What Happened to David Foster? Where He Is Now (2026)
Key Takeaways
- Nothing slowed him down — at 76, David Foster still produces, tours, and collects legends.
- 16 Grammy Awards from 45 nominations, won across four decades; inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame.
- The man behind Whitney Houston's 'I Will Always Love You,' Celine Dion's imperial era, and Michael Buble's career.
- Married to Katharine McPhee (35 years his junior) since June 2019 — his fifth marriage; son Rennie born February 2021.
- Started as keyboardist for Skylark (co-wrote the 1973 hit 'Wildflower') before defining the 1980s–90s ballad.
The Short Answer: Still Hitmaking at 76
David Foster is 76 years old and still working. Born November 1, 1949, in Victoria, British Columbia, he turns 77 in November 2026. With 16 Grammy Awards from 45 nominations, he is one of the most successful producers in music history — the man behind Whitney Houston's I Will Always Love You, Celine Dion's My Heart Will Go On era, and Michael Buble's career.
His personal life has been as eventful as his discography: five marriages, most recently to American Idol alum Katharine McPhee — 35 years his junior — whom he wed in June 2019. Their son Rennie was born in February 2021, when Foster was 71. He now lives the improbable third act: hitmaker, reality-TV veteran, and new dad in his seventies.
Who He Was: The Hit Factory
David Walter Foster started as a keyboardist for Skylark (whose 1973 hit Wildflower he co-wrote) before becoming the defining pop producer of the 1980s and 90s. His touch — lush, dramatic, precision-engineered ballads — shaped an era: Chicago's comeback (Hard Habit to Break), Whitney Houston's The Bodyguard soundtrack (the best-selling soundtrack ever), Celine Dion's Falling Into You, Josh Groban's breakthrough, and Michael Buble's entire adult-contemporary empire.
He won Grammys across four decades, was nominated three times for the Best Original Song Oscar, and was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame. If a ballad made you cry between 1985 and 2010, Foster probably produced it.
What Happened: Reinvention as a Celebrity
In the 2010s, Foster became famous for being famous. His 2011-2017 marriage to Yolanda Hadid put him on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, introducing him to a new audience as the charming, piano-playing husband. The divorce in 2017 was amicable and heavily covered.
Then came Katharine McPhee: they met when she competed on American Idol (he mentored in 2006), reconnected years later, and married in London in June 2019. The 35-year age gap — he was 69, she was 35 — drew commentary, but the couple has been unbothered, sharing their life (and duets) openly.
Fatherhood at 71 was the plot twist: son Rennie Foster, born February 2021, joined five older half-sisters from Foster's previous marriages. The hitmaker became a new dad while collecting lifetime achievement honors.
Where He Is Now: Touring, Producing, Parenting
Foster still tours — his An Intimate Evening with David Foster shows, often with McPhee, play theaters worldwide — and still produces. He remains a fixture at Grammy events, charity galas, and the occasional reality cameo. His Malibu-adjacent life with McPhee and Rennie is well-documented on social media: piano sessions, family holidays, and the easy glamour of a man who has seen it all.
At 76 (turning 77 in November 2026), he shows no interest in retiring. Music is not what he does; it is what he is.
Personal Life: Five Marriages
Foster's marriages: singer B.J. Cook (his first, with whom he had daughter Amy); Rebecca Dyer (1982-1986, three daughters: Sara, Erin, and Jordan); songwriter Linda Thompson (1991-2005); Yolanda Hadid (2011-2017); and Katharine McPhee (2019-present). He has six children total — five daughters and son Rennie.
His daughters Sara and Erin Foster became TV personalities and writers (Barely Famous), extending the family's entertainment footprint. The blended Foster clan — spanning ages from toddler Rennie to grandchildren — is famously close.
Reality TV and Second Fame
Foster's 2010s transformation into a TV personality was unlikely but total. Marrying Yolanda Hadid in 2011 put him on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, where his dry wit, piano interludes, and obvious adoration for Yolanda made him a breakout star — introduced to millions who had never heard of Chicago's comeback.
He leaned in: guest spots, the short-lived reality show, and a public persona as music's charming elder statesman. When the Hadid marriage ended in 2017, the coverage was sympathetic — the rare celebrity divorce with no villains.
The McPhee era took the celebrity to another level. Their Instagram duets — Foster at the piano, McPhee singing — became comfort-viewing for millions. He is no longer just the man behind the hits; he is a star in his own right, with a Q score built on talent and twinkle.
The Foster Family Empire
The Foster clan is entertainment royalty by volume: daughters Sara and Erin Foster created and starred in the VH1 parody Barely Famous and became successful TV writers and podcasters; daughter Jordan works in fashion; and the blended family — including McPhee and toddler Rennie — is famously tight.
Foster's Malibu-area compound hosts legendary jam sessions: friends from every era of music dropping by, Foster at the keys, McPhee singing standards. It is the salon of a man who has known everyone and outlasted almost everyone.
At 76, with a toddler and a tour schedule, Foster's empire is not just musical — it is familial, and it keeps growing.
The Legacy
Sixteen Grammys. Dozens of No. 1s. A hand in the best-selling soundtrack of all time. Foster's production defined adult pop for a generation, and his ear for the big ballad remains unmatched.
His second fame — as a TV personality and McPhee's husband — introduced him to audiences who never bought a Celine Dion album. At 76, David Foster is both a living legend and a tabloid-adjacent newlywed dad: the rare hitmaker who got a whole second career as a celebrity.
Awards and Honors
Foster's trophy case is historic: 16 Grammys including three Producer of the Year wins, an Emmy, a Golden Globe, and inductions into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame and the Canadian Walk of Fame. He has a star on Canada's Walk of Fame and countless lifetime achievement honors.
At 76, the honors keep coming — but Foster seems more energized by the next song than the last award. The hitmaker's real trophy is the catalog: decades of songs the world sings without knowing his name, until now.
The Star-Maker Method
Foster's production method is legendary: find the voice, build the mountain. He discovered or shaped Josh Groban (from a rehearsal stand-in to a superstar), resurrected Chicago, and turned Michael Buble from a wedding singer into a global brand. His ear for the crossover ballad is unmatched.
He has won Grammys as Producer of the Year, dominated the adult-contemporary charts for decades, and mentored a generation of producers. The 16 Grammys tell half the story; the careers he launched tell the rest.
At 76, still at the piano, still hearing hits before they exist — David Foster's method is simple: he knows what the world wants to feel.
The Bodyguard: The Soundtrack That Sold Everything
If one record explains David Foster, it is The Bodyguard soundtrack — the best-selling soundtrack of all time, and the commercial apex of the Foster sound. Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You," which Foster produced, became one of the best-selling singles in history: a country song rebuilt as a precision-engineered vocal showcase, with the key change as structural engineering. It is the defining production of his career and the template for everything that followed.
The Celine Dion partnership was the second pillar. Foster shaped her English-language imperial era — Falling Into You and the "My Heart Will Go On" phenomenon — applying the same formula: a huge voice, a huge melody, and production so polished it disappears. Between Houston and Dion, Foster owned the 1990s ballad the way Phil Spector owned the 1960s girl group.
The rest of the ledger fills itself in: Chicago's comeback ("Hard Habit to Break"), Josh Groban's breakthrough, and Michael Bublé's entire adult-contemporary empire — a career Foster essentially constructed from scratch. Sixteen Grammys from 45 nominations, three Oscar nominations for Best Original Song. The hit factory never closed; it just changed shifts.
Frequently asked questions
What happened to David Foster?
Nothing slowed him down. The 76-year-old producer — 16 Grammys, the man behind Whitney Houston's 'I Will Always Love You,' Celine Dion's imperial era, and Michael Buble's career — married American Idol alum Katharine McPhee in June 2019 and became a father again at 71. He still produces, still tours, and still collects legends: the hitmaker's third act is a reality-TV veteran and new dad in his seventies.
How old is David Foster?
David Foster is 76 years old. He was born David Walter Foster on November 1, 1949, in Victoria, British Columbia, and turns 77 in November 2026. He was 23 when he co-wrote Skylark's 1973 hit 'Wildflower,' 35 when he started defining the 1980s ballad, and 71 when his son Rennie was born in 2021.
Who is David Foster married to?
Singer Katharine McPhee, the American Idol alum — 35 years his junior — whom he wed in June 2019. It is his fifth marriage. Their son Rennie was born in February 2021, when Foster was 71. The age gap made headlines; the marriage, now in its seventh year, has outlasted the jokes — and the couple performs together regularly.
How many Grammys does David Foster have?
Sixteen, from 45 nominations — won across four decades, making him one of the most decorated producers in Grammy history. The wins span his imperial run: Whitney Houston's Bodyguard era, Celine Dion's Falling Into You, and a shelf of producer honors. He was also nominated three times for the Academy Award for Best Original Song and inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame.
What songs did David Foster produce?
The short list is the history of the power ballad: Whitney Houston's 'I Will Always Love You' (from The Bodyguard, the best-selling soundtrack ever), Celine Dion's 'My Heart Will Go On' era and Falling Into You, Chicago's comeback 'Hard Habit to Break,' Josh Groban's breakthrough, and Michael Buble's entire adult-contemporary empire. His touch — lush, dramatic, precision-engineered — shaped popular music from 1985 to 2005.
How many children does David Foster have?
Six: five daughters from previous relationships and son Rennie (born February 2021) with Katharine McPhee. The Foster family empire spans generations — his daughters include television personalities — and becoming a new father at 71 made him a tabloid fixture all over again, this time as the septuagenarian dad.
What is the age gap between David Foster and Katharine McPhee?
Thirty-five years: Foster was born November 1, 1949, McPhee on March 25, 1984. They married in June 2019, when he was 69 and she was 35. The gap drew the expected commentary, but seven years and one child later, the couple's touring and recording partnership — they perform together regularly — has become the story instead.
Sources
- Wikipedia - David FosterWikipedia
- Grammy.com - David FosterGrammy.com
- Billboard - David FosterBillboard