For Immediate Release
Stevie Wonder, Peter Cetera, and Kiesza first to be announced to join David Foster at the
David Foster Foundation Miracle Gala & Concert
Mattamy Athletic Centre at the Gardens, Toronto, ON – Sept. 26, 2015
April 21, 2015, Toronto, ON – To mark Canada’s National Organ & Tissue Donor Awareness Week (April 20-24, 2015), the David Foster Foundation is thrilled to announce three outstanding performers have been confirmed for the David Foster Foundation Miracle Gala & Concert this Sept. 26, 2015.
Stevie Wonder, 25-time Grammy Award winner and one of the greatest musicians of all time as named by Billboard and Rolling Stone, along with the legendary Peter Cetera and Juno Award–winning Canadian Superstar Kiesza are the first artists to be announced to join the stage with host and 16-time Grammy Award winner, David Foster.
Founded in 1986 by producer and musician David Foster, the namesake David Foster Foundation supports the non-medical expenses of Canadian families with children undergoing life-saving pediatric organ transplants. The annual Miracle Gala & Concert is built around a star-studded evening featuring Foster and a collection of his musically gifted friends. The 2014 Miracle Gala & Concert in Calgary, AB raised $8M for the Foundation and included performances by David Foster, Steven Tyler, Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds, Jennifer Hudson, and Jackie Evancho.
“We couldn’t be happier to announce that the legend himself, Stevie Wonder, will be joining David Foster, Peter Cetera and Kiesza on stage at this year’s Miracle Gala & Concert in Toronto,” says Michael Ravenhill, CEO of the David Foster Foundation. “While we typically wait until closer to the event to unveil our gala entertainers, this year we knew that we couldn’t hold back on announcing this all-star lineup of performers.”
To experience the star-studded evening, tables of 10 for the David Foster Foundation Miracle Gala & Concert are available for $20,000 and $30,000 and may be purchased through the Foundation’s offices directly. For inquiries, please email gala@davidfosterfoundation.com. In addition to table seating, more than 3,000 seats in the arena stadium will be available for individual purchase with information on stadium ticket prices and how to purchase being announced this summer.
A family’s non-medical expenses may range from gas and groceries to mortgage payments, rent, car payments, and travel. The average cost for the David Foster Foundation to support one family for a year is $10,000. Often, families have to travel away from home and set up temporary housing close to one of the pediatric transplant hospitals in Canada. Since its inception, the Foundation has worked to assist 1,000 families across Canada.
The word ‘greatness’ surrounds Stevie Wonder, as this beloved American singer, songwriter, musician, and producer is one of the most celebrated and prominent figures in popular music. Wonder, at age 13, was the youngest recording artist to have achieved a #1 single with, “Fingertips, Part 2”, and subsequently the first to simultaneously reach #1 on Billboard’s Hot 100, R&B Singles and Album Charts. To date, he has amassed 49 Top Forty singles, 32 #1 singles and worldwide sales of more than 100 million units. Stevie has won 25 Grammy Awards, the prestigious Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, a Golden Globe and an Academy Award.
Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter, Peter Cetera has had two distinct musical careers. From 1968 through 1986, Cetera was the singer, songwriter, and bass player for the legendary rock group “Chicago”. In his time with the group, they recorded 18 of the most memorable albums of a generation, including such hits as “Hard to Say I’m Sorry”, “Baby What a Big Surprise” and “You’re the Inspiration”. A solo artist since 1986, Cetera has recorded 10 time-honoured CD’s including his #1 hits, the Academy Award-nominated song “The Glory of Love” from the hit movie “The Karate Kid II”, “The Next Time I Fall” with Amy Grant, “Feels Like Heaven” with Chaka Kahn”, and “No Explanation” from the mega-hit film, “Pretty Woman”.
Kiesza, an award-winning vocalist from Calgary, AB, rounds out the all-star group of performers. Kiesza is best known for her smash hit “Hideaway” that took the world by surprise in 2014, hitting #1 on iTunes in seven countries and was a top 10 single in 21 others. Kiesza released her debut album, “Sound of A Woman” this past fall, has been featured on Jack Ü’s megahit “Take Ü There” with Diplo and Skrillex and has also collaborated with Joey Bada$$ and most recently Duran Duran. Kiesza received four nominations and took home three awards at the 2015 JUNOs for Breakthrough Artist of the Year, Dance Recording of the Year and Video of the Year and has performed on The Ellen Degeneres Show, Jimmy Kimmel Live and The Late Show with David Letterman, among others.
The 2015 David Foster Foundation Miracle Gala & Concert is presented by TELUS in partnership with WestJet. Generous support for the event is also provided by Miracle Maker Sponsor, CIBC Children’s Foundation; Luxury Sponsor, Bedat & Co.; and Red Carpet Sponsors, Boston Pizza and Navacord.
To learn more about the David Foster Foundation, National Organ & Tissue Donor Awareness Week, and the 2015 Miracle Concert & Gala, visit www.davidfosterfoundation.com.
About the David Foster Foundation
David Foster is a proud Canadian, Recipient of the Order of Canada, Officer of the Order of Canada, 50-time nominee and 16-time Grammy Award winner (including three for Producer of the Year), three-time Oscar nominee, Golden Globe winner, seven-time Juno Award winner, Emmy award winner and has the distinguished honour to have his star on both the Canadian and Hollywood Walk of Fame. He is the man behind the biggest hits, with more than half a billion records sold.
Foster launched the David Foster Foundation in his hometown of Victoria in 1986. Across Canada, the David Foster Foundation financially supports families for all non-medical expenses while their children are undergoing lifesaving organ transplants. Thanks to its annual fundraising efforts and the generous support of national partners like TELUS, WestJet, Aird & Berlis LLP, Oak Bay Beach Hotel, Schnitzer, AMJ Campbell Vanlines, Hope Air and Deerfields Clinic families receive support for expenses incurred when travelling away from their homes to be with their child during transplant.
In 2014, the Slaight Family Foundation, Newton Glassman Foundation in partnership with Catalyst Capital Group Inc., Jim & Sandi Treliving, and Tan Sri Dr. Francis Yeoh joined the Oak Bay Beach Hotel and TELUS as the Foundation’s $1M Life Legacy members.
The Foundation also promotes organ donor awareness and registration in both Canada and the United States. For more information, visit www.davidfosterfoundation.com.