Airplay is a term used in the radio broadcasting industry to state how frequently a song is being played on over-the-air radio stations. For example, a song which is being played several times every day (spins) would be classed as receiving a large amount of airplay.^[1][2] The explosion of music played on jukeboxes, in nightclubs and at discotheques between the 1940s and 1960s fell into this category.

For commercial broadcasting, airplay is usually the result of being placed into rotation, also called adding it to the station's playlist by the music director, possibly as the result of a Pay for Play sponsored by the record label.^[3][4] For student radio and other community radio or indie radio stations, it is often the selection by each disc jockey, usually at the suggestion of a music director.

Most countries have at least one radio airplay chart in existence, although larger countries such as the United States of America,^[5] the United Kingdom, Germany, Australia,^[6] Japan, and Brazil have several, to cover different genres and areas of the country.^[1][7][8]

A song which was very successful in the airplay charts but not so strong in sales was commonly known as "turntable hit" when radio stations played only vinyl singles.^[9][10]

Airplay can be a crucial element in securing a singer's 'hit', and alongside social networking websites it is an effective method that artists uses to make their name known.^[5][11]

References[link]

External links[link]

Look up airplay in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

• Available for Airplay from FMQB
• UK Radio and TV Airplay Charts

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Jay Graydon is a Los Angeles songwriter, recording artist, guitarist, singer, producer, arranger, and recording engineer. He is the winner of two Grammy Awards (in the R&B category) with twelve Grammy nominations, among them the title "Producer of the Year" and "Best Engineered Recording". Jay Graydon has mastered many different styles and genres. In his career his recordings have been featured on record, film, television, and on stage.

History[link]

Graydon made his singing debut on his second birthday on the "Joe Graydon Show," the first music/talk television show in Los Angeles, hosted by his father, Joe Graydon.

During and for a brief time after his college days Jay Graydon played in the Don Ellis Band, whose style can be described as experimental post-bop jazz. He can be heard on the live double album "Don Ellis at Fillmore".

L. A. session musician[link]

From the late 60s to the late 70s he was a session musician in Los Angeles, working with such artists as Gino Vannelli, Barbra Streisand, Dolly Parton, Diana Ross, The Jackson Five, Alice Cooper, Cheap Trick,Al Jarreau, Christopher Cross, Ray Charles, Cher, Joe Cocker, Marvin Gaye, Hall & Oates, Olivia Newton-John, and Albert King. He is perhaps best known for his guitar solo for Steely Dan's "Peg".

In 1977, he appeared as a character in a number of Doonesbury strips as Jay "Wah-Wah" Graydon.^[1] Graydon played on the Jimmy Thudpucker album "Greatest Hits" along with Steve Cropper and "Duck" Dunn. Graydon was the subject of the track "Fretman Sam" and played its guitar solo. He also programmed the synthesizers for the album.

Producer[link]

Jay Graydon's production credits include work with Air Supply, George Benson, Al Jarreau, DeBarge, El DeBarge, Sheena Easton, Art Garfunkel, The Manhattan Transfer, Johnny Mathis, Patti LaBelle, Lou Rawls, Dionne Warwick, and the album They Don't Make Them Like They Used To by Kenny Rogers.

He started his own record label, Sonic Thrust Records in 2001 to give himself creative and artistic freedom in his songwriting and producing profession. The label features straight-ahead jazz, adult contemporary pop, AAA, AOR, classic R&B, smooth jazz, and genuine retro surf from the 60s

As a musician and recording engineer, he has often been called in as a consultant/beta tester of musical equipment and recording gear.

Songwriter[link]

Graydon has written more than 220 songs. His catalog includes the Grammy winners "Turn Your Love Around" (George Benson) and "After the Love Has Gone" (Earth, Wind & Fire), as well as "Who's Holding Donna Now" (DeBarge), "Friends In Love" (Dionne Warwick and Johnny Mathis), many songs written with and for Al Jarreau (including "Mornin'", "Breakin' Away", "High Crime", "After All", and "Roof Garden"), and several hits with Manhattan Transfer including "Twilight Zone", "On The Boulevard", "Smile Again", and "Spies In The Night". Many of his songs were co-written with David Foster. [1]

Writer and educator[link]

Graydon has written numerous articles in music magazines and has conducted seminars at Musician's Institute in Hollywood together with guitarist Tommy Tedesco for more than 15 years. He has been working on a series of books on recording techniques together with Craig Anderton - a writer of recording technique best sellers, columns in music magazines and gear manuals. The books will include recording the guitar, bass, drums, percussion, keyboards, vocals, horns, strings, and mixing.

Film scores[link]

Graydon has participated as a musician and/or songwriter in over 50 film scores including The French Connection, Grease, Ghostbusters, St. Elmo's Fire, The Secret of My Success, Navy Seals, Lady Sings the Blues, The Greatest, Ghost Dad, and Mahogany.

Television[link]

As for TV productions Graydon has played on or written songs for -The Andy Williams Show, The Jackson 5 Show, The Alan Thicke Show, The David Steinberg Show, The Ed Sullivan Show, Friday Nite Live, The Tonight Show, The Merv Griffin Show, The Soupy Sales Show, The Smothers Brothers Show, The Midnite Special, The First and 2nd Rock and Roll Awards Show, Miami Vice II, Thank God It's Friday, Starsky and Hutch.

With Richard Page, he also wrote the second theme song to Gimme a Break!, which was used from its third through sixth seasons.

Key collaborations[link]

Al Jarreau[link]

Perhaps his most noted collaboration has been with Al Jarreau. Graydon was the main songwriter/producer for Jarreau in the early 80s. Graydon produced the Jarreau albums This Time, Breakin' Away, High Crime, and Jarreau among others. Graydon also played guitar and synthesizer on these albums, as well as serving as songwriter, arranger and engineer.

David Foster[link]

Foster and Graydon have worked together on countless album projects, including the band Airplay, a pop-rock group they formed in the late 1970s, and the JT Super Producer concert in Japan in 1994 with René Angélil and Céline Dion[2].

Randy Goodrum[link]

Jay Graydon and Randy Goodrum formed a group named JaR. In 2008, they released an album titled Scene 29, described as "Steely Dan meets Airplay and Pages".^[2]

Grammy nominations and awards[link]

• 1979 Best Rhythm & Blues Song - After the Love has Gone (Winner)
• 1979 Song Of The Year - After the Love Has Gone
• 1980 Best Jazz Fusion Performance, Vocal or Instrumental - Twilight Zone / Twilight Tone (The Manhattan Transfer)
• 1981 Album Of The Year - Breakin' Away
• 1981 Best Vocal Arrangement For Two Or More Voices - Kafka
• 1982 Best Rhythm & Blues Song - Turn Your Love Around (Winner)
• 1983 Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocals - Mornin'
• 1983 Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocals - Step by Step
• 1983 Best Engineered Recording - Jarreau
• 1983 Producer Of The Year
• 1984 Best Album Of Original Score Written For A Motion Picture - Ghostbusters
• 1985 Best Album Of Original Score Written For A Motion Picture - St. Elmo's Fire

References[link]

External links[link]

• Artist's website
• Artist's 2nd website
• Artist's Myspace website
• Graydon, Jay writing credits
• Jay Graydon's Collaboration with Randy Goodrum as the group JaR

David Foster
Foster speaking during a ceremony for Andrea Bocelli at the Hollywood Walk of Fame, in 2010.
Background information
Birth name	David Walter Foster
Born	(1949-11-01) November 1, 1949 (age 62) Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Genres	Pop, pop rock, Classical, Gospel, R&B
Occupations	Music executive, Record producer, musician, composer, songwriter, arranger
Instruments	Piano, keyboards, French horn, synthesizer
Years active	1971–present
Labels	Verve Records Reprise, 143, Atlantic
Associated acts	Skylark, Attitudes, Airplay, Ronnie Hawkins & The Hawks
Website	Official website

This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (March 2012)

David Walter Foster, OC, OBC (born November 1, 1949), is a Canadian musician, record producer, composer, singer, songwriter, and arranger,^[1] noted for discovering singers such as Michael Bublé, Josh Groban, and Charice Pempengco; and for producing some of the most successful artists in the world, such as Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, Céline Dion, Andrea Bocelli, Toni Braxton, Madonna, Air Supply and Michael Jackson. Foster has won 16 Grammy Awards from 47 nominations. David Foster is the current Chairman of Verve Music Group. ^[2]

Career[link]

Throughout his career, he has produced recordings for a wide range of musical artists, including Bryan Adams, Tamia, Christina Aguilera, The Bee Gees, Andrea Bocelli, Boz Scaggs, Mariah Carey, Toni Braxton, Chicago, Destiny's Child, Neil Diamond, Céline Dion, Earth Wind and Fire, Gloria Estefan, Whitney Houston, Janet Jackson, Michael Jackson, Chaka Khan, Beyonce Knowles, Kenny Loggins, Madonna, Olivia Newton-John, Nsync, All-4-One, Plus One, Charice Pempengco, Prince, LeAnn Rimes, Kenny Rogers, Barbra Streisand, Donna Summer, Shania Twain, Hall & Oates, Tim Feehan, The Tubes, and Jackie Evancho.

Foster was a keyboardist for the pop group Skylark, discovered by Eirik Wangberg. The band's song, "Wildflower", was a top ten hit in 1973. Together with Jay Graydon he formed the band Airplay, whose album of the same name is often labeled the most important within the Westcoast AOR genre. He produced debut albums for The Corrs,^[3] Michael Bublé,^[4] Renee Olstead and Josh Groban, which were released under his own record label, 143 Records, and distributed through Warner Music.

In 1985, Rolling Stone magazine named Foster the "master of ... bombastic pop kitsch."^[5] That year, Foster composed the score for the film St. Elmo's Fire,^[6] including the instrumental "Love Theme from St. Elmo's Fire", which hit No. 15 on the US pop charts. Another song from the film, "St. Elmo's Fire (Man in Motion)", recorded by John Parr hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 on September 7, 1985. The following years, Foster continued turning out occasional film scores, including the Michael J. Fox comedy The Secret of My Success and the Jodie Foster-Mark Harmon film Stealing Home, both of which spawned soundtrack albums with prominent Foster-penned contributions. He collaborated with then-wife Linda Thompson on the song "I Have Nothing", sung by Whitney Houston in the 1992 film The Bodyguard; the couple also appeared in the film's Oscars scene as the Oscar conductor and an Academy member. They were nominated for a Grammy Award and an Academy Award for Best Song for the song.^{[citation needed]}

In 1995 Foster signed a deal with Warner Brothers that enabled him to set up his own boutique label, 143 Records, as a joint venture with Warner.^[7] Foster gave the responsibility for running the label to then manager Brian Avnet.^[7] One of the label's first signing was a then-little known Irish folk-rock band, The Corrs, for whom he produced their debut album.^[7] By 1997, Foster had come to the realisation that, in the American market at least, "logo labels" like 143 were in a "bad spot" and as a result Foster sold the label back to Warner and became senior vice-president at the corporation.^[7]

Foster, along with Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, composed "The Power of the Dream" as the official song of the 1996 Summer Olympics, with then-wife Thompson providing the lyrics (sung by Céline Dion). He also composed "Winter Games", the theme song for 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, Alberta. "Winter Games" is the soundtrack for a fountain show at the Bellagio resort in Las Vegas as well as a fountain show at Sea World Orlando and the awards ceremonies at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair. Also in 2001, he collaborated with Lara Fabian and the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra to record the Canadian national anthem, "O Canada", for an English language version, a French version, and a bilingual (French/English) version, for a promotion of the Canadian government. Foster, with his then-wife Thompson, composed "Light the Fire Within", which was sung by LeAnn Rimes for the 2002 Winter Olympics. In 2003, Foster won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Music and Lyrics for The Concert for World Children's Day. His song, "I Will Be There With You" (sung with Katharine McPhee), is being used by Japan Airlines to promote the introduction of new aircraft to its US flights.

The 2001 movie, The Score, starring Robert De Niro and Marlon Brando has a Diana Krall recording, "I'll Make It Up As I Go". This song accompanies the film's ending Credits (Chapter 12) and was composed by David Foster (together with his daughter Amy Foster-Gilles), and was used in the film courtesy of the Verve Music Group.^[8] In 2005, Foster, his daughter Amy Foster-Gillies, and Knowles wrote "Stand Up For Love" as the anthem to the World Children's Day, an annual worldwide event to raise awareness and funds for children causes. Over the past three years, more than $50 million has been raised to benefit Ronald McDonald House Charities and other children's organizations. Destiny's Child lent their voices and support as global ambassadors for the 2005 program.^{[citation needed]}

In 2009 it was revealed that Foster had worked with songwriter Diane Warren to produce records for Whitney Houston's upcoming album. It was then announced that her comeback single would be the Foster-produced "I Didn't Know My Own Strength".^[9]

On December 15, 2011 it was confirmed that Foster would become the Chairman of Verve Music Group.^{[citation needed]}

Television appearances[link]

In early 1992, the national television station RCTI, Foster came to Indonesia for the TV show David Foster's Twilight Orchestra. In early 2001, Foster was in Popstars, a reality series that aired on WB. The series aimed at coming up with the next girl group and eventually became Eden's Crush (featuring Nicole Scherzinger). Foster and Linda Thompson wrote and produced several songs on their album. His home life was featured in a Fox staged^[10] reality TV show, The Princes of Malibu, in which he attempted to force his spoiled stepsons, Brandon and Brody Jenner (the children of Thompson and Olympian Bruce Jenner), to straighten their lives up and earn their own way.^{[citation needed]}

In late April 2005, he appeared as a special guest on both American Idol (as a mentor) and Nashville Star (as a judge) two weeks apart. He was also a judge on Celebrity Duets, a FOX TV show, and appeared on Star Tomorrow, where auditions were held in Los Angeles and New York for undiscovered talent. It aired only one (July 31, 2006) episode on NBC.^{[citation needed]}

In July 2006, Foster made a brief appearance on The View as Star Jones's vocal coach. In August 2006, he was the musical director for JCPenney Jam's "The Concert For American Kids", which aired on CBS and was later released in CD/DVD format. In November 2007, Foster appeared in Oprah's annual "Favourite Things" episode, performing with Josh Groban. In September 2008, singer Charice joined Foster on The Oprah Winfrey Show with Celine Dion via satellite; and later on October 31, he and Andrea Bocelli appeared on Oprah again together, where he stated that Bocelli was his "favourite singer on the planet".^[11]

In December 2008, Foster was featured in a PBS special titled Hit Man: David Foster & Friends, a concert featuring live performances by Foster and numerous other performers.^[12] Foster was also featured in Under the Desert Sky in 2006, Vivere Live in Tuscany in 2007, the My Christmas Special, in 2009, and Live In Central Park, in 2011, Andrea Bocelli's four latest PBS Specials. Bocelli also performed during Foster's Hit Man special.

In late 2009, he also appeared on a number of TV shows to promote Bocelli's My Christmas album, which he produced, including The Oprah Winfrey Show, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Dr. Phil, The Early Show and Fox & Friends. He also made a number of appearances in 2010 with Filipino singer Charice, to promote her album.^{[citation needed]}

Foster also has appeared in Nederlandse Hollywood Vrouwen. (Season 1 & 2 (2011/2011)Aired by NET 5, Netherlands) The Dutch reality series follows his wife Yolanda and three other woman.^{[citation needed]}

In April 2012 rumors about his wife becoming a cast of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills appeared on E News. ^[13]

Personal life[link]

Foster has been married four times, has five biological daughters and six grandchildren. His first marriage was to singer/writer B.J. Cook, who already had a daughter, Tamre Winger, whom he raised. Cook and Foster had one daughter together, Amy Foster (b. July 29, 1973), a songwriter.

Foster's second wife was model Rebecca Dyer; they had three daughters: Sara Foster (b. August 24, 1981), Erin Foster (b. August 24, 1983), and Jordan Foster (b. September 1986).^[14]

He married his third wife, Linda Thompson, on June 27, 1991. The two became a songwriting team, collaborating on several songs including "I Have Nothing" performed by Whitney Houston in The Bodyguard, and "Grown-Up Christmas List". Thompson filed for divorce on July 11, 2005, the day after her short-lived reality series, The Princes of Malibu, premiered.^[14]

Foster married model Yolanda Hadid in Beverly Hills on November 11, 2011 in a star-studded 11/11/11-themed ceremony.^[15]

Foster's sister, producer Jaymes Foster, is the mother of Clay Aiken's son Parker Foster Aiken.^[16] A cousin, Billy Foster, died in a race car accident in 1967.

In 1992, Foster was driving on the Pacific Coast Highway when his car struck actor/dancer Ben Vereen, who had crashed his car and was in a daze. Despite being thrown 90 feet, Vereen survived. Vereen went on the record to state that it probably saved his life as he had had a serious drinking problem caused by the death of his daughter.^[17]

Discography[link]

In addition to the numerous albums he has produced, the following are Foster's own solo or band works:^{[citation needed]}

• 1972: Skylark (self-titled)
• 1974: 2 Skylark
• 1976: Attitudes (self-titled)
• 1977: Good News Attitudes
• 1980: Airplay (self-titled)
• 1983: The Best of Me
• 1986: David Foster (self-titled)
• 1988: The Symphony Sessions
• 1989: Time Passing
• 1990: River of Love
• 1991: Rechordings
• 1993: The Christmas Album
• 1994: Love Lights The World
• 2008: Hit Man: David Foster & Friends
• 2011: Hit Man Returns: David Foster & Friends

Singles[link]

• 1985: "Love Theme From St. Elmo's Fire (For Just a Moment)" (US #15)
• 1986: "The Best of Me" (Duet with Olivia Newton-John) (US #80)
• 1988: "Winter Games (Can't You Feel It)" - Official theme song for the Calgary 1988 Winter Olympics (US #85)
• 2001: O Canada (with Lara Fabian)
• 2003: Teko’s Theme - with Nita Whitaker

Compilations[link]

• 1992: A Touch Of David Foster
• 2000: The Best Of Me: A Collection of David Foster’s Greatest Works
• 2002: Love Stories
• 2010: The Magic of David Foster & Friends

Awards and Honours[link]

In 1995, Foster received the Order of British Columbia, the highest honour awarded in his native province of British Columbia. Foster became an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2006.^[18]

Foster has won 16 Grammy Awards, including three Producer of the Year award and has been nominated a total of 47 times.^[19]

He has been nominated three times for an Academy Award for Best Original Song and won the 1999 Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song for the song "The Prayer" (sung by Andrea Bocelli and Celine Dion) from the film Quest for Camelot. He has been named BMI's "Songwriter of the Year".^[20]

In June 2010, he was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.^[21]

See also[link]

• List of songs by David Foster
• Music of Canada
• Canadian Music Hall of Fame
• List of Canadian composers

References[link]

Further reading[link]

• David Foster; Pablo F. Fenjves (6 October 2009). Hitman: Forty Years Making Music, Topping the Charts, and Winning Grammys. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 978-1-4391-4950-8. http://books.google.com/books?id=6vJQwZCIVbkC&pg=PP1. 

External links[link]

• Official website
• David Foster at Yahoo! Movies
• David Foster on The Hour