DAVID FOSTER, SHIRLEY HORN ARE DOCTOR-CERTIFIED
At this year’s Berklee College of Music commencement in early May, proud parents watched not only their young hopefuls march to “Pomp and Circumstance,” but also hit record producer/songwriter David Foster and legendary jazz pianist/vocalist Shirley Horn.
In accepting their honorary doctor of music degrees, Foster and Horn join the ranks of such esteemed past recipients as Duke Ellington, Count Basie, David Bowie, B.B. King, Sting, James Taylor, Pat Metheny, Dizzy Gilles-pie, Billy Joel, Bonnie Raitt, Quincy Jones, and Walter Becker and Donald Fagen of Steely Dan.
Delivering the commencement address, Foster had this advice for the real-world-bound students: “Probably every keyboard player here today plays better than I do. And although that’s impressive, it won’t take you to the top. But attitude will. And if you look at every single thing that comes your way as an opportunity, that will take you to the top, too.”
