David Foster's Real Name: David Walter Foster

Quick answer: David Foster's real name is David Walter Foster. He was born on November 1, 1949, in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, and is billed as David Foster as a producer, composer, arranger, and pianist.

[IMAGE: credited photo of David Foster at awards or studio piano, with credit]

Full name and Canadian roots

The Canadian Encyclopedia and Library of Congress identify David (Walter) Foster, born in Victoria, B.C., November 1, 1949 (Canadian Encyclopedia; LOC). Walter is his middle name; he did not adopt an unrelated stage surname.

He began as a performer (including in the 1970s group Skylark, known for "Wildflower") before becoming one of the dominant North American pop producers and songwriters of the 1980s–2000s (Canadian Music Hall of Fame; Grammy.com artist page).

Producer career highlights

Foster's production and writing credits include work with Céline Dion (helping introduce her to English-language audiences around Unison and later hits), Whitney Houston, Chicago, Madonna, Michael Bublé, and many others. He has won multiple Grammy Awards and is associated with power-ballad and adult-contemporary production styles (Grammy.com; Canadian Encyclopedia). He has also composed film and TV music and appeared as a television personality and mentor.

[IMAGE: credited photo from a Foster & Friends concert or Grammy night, with credit]

Honors include induction into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame. For realnameof readers, the documented takeaway is the middle name Walter behind the famous producer credit David Foster.

Amazon note (tag realname1-20): Foster-produced albums (Céline Dion, Michael Bublé) and Foster compilation sets are natural slots.

Foster's songwriting catalog includes standards of adult contemporary radio, and his television appearances (including mentoring formats) kept him visible beyond the studio. Canadian honors recognize both the commercial record and the philanthropic David Foster Foundation supporting families of children needing organ transplants (Canadian Encyclopedia; Hall of Fame). David Walter Foster is the documented full name.