How Gigi Hadid, Brody Jenner, Erin Foster and Katharine McPhee Share the Same Family Tree
Every family has its own rhythm, and David Foster’s kids seem to be in harmony.
He has quite a few of them, too. The Grammy winner has five daughters—Allison Jones, 54; Amy S. Foster, 51; Sara Foster, 43; Erin Foster, 42; and Jordan Foster, 39—as well as one son, 3-year-old Rennie Foster.
"All five of them are great," David told People about his adult daughters in January, later adding, “They've embraced Rennie and it's actually great.”
The musician has spent several decades composing his happy family. Just 20 when his eldest Allison was born, David placed her for adoption, the two later reconnecting when she was an adult. Years later, he welcomed Amy with his first wife B.J. Cook as well as Sara, Erin and Jordan with his second wife Rebecca Dyer.
David then went on to tie the knot with Linda Thompson in 1991—becoming stepdad to her sons Brandon Jenner and Brody Jenner—followed 20 years later by Yolanda Hadid, who is mom to kids Gigi Hadid, Bella Hadid and Anwar Hadid. However, those unions eventually ended, and after years spent solo, he began dueting with now-wife Katharine McPhee, whom he wed in 2019 and is mom to son Rennie.
"I think that I can offer one thing to Rennie even though I won't be around when he's 50 or 40 even, or 30 maybe," the 74-year-old added to People in January 2023. "I think I can offer him wisdom from my 72 years on the planet. And maybe that's not a bad trade-off. I hope so."
And if you’re wondering if any of David’s kids are still in touch with their former stepsiblings, Erin recently offered some insight.
“Gigi actually just DM'ed me last night saying she was starting to watch the show,” the Nobody Wants This creatorsaid on a September 2024 episode of Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen. “The kids don’t get divorced, just the parents do.”
To learn more about David’s star-studded family, keep reading.
David Foster has many titles: musician, composer, producer. But to his six children, he's also Dad.
"It's just great being a dad," the Grammy winner, who welcomed his youngest child Rennie at age 71, told People in 2022. "It's too cliché to say 'Now I have more time,' but I do: I have more time. Without any reflection on any of my other children, whom I all love equally, and equally as much as my son."
David is married to Katharine McPhee, with their union marking the fifth time he's tied the knot. In his 2019 documentary David Foster: Off the Record, the songwriter looked back at his former relationships and reportedly described himself as a "runner" in the past.
"It’s more like, 'Hey, there’s a shiny new thing over there...'" he said in the film, per Rolling Stone. "'This is not working, so it looks a lot better to me over there.’”
But when it comes to his relationship with Katharine, David reportedly added in the doc, "I’m very happy where I am."
David grew up in a big family. In fact, he has six sisters. One of them is Jaymes Foster, who welcomed son Parker with friend Clay Aiken in 2008.
And while the American Idol runner-up previously told E! the teen used to sing "all the time," he noted Parker has since "chosen a different path" for his career. But if Parker ever wants to enter the music business, he can certainly turn to his famous family members for guidance.
"My son's got a lot of not only music, but Idol in his veins," Clay added. "His uncle is David Foster, the producer. So his aunt is Katharine McPhee."
David's eldest child, Allison Jones, was born when he was 20 and placed for adoption—with them reuniting when she was an adult.
She now works as Director for The David Foster Foundation. As her bio notes, "Allison has an MBA from McMaster University and lives in Edmonton, Alberta with her husband Brent, and their two children."
David's first marriage was to B.J. Cook, his bandmate in the groups The Hawks and Skylark. They wed in 1972, and he became stepfather to her daughter Tamre Winger. The following year, David and B.J. welcomed daughter Amy S. Foster.
They split in 1981. But in 2023, David and B.J. reunited when they were honored with a star on the BC Entertainment Hall of Fame StarWalk.
Like her mom and dad, Amy S. Foster—the S standing for their band Skylark—is a musician. In fact, she's written songs for several artists, including Michael Bublé, Rod Stewart and Destiny's Child.
While Amy admitted to People growing up in Toronto away from David was "challenging," she noted their bond later grew.
"The relationship that I have with my dad is so great now," she added to the outlet in 2020. "He's not so stuck in his ways that he thinks that he's intractable, that he doesn't need to change. He's evolving every day, and I love that."
And when a social media user accused David of abandoning his older children, his second eldest daughter made it clear there was "absolutely no abandonment."
In addition to being a songwriter, Amy is an author and the founder of a yarn label. She's also a mother of three children: Eva and Mikaela from her former marriage to Simon Gillies as well as Vaughn, whom she welcomed with husband Matthew Freeman.
David wed Rebecca Dyer in 1982, and they welcomed daughters Sara Foster, Erin Foster and Jordan Foster, who've spoken about their bond with their mother.
"It takes becoming an adult to really appreciate what your mom has done for you," Erin wrote in part of a birthday tribute to Rebecca in 2021. "In my twenties I ignored every piece of advice from her, rushed her off the phone, and basically told her to get a life. Every year of my thirties I need my mom more."
Rebecca and David divorced in 1986, and he then wed Linda Thompson.
Born in 1981, Sara is the eldest daughter of David and Rebecca. And she and sister Erin do a lot together, including starring in Barely Famous from 2015 to 2016, co-hosting the The World’s First Podcast and co-founding both apparel brand Favorite Daughter as well as venture capital investment firm Oversubscribed Ventures. Sara also served as an executive producer for Erin's Netflix rom-com Nobody Wants This.
Earlier in her career, Sara appeared in the spin-off series 90210 as well as in movies like D.E.B.S., Demoted and The Big Bounce.
She's also mom to daughters Valentina and Josephine, whom she shares with tennis player Tommy Haas. And while fans have been wondering if the parents, who wed in 2010, have split, Sara sent a reminder to anyone who felt like they deserved an explanation.
“I don’t think I owe anyone anything honestly,” she wrote back on Instagram in September 2024. “But I love you guys.”
Erin entered the world 18 months after Sara in 1982. In addition to creating Nobody Wants This and cofounding Favorite Daughter, The World’s First Podcast and Oversubscribed Ventures with Sara, the fellow Barely Famous alum has done some acting—with her credits including Daddy Issues, Circle and Tell Me You Love Me.
In May 2024, Erin welcomed a daughter Noa Mimi Tikhman with husband Simon Tikhman.
Jordan, born in 1985, is also in the family business—serving as the Style Director for Favorite Daughter. She's also a stylist—who's worked with stars like Ashley Graham, Aly Raisman and Lily Aldridge—and raises kids Otto and Juni with husband Tom Woodger.
Linda has had several famous relationships.
In the 1970s, the former Miss Tennessee dated Elvis Presley. Then in 1981, she wed Caitlyn Jenner, who publicly came out as transgender in 2015. They finalized their divorce in 1986.
At the time, Caitlyn was already a parent to Burt Jenner and Cassandra Marino from her past relationship with Chrystie Scott. She and Linda then welcomed sons Brandon Jenner and Brody Jenner during their marriage. Caitlyn later wed Kris Jenner in 1991, becoming a stepparent to kids Kourtney Kardashian, Kim Kardashian, Khloe Kardashian and Rob Kardashian from the momager's marriage to Robert Kardashian. Before Caitlyn and Kris split in 2013, they welcomed daughters Kendall Jenner and Kylie Jenner.
As Linda writes in her book A Little Thing Called Life, she met David in 1985 after her split from Caitlyn, and they continued to hang out in 1986, which is when she says he confessed his feelings for her and told her he was ending his relationship with Rebecca.
"Considering the length and depth of our union, I hold a deep conviction that David and I were meant to be together," the Hee Haw alum wrote. "Even so, I'm not proud of how we first came together, but I am no longer embarrassed by it, either. I have allowed myself to be human and have long since forgiven myself, which is a step in the right direction toward healing."
Linda and David wed in 1991 and co-wrote Whitney Houston's "I Have Nothing" for The Bodyguard. However, they divorced in 2005.
Brandon is Linda and Caitlyn's oldest son, and David became his stepfather when he was a young child.
"David came into the mix, and David was very consistent throughout most of our childhood but definitely also very career-driven," Brandon said in a 2021 YouTube video with Linda. "We were stepkids, and he's a very career-based guy and very passionate about that, so busy."
Brandon, Brody, Linda and David starred on the 2005 reality TV series The Princes of Malibu, which also featured Brody's costar on The Hills Spencer Pratt.
Though Linda and David divorced that same year, it appears he and Brandon have remained on good terms. In fact, David attended the release party for Brandon's record "Burning Ground" in 2016 and showed support for his 2024 song "The Feels"—writing on Instagram "Love this!!!"
Brandon is married to Cayley Jenner, with whom he shares twins Bo and Sam as well as daughter Joan. He is also dad to daughter Eva from his previous marriage to Leah James.
Brody is Linda's youngest son with Caitlyn. And you've likely seen the reality star on your screen on more than one occasion.
In addition to starring on The Princes of Malibu, Brody appeared on The Hills, its revival The Hills: New Beginnings and Bromance. He also made cameos on Keeping Up With the Kardashians.
Like Brandon, he's appeared to still maintain a relationship with David. After Brody posted a video of his and fiancée Tia Blanco's daughter Honey in July 2024, David commented on the sweet clip of the little one, "She is sooo darn cute!!!"
Sara and Erin have shared what it was like for them to watch David be a stepdad to Brody and Brandon.
"Our dad was raising other children. He wasn’t raising us," Sara said on a 2019 episode of Kate Hudson and Oliver Hudson's podcast Sibling Revelry. "He was raising Brandon and Brody."
David has also addressed how his relationship with Sara, Erin and Jordan has evolved.
"I missed a lot because I didn't raise them," he told People in 2020. "The geography was really tough. That was my own doing and a regret that I have, but it was what it was and there was no changing it. So I did the best I could, which was quite imperfect at times. Plus I worked so much."
Erin added that, after some honest talks, they've gotten to a better place.
"Our narrative is that we're all on the same side and we've all been mad at each other," she noted to the outlet. "We've all forgiven each other. And we're a family just like any other family."
When it comes to the story of how David and Yolanda Hadid met, it appears her ex-husband Mohamed Hadid played matchmaker.
“I introduced them,” the real estate developer—who shares kids Gigi Hadid, Bella Hadid and Anwar Hadid with The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum— told Vanity Fair in 2017, “and he’s turned out to be one of the best stepfathers to my daughters. It’s a blessing.”
Yolanda and David wed in 2011, and fans got glimpses into their marriage on her Bravo series. But after four years of marriage, the pair parted ways. They finalized their divorce in 2017.
Yolanda—now engaged to Joseph Jingoli—has suggested her battle with Lyme disease affected her marriage to David.
"He lost his wingman, his partner in crime," she wrote in her 2017 book Believe Me: My Battle With the Invisible Disability of Lyme Disease, "and I feel as if he’s starting to get impatient with my recovery."
However, David has denied her condition led to the end of their union, with him saying in 2015 he was by Yolanda's side "to the best of my ability as she battled with the complexities of her Lyme diagnosis." But don't ask him for his take on what led to the end of their time together.
"The fact of the matter is that was not the reason I left," David said in David Foster: Off the Record. "It was for a different reason, which I will never disclose, but it had nothing to do with her being sick."
During his marriage to Yolanda, David was stepfather to her kids Gigi, Bella and Anwar. And it looks like Gigi is still in touch with his daughter Erin.
“Gigi actually just DM'ed me last night saying she was starting to watch the show,” the Nobody Wants This creator said on a September 2024 episode of Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen. “The kids don’t get divorced, just the parents do.”
As for whether Erin is still in touch with Yolanda? "Not as much as the kids," she continued, "because the parents get divorced."
In addition to ruling the runway, Gigi is the founder of cashmere knitwear brand Guest in Residence. She's also mom to daughter Khai, whom she shares with her ex and One Direction alum Zayn Malik, and has struck up a romance with Bradley Cooper.
David has shared amicable moments with Gigi and Bella after his split from Yolanda, too. Like when he cheered the supermodels on at a 2016 fashion show.
"Step-Love with @gigihadid and @bellahadid," he captioned a snapshot of them giving him a peck on the cheek, adding the hashtag "#theykilledit."
David and Bella also shared a hug when they ran into each other at the 2018 Met Gala, where he and Katharine made their red carpet debut.
Along with modeling, Bella—who's spoken about her own battle with Lyme disease—is running her non-alcoholic beverage company Kin Euphorics as well as her fragrance brand Orebella. She is in a relationship with Adan Banuelos.
Anwar is Gigi and Bella's younger brother. And just like his sisters, he's taken the modeling industry by storm. Anwar is also a musician, part of the Oswald band, and the cofounder of the jewelry brand Martyre.
He was in a two-year relationship with Dua Lipa before they split in 2021. Two years after their breakup, he sparked romance rumors with Sophia Piccirilli.
Katharine and David's relationship started off on a platonic note.
In fact, they met when she was a contestant on American Idol and he was one of the show's mentors back in 2006.
But 11 years later—following her divorce from ex-husband Nick Cokas and his split from Yolanda—Katharine and David sparked romance rumors. While they initially played coy about the dating speculation, the SMASH! actress and the music arranger got engaged in 2018.
Katharine and David tied the knot in London in 2019 and welcomed son Rennie two years later. And no, they're not concerned with what people may think of their 34-year age gap.
"I totally get the judgment initially, but things are never as they appear," Katharine said on Dr. Berlin's Informed Pregnancy Podcast in 2023. "And I'm in love with our love story, and that's all that matters is that I'm in love with the love story."
In February 2021, David and Katharine welcomed their son Rennie. And if his early drumming skills are any indication, it looks like he's already inherited his mom and dad's musicality.
"Progress," David captioned a video of a then-2-year-old Rennie playing the drums, "time for some lessons I think."
While Rennie has traveled with his parents for their tour, it's the day-to-day moments at home that Katharine truly cherishes.
"I just love everyday mundane things like picking up your kid from school," she told E! News in 2023. "To me, that is so fun because he says, 'You're back! You're back!' He's so happy that I'm there, and that's not gonna be forever that I get to do that."
