from ONE VOICE
Written by David Foster & Linda Thompson
For over twenty years, Nita Whitaker has been a fixture on many David Foster projects. This talented pop/r&b songstress began her career in the second half of the eighties with an appearance on the popular TV show Star Search. Winning the talent show and the subsequent grand championship, Whitaker was soon noticed by Foster and she flourished under his expert wing. In the early nineties, Whitaker worked with the Canadian Hitmaker as part of the vocal group Millennium which included the late, unforgettable Warren Wiebe, Wil Wheaton, Joey Diggs and Suzette Charles.
Envisioned by Foster as a modern version of The Fifth Dimension, Millennium recorded an album that was partially produced by Foster. Despite its superior musical value and the top-notch quality of the vocalists, the album never saw the light of day. It was buried in Foster’s vaults and remains one of Foster’s most sought after projects by hard-core fans. Ms. Whitaker went on to sing the original studio demos for many of Foster’s hits of the ninety’s including Whitney Houston’s “I Have Nothing” and “I Will Always Love You.” In 1994, Whitaker finally released her self-titled, debut cd. Through the years, the Louisiana-born singer kept working with Foster on dozens of live events. Whenever there’s a high-profile charity concert with Foster on board, there’s a good chance that Whitaker will be part of the line-up. Recently, Whitaker was featured on Foster’s “Hitman” and “Hitman Returns” DVDs. She was seen supporting the all-star casts with her amazing backing vocals.
Whitaker released her sophomore cd in 2001 titled “One Voice.” It was an elegant, mostly adult contemporary collection that presented a handful of original compositions written by Whitaker. One highlight of this collection was the beautiful “Heaven Holds The One I Love,” a powerful ballad co-written by Foster with his then-wife Linda Thompson. For the occasion, Thompson came up with truly inspirational lyrics that paired well with Foster’s gorgeous music. Foster’s grand production gave life to a remarkable work of art. Whitaker’s vocals on “Heaven Holds The One I Love” are completely on target. Her intense performance perfectly transmits the bittersweet, aching flavor of the song. Let’s round out this review with a comment that Foster dedicated to his good friend and collaborator:
“Destined for greatness. One of my favorite girl singers, and I’ve worked with them all.”
Take a listen to “Heaven Holds The One I Love” and we are sure you’ll agree with Foster’s statement.
Listen
[audio:https://www.fozfan.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/heaven_holds_the_ones_i_love.mp3|titles=Haven Holds The Ones I Love|artists=David Foster]
Lead Vocals: Nita Whitaker
Piano & Keyboards: David Foster
Acoustic Guitar: Dean Parks
Synthesizer Programming: Felipe Elgueta
String Arrangement by William Ross
Produced & Arranged by David Foster
Lyrics
I’ve spent my life building castles of dreams
Reaching for each distant star
As tears clear my eyes I finally realize
Happiness is where you are
And I’m still a part of you and you’re still a part of me
And I swear I’ll always celebrate your memory
You’ll live inside of me
Heaven holds the ones I love
I see your eyes twinkle in the skies above
My hopes are floating in the clouds
The wind repeats your name out loud
Ohhh
Heaven holds the ones I love
At times I’m unsure
Why our hearts must endure
All the pain and such great loss
Still look what I’ve gained
I feel your kiss in the rain
It’s your smile I miss the most
And I’m still a part of you
And you’re still the biggest part of me
And I swear I’ll always celebrate your memory
And trust what’s meant to be
Heaven holds the ones I love
I see your eyes twinkle in the skies above
My hopes are floating in the clouds
The wind repeats your name out loud
Ohhh
Heaven holds the ones I love
And in my grief and disbelief
One thing I know is true
Every breath I take
Brings me that much closer to you
Heaven holds the ones I love
I see your eyes twinkle in the skies above
My hopes are floating in the clouds
The wind repeats your name out loud
Ohhh
Heaven holds the ones I love
Heaven holds the ones I love