Entertainment

Pop producer David Foster, singer Daniel Lavoie inducted into Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame

Victoria-born music producer David Foster and singer-songwriter Daniel Lavoie, raised in Dunrea, Man., are being inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Honourees to be toasted during an event at Toronto's Massey Hall on Sept. 24

Musician and record producer David Foster is shown on the red carpet at the Governor General's Performing Arts Awards Gala in Ottawa on May 28. Foster, who was born in Victoria, is known for his power ballads that defined an era of the music diva. (Patrick Doyle/The Canadian Press)

Music producer David Foster is being inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame.

The prolific artist, who built his name as a musician and songwriter alongside some of the biggest stars in pop music, will be toasted during an event at Toronto's Massey Hall on Sept. 24.

Foster, who was born in Victoria, is known for his power ballads that defined an era of the music diva.

The 72-year-old was a writer on Whitney Houston's I Have Nothing, Céline Dion's To Love You More and Madonna's You'll See, while he helped Peter Cetera, a member of the rock bank Chicago, forge his solo career with Glory of Love and played a key role in the soundtrack to the 1985 Brat Pack movie St. Elmo's Fire.

Canadian R&B singer Deborah Cox and Chicago member Neil Donell will perform at the ceremony in tribute to Foster's work.

Also being inducted is Daniel Lavoie, who was raised in Dunrea, Man., before working with Dion, Luce Dufault, Roch Voisine and Lara Fabian.

Singer-songwriter Daniel Lavoie, centre, shares a laugh with fellow Quebec artists Céline Dion, left, and Yvon Deschamps at the 50th anniversary gala of the Quebec Artists Union, at Montreal's Place des Arts on Dec. 20, 1987. Lavoie will be inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame in September. (Denis Cyr/The Canadian Press)

The French singer-songwriter, 73, has a career spanning 24 albums, and his chart-topping 1990 recording Long courrier won a Felix award for the pop-rock album of the year.

This year's Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame gathering will be hosted by Quebec singer Marie-Mai and celebrate a number of prominent homegrown artists, including previously announced inductees Alanis Morissette, Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance.