David Foster + Babyface + “SMASH’s” Katharine McPhee + Me

March 22, 2011 – David Foster’s House – Malibu, CA

3 weeks ago I was in my buddy’s garage shooting a commercial for NBC LA.  I was singing my song “Beautiful Life” on-camera and had my phone on silent.  During a break I noticed my phone I had a number of missed calls so I dialed voice mail—the first message went, “Chris, David Foster wants to meet you tomorrow morning….You’ll be singing for him at 10am.”

“WHAAAT?!  10 am?!”  and by that I mean–”Holy crap I’m stoked to sing for David Foster for the first time.  The Man, the myth, the legend.”

The next morning I woke up ungodly early (for me) at 5am.  When I sing classically, as I would for Foster, my ass has to get up and moving WAY before I sing.  It sucks.  Some people can go out drinking and smoking, yelling at a club and roll outta bed the next morning and sound like a million bucks.  I would sound like .27 cents if I did that—which wouldn’t even buy me a stamp to send myself a fan letter since I’d be the only one doing so at that point.  (Why am I talking about sending a fan letter to myself?).

I’m loud as hell when I warm up to sing.  My girlfriend and neighbors already have to endure this daily but definitely not at 5am…so I went and sang in my car.  I often sing and vocalize in the car.  I’m sure many-a-LA-driver glances at me driving and either think 1—wow that guy is yawning a LOT, or, 2—wow that guy has turrets…awesome!  After singing for a bit I went to the gym at around 6.  How the hell do people work out this early?  So many do I just don’t understand it.  Shouldn’t you be sleeping or drinking coffee or something?  The dudes lifting weights at 6am is even more baffling.  I need til at least afternoon to lift more than a fork to my mouth.  Singing more on the way home from the gym I was feeling as warm as it was gonna get for so early in the day.

After a peaceful drive on the PCH out to Malibu I pulled up to his house and walked inside with my manager.  The first thing I saw was, what seemed to be, 1,001 Grammys on his living room piano glistening in the Pacific sun.

After catching up for about 45 minutes we decided to make way into the living room and sing some songs.  We started with a favorite of mine (and his), “Broken Vow” which was written by my friend Walter Afanasieff for Lara Fabian and Josh Groban.   “Gira con Me” came next.  David wrote this one.  I sang while glancing down at the Italian lyrics I printed and brought.  Even though I’d just started learning the song I couldn’t help think “dammit Chris—why didn’t you memorize this song earlier instead of watching countless Family Guy episodes?!  FML.”  It goes smoothly though.  We retreated to his wood-paneled office with the fireplace to continue our dialog then listed to some of my older recordings before heading back to the piano where I played my song “Beautiful Life.”

After all of the singing he says, “wanna come sing with me in Washington, D.C. on the 7^th and next week in LA too?”

“Uh….lemme check my schedule.  Yep, clear!  OK!”

Keep in mind that I use to write this guy letters as a kid telling him that I was a singer and he needed to hear me.  He never responded (maybe cause he was writing some of the most iconic songs of our lifetime)–but, alas, here we were.

April 4, 2011 – Peer Music Publishing Event Honoring David Foster – Los Angeles, CA

The next week, David was being honored by Peer Music, his publisher, with an in-house cocktail hour and a live performance by the man himself.  At events like this he plays many of his (ridiculously) famous songs and has artists he’s worked with come sing them as well.  He also debuts new artists at said events.  David had asked me to learn The Prayer and a bunch of his hits for the band Chicago (ie—Hard to Say I’m Sorry, Glory of Love, You’re the Inspiration, etc—crazy ass famous songs.  Wow.).

I’m standing off to the side of the piano waiting to be called up.  I don’t get nervous performing so let’s just say I was pretty damn “excited” to perform with him.  David introduces me, we start the Chicago songs, which i love.  ”Everybody needs a little time awayyyyyy, I heard her sayyyyyyyy, fr-om each oooooootherrrrr….”  I see some familiar faces in the audience which put me at ease…and then would see some “familiar faces” that made my eyes fall out of my head like 80’s pop star, Taylor Dayne and mega award-winning string arranger, Bill Ross.

(Taylor Dayne and American Idol’s Scott MacIntyre joining in the fun)

Now came The Prayer.  I walked up to the piano along with an incredible singer Courtney Blooding .  The music began and we sang away.  “Am I really singing with David Foster right now?  Shit, focus.”  And before it began it was over–the crowd loved it.

2 days later I was on a plane to do it all again at the Black Tie Gala for the Horatio Alger Awards—this time I’d be singing The Prayer with American Idol’s, Katharine McPhee.

April 7, 2011 – The Horatio Alger Awards – Washington, D.C.

(Me, David Foster, Katharine McPhee, Babyface)

I landed in DC excited.  I would be performing at the Horatio Alger Awards with veterans artist Katharine McPhee, Babyface and The Canadian Tenors so, as the new guy, I was stoked.  With “distinguished Americans” in the audience such as NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Leonardo DiCaprio I definitely wanted to put my best foot/note forward.  (Excuse the horrible pun.  I should be slapped).

(sound check with Kat and David in the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium in D.C.)

Katharine and I met and sound checked at the venue a few hours before the show.  Her voice was flawless.  The band was amazing and included players like Vinnie Colaiuta (drummer for Sting and Jeff Beck) and Michael Ripoll (guitarist for Babyface), not to mention David Foster on piano.  Yep.  Sound check was a success which left us a few hours to head back to the hotel and change in to our formal wear—me, a DKNY tuxedo (provided by Donna Karan (thanks!)) and Katharine, a dangerously tight, skin-colored knee-length dress.  I KNEW no one was looking at me on stage.  Ha.

Arriving back at the venue Babyface arrived and we got caught up for a bit.  The Canadian Tenors were really cool and sounded incredible.  It was going to be a great night.  They opened the show and David did a few on his own.  Katharine did a solo set of songs from the Body Guard soundtrack (which David produced and wrote most of–casual) before she and I closed with The Prayer.

Katharine started singing beautifully while leaning against the nook of the piano.  I was right off stage waiting for my entrance….when a woman from catering noticed that Babyface was standing next to me and started freaking out.  “Oh my Gawd!  That’s my boy Babyface!  Haaaaay!  MmmmHmmm that’s my BOY!  Lemme git a picture.”  It was pretty hilarious.  She snapped her picture as I walked out to start singing.

(Leonardo DiCaprio and Michael Bloomberg’s large pictures and the other awards recipient’s lined the room)

I stepped into the stage lights and began singing my verse in Italian.  Glancing at David I met Kat at center stage.  The climactic middle section of the song arrived and Kat and I turned to each other, holding the high note as long as possible, as we belted our asses off into the dramatic end of the song.  The crowd broke into cheering and rose to their feet in a standing ovation.  David leaped from the piano yelling “Katharine McPhee and Chris Mann!”  It was something else.  I hugged Kat and took her arm to help her off stage.  It was pret-ty friggin’ amazing.

I poured 2 glasses of wine immediately back stage (both for me) and went out to see the finale:  Babyface.

I’ve always been a Babyface fan–aside from his own hits he signed TLC, Boys II Men and wrote and produced most of their hits.  We’re talking my entire middle school existence here people.  This was huge.  I remember being at the middle school dance.  The slow song (always a Babyface production and usually Boys II Men) would come on over the speakers–”I’ll make love to you…or…to the eeeeend oooof the road” or….”  All of us panicked.  Usually girls and guys were separated on the floor in cliques and, at least at my school, a representative friend would always have to go ask the selected girl/guy if he/she wanted to dance with their friend.  You remember??  Almost like writing a note and asking “check yes or no.”  So sad.  So sad.  For ejemplo, “Um…Sarah, Chris wants to know if you want to dance with him.” You couldn’t pay me to be 13 again.

Reliving this painful past I offed the wine and was ready for more.

He closed with “Change the World” (his duet with Eric Clapton) and the crowd was on its feet.  It was such an amazing moment. Back stage I told Babyface how I got a speeding ticket to “Change the world” back in Wichita growing up.  I tried to get him to reimburse me.  He declined.

After mingling a bit we all took off to the Ritz-Carlton for drinks.  I met many of the Alger members and had a great time.  They were all so nice and supportive—almost like surrogate grandparents even though we’d just met.  Drinking Scotch and Soda I took in their interesting back-stories of where they came from and what they do.  Eventually the crowd thinned and it was time to go.  I said my goodbyes and headed back to the hotel. I was NOT ready for sleep at all as I was still on cloud 37 from the night.  Alas, all the hotel bars were closed.  I’m thinking this was a good thing as my ride to the airport was only a few hours away.

The next best thing was midnight room service and ESPN.  It was truly a night to remember.

*I’m fairly certain there’s video of this that might surface.  I’ll keep you in the loop*

L.O.V.E. on “Drop Dead Diva” on Lifetime!

(click the video to watch the promo!)

I’m proud to announce that my song LOVE is currently running as the promo for the next season of “Drop Dead Diva” on Lifetime.  Thanks to those of you who’ve heard it and are geeking out as big as me.  Much appreciated.

Keep watching the show and rewatch my live versions of LOVE on youtube here:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFDYu4DD1Ps