'RHOBH' Star David Foster Mourns Death Of Longtime Confidant, Singer Natalie Cole
Jan. 3 2016, Updated 2:09 p.m. ET
Amid his own struggles following the demise of his marriage to ailing Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Yolanda Foster, music producer was hit with another blow Jan. 1 when he lost his beloved friend, Natalie Cole.
As RadarOnline.com reported, Cole died at age 65 of congestive heart failure. Foster, a music producer who has known Cole for more than 25 years, took the news of her passing especially hard. "I'm filled with profound sadness," he told People Magazine, adding that he had trusted Cole, "with secrets he wouldn't tell anyone else."
He reflected on their earlier years recording together, and their collaboration on the hit song, "Unforgettable."
"We had no clue it would strike a chord with anybody. We certainly didn't think it would get on pop radio," he remembered. "It was a monster hit."
The 67-year-old musician also marveled at the enduring quality of her voice, even as her health began to deteriorate. "Her voice was always silk," David said. "Even in the last few months when she lost a bit of power, her voice was still silky."
Now, he holds fondly to her memory as he imagines her in a better place. "Somewhere up in Heaven, there's got to be an exclusive club," he told People, "where Billie Holiday, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Peggy Lee and Nat King Cole are welcoming Natalie right now with open arms."