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David Foster, The Godfather Of Schmaltz

David Foster, the Jerry Bruckheimer of power ballads, likes to say that he hasn’t seen the inside of an elevator in more than 30 years because he’s afraid of hearing his own music.

David Foster, The Godfather Of Schmaltz

By External Source

David Foster, the Jerry Bruckheimer of power ballads, likes to say that he hasn’t seen the inside of an elevator in more than 30 years because he’s afraid of hearing his own music.


Millennials know him as the former stepfather to Gigi and Bella Hadid and as a background player on the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. Before all that, he produced Whitney Houston’s world-famous rendition of “I Will Always Love You.”

He won sixteen Grammy awards and worked with Michael Jackson, Madonna, Neil Diamond, Toni Braxton, Barbra Streisand and Lionel Richie, often on songs that topped charts and divided critics.

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You can even see him perform some of the ballads he produced, including Celine Dion’s “The Power of Love,” along with Toni Braxton’s “Unbreak My Heart” and Whitney Houston’s “I Have Nothing,” while he’s on tour, performing at theaters around the country starting on April 17 in Washington D.C. with a band of singers and musicians.

You’ve written disco classics for Cheryl Lynn and produced Whitney Houston’s biggest hit. Do great pop songs share a secret?

I don’t know. I can only say that I gravitate toward schmaltz. I’m a commoner, not an elitist.”

– Continue reading David Foster, The Godfather of Schmaltz in the New York Times

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Shhenseea, MOLIY, Skillibeng and Silent Addy
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Shhenseea, MOLIY, Skillibeng and Silent Addy

Awards

Here’s Why ‘Shake It to the Max’ Was Deemed Ineligible at the 2026 Grammys — And Why Its Label Calls the Decision ‘Devoid of Any Common Sense’

Representatives from the Recording Academy and gamma. CEO Larry Jackson comment on one of this year's most shocking Grammy snubs.

Few phrases define the year in music and culture like Moliy’s scintillating directive to “shake it to the max.” The Ghanaian singer’s sultry voice reverberated across the globe, blending her own Afropop inclinations with Jamaican dancehall-informed production, courtesy of Miami-based duo Silent Addy and Disco Neil. Originally released in December 2024, Moliy’s breakthrough global crossover hit ascended to world domination, peaking at No. 6 on the Global 200, thanks to a remix featuring dancehall superstars Shenseea and Skillibeng. Simply put, “Max” soundtracked a seismic moment in African and Caribbean music in 2025.

Given its blockbuster success, “Shake It to the Max” was widely expected to be a frontrunner in several categories at the 2026 Grammys. In fact, had the song earned a nomination for either best African music performance or best global music performance, many forecasters anticipated a victory. So, when “Shake It to the Max” failed to appear on the final list of 2026 Grammy nominees in any category earlier this month (Nov. 7), listeners across the world were left scratching their heads — none more than gamma. CEO Larry Jackson.

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