Kevin Sharp Enjoys Foster Care

On the title track of his debut CD, Kevin Sharp sings about the measure of a man. And, according to him, David Foster definitely measures up.

Sharp was 19 and losing a battle with bone cancer when the Make-A-Wish Foundation arranged a meeting with Foster, the Canadian producer-composer-performer whom Sharp idolized.

"David had written, produced and created so much of that music I loved, probably more so percentage-wise than anyone," says Sharp of the man known for his work with Celine Dion and Chicago.

"Ever since that meeting, and through my illness and treatment, he'd just call to check on me - not just me, but my mom and dad to see how they were." "He always called at the right time, when I needed a boost."

That was six years ago. Since then, Sharp's story has taken several miraculous turns. The cancer that almost killed him inexplicably went into remission, he started to pursue a singing career and, after several years of hard work and with Foster's help, he signed a contract with Asylum Records.

His debut CD, Measure of a Man, has already spawned a major hit, "Nobody Knows," a countrified version of the Tony Rich Project song. Guess who talked Sharp into covering the tune? You guessed it. Foster.

"When we started the project, we said no covers," Sharp says.

"But scanning through the radio as I do a lot, I heard it and I fell in love with it immediately. And it was the lyric, 'Nobody knows it but me.' There was a time I felt that way during the illness."

"Then one day David called me and said, 'We heard this song on pop radio and we think it's a country smash and you should listen to it.' Lo and behold, it was the same song. It was weird."

Despite playing an essential role in getting the album made, Foster doesn't perform on or produce any tracks on Measure of a Man.

"I really wanted him all over it," Sharp says.

"But David said to me his field was pop and adult contemporary and it would be better for me if we found a country music producer. So, he stepped aside and let Chris (Farren) produce it."

And Farren crafted an album that's evenly divided between R&B - flavored upbeat numbers and bluer-than-blue ballads, although the singer admits he's "a sucker" for the latter.

"In fact, I'm such a sucker for them, if they hadn't kept an eye on me, I probably would have had 11 ballads on the record."

"I guess it's all those times I got dumped by girlfriends. I had a tough time in life - I could get into those songs, sing them, feel better and heal myself."

Though "healed," a slight limp and a bald head are reminders of the operations and high-intensity chemotherapy he once endured.

"If I had my way, I'd have a full head of hair. After the (chemo) treatments, it grew back in blotches on the back of my head - I was devastated because I had long, light brown hair," Sharp says.

"Now I save money on shampoo and haircuts. The razor fee has gone up a little bit. Other than that, it's low maintenance. No bad hair days."

Besides, "if people, when they go to stores, can't remember my name but remember my bald head, we've accomplished something."

Unless, of course, they buy a Midnight Oil record by mistake.

Sharp laughs.

"Yeah, as long as they don't get the two crossed, I'm okay."