND THE FOZ
I met and played with David Foster for the first time in the early 1970’s, not long after moving from Vancouver to Victoria in 1969. Our first musical encounter was playing at our mutual friend Chris Earthy’s wedding. We had sporadic contact over the next few years, as David visited Victoria regularly.
In 1985, Chris called to inform me about a tribute dinner for David being held at the Empress Hotel, and asked if I would put a band together for the event and perform. I said yes, and volunteered to write a song for the occasion. During the evening’s festivities, which included many acknowledgements, and video clips from several artists David had worked with like Donna Summer and others, we played the song live for David, and afterward, Roger Monk of Little Mountain Sound and Jim Vallance (Bryan Adams songwriting partner) approached me and invited me to come to Vancouver and record the song. They would pay for the studio time and we would present it to David as a gift. The result was ‘Song for David’, which became ‘Dreams’ and is included in my ‘R You That Girl’ compilation.
The following year, in 1986, Chris contacted me again and asked me to arrange for a rehearsal space, and to line up the best players I could get to back up David and ‘some friends’, in what was to become a series of concerts over the next several years, known as The David Foster Celebrity Softball Game, a charity to help provide financial assistance to families whose children are undergoing life-saving organ transplants. I assembled some of my favourite players. That list would eventually include Jerry Adolphe, Norm McPherson, Doug Edwards, Brian Newcombe, Daryl Bennett, Dane Deviller, Tom Colclough, and Bill Sample. Rehearsals began after hours in the Seacoast Sound studios. Some of our first guests were Kenny Loggins and the Jeff Healey Band.
During the following years, David brought up many of his celebrity friends, both musical and non-musical, to participate. The guests included John Travolta, Michael J. Fox, Rob Lowe, Sam Kinison, Sally Kellerman, Olivia Newton-John, Julio Eglasias, Ed McMahon, Tommy Chong, Lee Majors, Wayne Gretzky, Bob McGrath, Fred Penner, Alan Thicke, and others. Performing on stage with us were Celine Dion, Bryan Adams, Peter Cetera, Kenny Rogers, Kenny Loggins, Boz Scaggs, Dan Hill, Robert Lamm and Jason Scheff of the band ‘Chicago’, Michael Bolton, Sheena Easton, Roch Voisine, Dudley Moore, Paul Anka, Kenny G, Ray Parker Jr., Nigel Olson, Mike Reno, Gordon Lightfoot, Burt Bacharach, Stephen Bishop, Richard Marx, John Parr, Michael Damien, Platinum Blonde, and others.
When The David Foster Celebrity Softball series had run its course, David and the band continued doing concerts over the next couple of years. We played at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa with Celine Dion, Rich Little, and the NAC Symphony Orchestra, as Charles and Diana looked on from the Royal Box. Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and his wife Mila were in the audience. We played in Atlanta with Celine, Kenny Rogers, and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra including two members of Celine’s band. One of our last shows was the opening of Roger’s Arena in Vancouver, featuring Sarah McLachlan, Ashley MacIsaac, and others. The following year, David played a beautiful piano track for me on ‘In the Quiet Night’, a song from my ‘Power in Our Hands’ album, which he was kind enough to list in his discography.
My most recent musical involvement with David was in 2011. I was asked to put a band together and perform a set of ‘Foster-related’ songs at Mount Doug High School’s 80th Anniversary. David had attended high school there, as had Nelly Furtado, who was the special guest along with David. I’m grateful for having known ‘The Foz’, and for the years we spent playing together, and for the many fine singers and players I've had a chance to play with through my friendship with David.
Me and The Foz

Rehearsing for the 1st David Foster Celebrity Softball Game and Concert. Norm MacPherson, David, Brian Newcombe, Morry, Dave Boroff, Jerry Adolphe, and Doug Edwards.

David Foster tribute dinner. Duncan Meiklejohn, April Gislason, David, Morry, Bob Benson, Bob Brown, Russ Botten, Campbell Ryga.

With David Foster, Celine Dion, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, and the boys: Bill Sample, Brian Newcombe, Daryl Bennett, Dane Deviller, Tom Colclough.

David Foster, Nathan East, Greg Phillinganes, and Morry Stearns at the birthday celebration of Foz's fellow Skylark member and first Foz wife, BJ Cook.

With David at his studio, recording his piano track on 'In the Quiet Night' from the 'Power in Our Hands' album.

'The Boys': Morry, Brian Newcombe, Tom Colclough, Bill Sample, Daryl Bennett, Dane Deviller (Dane took the picture)

Mt. Doug show, with Morry, Thomas Kinzel, David, Duncan Meiklejohn, Brad Clarke, Dennis Ferbey, Chris Millington, Steve McDonald, Norm MacPherson

Mt. Doug alum Nelly Furtado headlines the show, with harmonies from Diane Pancel and April Gislason.

In rehearsal - Norm MacPherson, Morry, Diane Pancel, Duncan Meiklejohn, Thomas Kinzel, David at the grand, Brad Clarke.

Recording 'Song for David' at Little Mountain Sound, Vancouver. Retitled as 'Dreams' on the 'R You That Girl' album. Back row: the assistant engineer, Paul Janz, Duncan Meiklejohn, Bob Benson, Norm MacPherson, Middle Row: Corlynn Hanney, Sandra Lang, Rachel Paiement, Mary Saxton, April Gislason, Front row: Morry, Rodger Monk. Special thanks to Jim Vallance.