When Katharine McPhee and David Foster go on the road, it’s a family affair.
Not only do the married couple perform together — McPhee, of “Smash” and “Waitress” fame belts classics from her extensive catalog while Foster known for his work on “St. Elmo’s Fire” and countless other films and records mans the keys— they also recently brought their two-year-old son Rennie onstage to play the drums onstage with them at Washington, D.C.’s Kennedy Center.
“He only had to wait two years to play there. I had to wait my whole life,” Foster joked in an exclusive interview with the New York Post.
While Foster’s quip may make it sound like he’s been twiddling his thumbs waiting for gigs, he and McPhee have been far from inactive these past few years.
Not only have the musically gifted duo have toured extensively together, they’re about to kick off the next leg of their ongoing run where they’ll make stops at Waterloo, NY’s The Vine at Del Lago Resort and Casino on Saturday, May 11, Staten Island’s St. George Theatre on Friday, May 17 and Atlantic City’s Hard Rock Hotel and Casino on Saturday, May 18.
As expected, fans can expect to hear hits from the lovebirds’ impressive back catalogs.
“I’ve been around forever, so I have a long list of songs that did well and a lot of songs that didn’t do well,” Foster smiled.
“Kat has her ‘Smash’ repertoire, songs from ‘Waitress’ on Broadway and her ‘American Idol’ stint. It’s just a fun-filled night. Sometimes, I make her do a Céline Dion impression, and then that will lead to a Céline song.”
“I love doing them,” McPhee chimed in. “I just don’t want to bomb the high notes.”
And if you dream of catching the bubbly pair live — they say the show is for fans of Céline Dion, Whitney Houston, the band Chicago, Michael Buble and “Smash” — last-minute tickets can still be scooped up for all upcoming shows.
And yes, aspiring vocalists are welcome, too.
“I go into the audience and ask people if they want to sing,” Foster explains. “When they’re good, the audience goes crazy. So if you’re a singer, come on down. If you wave your hand hard enough, I’ll pick you.”
Want to see the one-of-a-kind couple — and maybe their drummer son — live?
We’ve got everything you need to know and more about Katharine McPhee and David Foster’s 2024 tour below.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
Katharine McPhee and David Foster tour schedule 2024
A complete calendar including all tour dates, venues and links to buy tickets can be found below.
Katharine McPhee and David Foster set list
While McPhee and Foster like to keep things fresh and mix up the set list, things stay fairly consistent on a gig to gig basis.
For a closer look of what to expect, here’s what they played at a recent concert in South Carolina, courtesy of Set List FM.
01.) “Snowbirds”
02.) “Winter Games” (David Foster cover)
03.) “St. Elmo’s Fire”
04.) “Cry Me a River” (Julie London cover)
05.) “Singin’ in the Rain” (Nacio Herb Brown cover)
06.) “Over the Rainbow”
07.) “Man in Motion (St. Elmo’s Fire)”
08.) “You Raise Me Up” (Secret Garden cover)
09.) “You Used to Be Mine” from Waitress
10.) Drum Medley by JR
11.) Audience Songs (2)
12.) Chicago Medley
13.) “Let Me Be Your Star / Don’t Forget Me” from Smash
14.) “Redneck Woman” from Smash
15.) “The Prayer” (Céline Dion cover)
16.) “Nessun dorma” (Giacomo Puccini cover)
17.) “Got to Be Real” (Cheryl Lynn cover)
Encore
18.) “I’ll Be Seeing You”
19.) “Love”
“Boop” the Musical
On top of touring, Foster also wrote the music for the musical “Boop” that sends the classic Black and White cartoon character into the 21st century. The show ran at Chicago’s CIBC Theatre in 2023.
“‘Boop’ has been a labor of love,” Foster gushed. “We had a great run in Chicago. We have a great team. If all things go well, I think we’ll be on Broadway by February (2025).”
David Foster rock and roll history
Prior to his piano ballad days, Foster played with a number of the most beloved rock stars from the 20th century.
“I have rock and roll roots,” Foster told us. “Not much though, because if you know my music at all, (you know that) when I lay my hands on the piano, it’s pretty soft.”
After playing with Chuck Berry as a 16-year-old back in the mid 1960s, Foster worked with three (!) of the four Beatles.
“I spent a lot of time with George Harrison, thanks to my friend, the drummer Jim Keltner, who introduced me,” he said. “I was sitting in my little condo with no furniture and the phone rings (and when) I heard ‘Hello, this is George Harrison’ it was one of the most mind blowing moments of my life. We did a couple of albums together in the mid-70s where I played piano and arranged the music.”
Foster also produced Paul McCartney’s 1989 album “Flowers In The Dirt” and played on a record with Ringo Starr.
Huge 2024 concert tours
In the unfortunate event that Foster and McPhee aren’t headed to a venue near you in the next few months, there are plenty of other great acts that just may make their way to your neck of the woods.
Here are just five of our favorites you won’t want to miss live.
• Jewel with Melissa Etheridge
Who else is on the road? Take a look at our list of the 50 biggest concert tours in 2024 to find out.
This article was written by Matt Levy, New York Post live events reporter. Levy stays up-to-date on all the latest tour announcements from your favorite musical artists and comedians, as well as Broadway openings, sporting events and more live shows – and finds great ticket prices online. Since he started his tenure at the Post in 2022, Levy has reviewed Bruce Springsteen and interviewed Melissa Villaseñor of SNL fame, to name a few. Please note that deals can expire, and all prices are subject to change.