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Barbra Honors David Foster |
News/December 2008 |
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Warner Bros. just
released its commercial for the upcoming PBS broadcast of "Hit Man -
David Foster & Friends." Foster was honored during an extravagant
show at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas in August, and Barbra Streisand's
taped tribute message is featured very briefly in the promo. David
Foster's tribute special will be broadcast in November. The CD and
DVD will hit store shelves on November 11, according to the promo.
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David Foster Tribute Airs
December 3, 2008
PBS stations around the country began showing
"Hit Man: David Foster and Friends" on November 30. Check your local
PBS listings for the time and date of the broadcast in your locale.
American Idol contestant Katherine McPhee was on hand to perform
"Somewhere" with Foster, but not before she introduced Barbra's
"surprise" appearance.
As advertised, Barbra's tribute came in the form of a pre-recorded
video and was shown during the first portion of the show. Barbra's
words were heartfelt:
"'Somewhere' from 'West Side
Story' was the first song I ever recorded with David. And from the
start, I was really amazed how his musicality just poured out of
him, moving from his mind, to his ears, through his heart, right
down to his fingertips. I'm tempted to think he could just
improvise a PBS special, but I know how meticulous he is with
every note, every phrase. I guess making it look easy is part of
his genius. David, thank you for spending some of your musical
life with me, and I look forward to working with you again,
someday, somehow, somewhere."
Barbra and David Foster
September 19, 2008
When he accompanied her at the 2002 Democratic
Gala performance in Hollywood, David Foster told Barbra (and the
audience) that she was "the greatest singer on the planet." And he
should know, because these days, David Foster is the greatest record
producer on the planet. Foster's success can be attributed to his
ability to spot new talent and his uncanny skill at marketing his new
discoveries. Just ask Josh Grobin, Michael Bublé and Celine Dion. Each
of these incredibly successful performers owes their rise to
prominence to the masterwork of David Foster.
Foster, who has 15 Grammys to his credit also has a golden touch when
it comes to working with established talent as well. Under David
Foster, Barbra Streisand enjoyed one of her greatest musical success
in the 1980's. He produced her studio rendition of "Somewhere" which
appears on Barbra's 1985 masterpiece, "The Broadway Album." That
performance was so good that it took on a life of its own when Barbra
began touring in 1994. She has included it in nearly every one of her
paid live performances since 1994. As a result, another
Streisand signature song was born. Together, Barbra Streisand and
David Foster took a thirty year-old show tune, one of the most well
known ballads of all time and reinvented it with extraordinary
success.
For their work on "The Broadway Album," both Barbra and Foster
received Grammys. Perhaps because of "Somewhere," David Foster worked
with Barbra on her follow-up album of Broadway standards when he
produced 1993's "Back to Broadway." Together, they put Barbra in the
history books. When the album debuted at #1 on the Billboard charts,
Barbra Streisand became the first performer to have a number one album
in four decades running.
 In
2002, Barbra Streisand and David Foster made a rare appearance
together. Foster was Barbra's piano accompanist during her live
performance for the democratic party at the Kodak Theatre (right). It was
an exceptional evening, seeing these two musical giants performing
on the same stage. The dynamic chemistry of Streisand and Foster
was hard to miss. Together, they put together a show that was full
of the most unique Streisand live performances in recent memory.
So it was no wonder that, when it came time for David Foster to be
honored by his protégées and peers in 2008, Barbra Streisand would
not miss the opportunity to say Thank You to one of her
greatest producers.
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