Contents
Introduction
David Foster and Peggy Lee are two of the most influential and successful musicians of the 20th century. Foster is a Canadian composer, producer, and arranger who has won 16 Grammy Awards and worked with artists such as Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, Michael Bublé, and Barbra Streisand. Lee was an American singer, songwriter, and actress who recorded over 1,100 songs and composed over 270 songs in genres such as jazz, pop, swing, and blues. She is best known for her hits “Fever”, “Is That All There Is?”, and “Why Don’t You Do Right?”.
But are these two music legends related by blood or marriage? The answer is no. Despite sharing the same surname, David Foster and Peggy Lee are not related in any way. They have different backgrounds, families, and careers. However, they do have some connections and similarities that are worth exploring.
Early Life and Career
David Foster was born on November 1, 1949, in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. His parents were Maurice “Maury” Foster, an office worker, and Eleanor May Foster (née Vantreight), a homemaker. He has five sisters and one brother. He started playing the piano at the age of five and enrolled in the University of Washington music program at the age of 13. He moved to Los Angeles in 1974 with his band Skylark, which had a top ten hit with “Wildflower”. He then formed the band Airplay with Jay Graydon and began working as a session musician and arranger for artists such as George Harrison, Earth, Wind & Fire, Chicago, and Boz Scaggs.
Peggy Lee was born on May 26, 1920, in Jamestown, North Dakota, United States. Her birth name was Norma Deloris Egstrom. Her parents were Selma Emele (née Anderson) Egstrom and Marvin Olaf Egstrom, a station agent for the Midland Continental Railroad. She had seven siblings. Her mother died when she was four and her father remarried a woman who abused her. She began singing at a young age and performed on local radio stations. In 1937, she moved to Fargo, North Dakota, where she changed her name to Peggy Lee and sang with a local band. In 1941, she moved to Chicago, where she was discovered by Benny Goodman, who hired her as his band’s vocalist.
Achievements and Awards
David Foster has had a prolific and diverse career as a composer, producer, and arranger. He has worked with some of the biggest names in music history, such as Madonna, Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie, Andrea Bocelli, Josh Groban, and Mariah Carey. He has also composed music for films such as The Bodyguard, St. Elmo’s Fire, The Secret of My Success, Ghostbusters II, and The Prince of Egypt. He has won 16 Grammy Awards out of 47 nominations, including three for Producer of the Year. He has also been nominated for three Academy Awards, seven Golden Globe Awards, and one Emmy Award. He has been inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Peggy Lee has also had a remarkable and versatile career as a singer, songwriter, and actress. She has recorded over 1, 100 songs and composed over 270 songs in various genres and languages. She has also written music for films such as Disney’s Lady and the Tramp, Pete Kelly’s Blues, and The Jazz Singer. She has acted in several movies and TV shows and received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Pete Kelly’s Blues. She has won one Grammy Award out of 12 nominations and received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1995. She has also been inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, the Grammy Hall of Fame, and the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Connections and Similarities
Although David Foster and Peggy Lee are not related by blood or marriage, they do have some connections and similarities that link them together.
- Both of them have collaborated with singer Michael Bublé. Foster produced several albums for Bublé, such as It’s Time, Call Me Irresponsible, Crazy Love, and Christmas. Lee recorded a duet with Bublé on her last album, Peggy Lee Sings with Friends, released posthumously in 2008. The song was “I Love Being Here with You”, which Lee co-wrote with Bill Schluger.
- Both of them have performed at the Kennedy Center Honors. Foster performed at the ceremony in 2008, honoring Barbra Streisand. He played the piano and sang “Evergreen”, a song he co-wrote with Streisand for the film A Star Is Born. Lee performed at the ceremony in 1984, honoring Lena Horne. She sang “Stormy Weather”, a song that Horne popularized in the 1943 film of the same name.
- Both of them have been married four times. Foster’s wives were B.J. Cooke, Rebecca Dyer, Linda Thompson, and Yolanda Hadid. He is currently married to singer and actress Katharine McPhee, who is 35 years younger than him. Lee’s husbands were Dave Barbour, Brad Dexter, Dewey Martin, and Jack Del Rio. She had one daughter, Nicki Lee Foster, with Barbour.
- Both of them have suffered from health problems. Foster underwent surgery for prostate cancer in 2012 and recovered successfully. He also suffered from a spinal injury in 2015 after falling on stage during a concert in Las Vegas. Lee battled diabetes for most of her life and had a near-fatal stroke in 1976. She also suffered from heart problems and respiratory failure in her later years.
Conclusion
David Foster and Peggy Lee are two music legends who have made significant contributions to the industry and the culture. They are not related by blood or marriage, but they have some connections and similarities that show their common passion and talent for music.
