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Marie Dionne Warwick (; born December 12, 1940) is an American singer, actress, and television host. Warwick ranks among the 40 biggest U.S. hit makers between 1955 and 1999, based on her chart history on ''Billboard'''s
Hot 100 The ''Billboard'' Hot 100 is the music industry standard record chart in the United States for songs, published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine. Chart rankings are based on sales (physical and digital), radio play, and online streaming ...
pop singles chart. She is the second-most charted female vocalist during the rock era (1955–1999). She is also one of the most-charted vocalists of all time, with 56 of her singles making the Hot 100 between 1962 and 1998 (12 of them Top Ten), and 80 singles in total – either solo or collaboratively – making the Hot 100, R&B and/or
adult contemporary Adult contemporary music (AC) is a form of radio-played popular music, ranging from 1960s vocal and 1970s soft rock music to predominantly ballad-heavy music of the present day, with varying degrees of easy listening, pop, soul, R&B, quie ...
charts. Dionne ranks #74 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100's "Greatest Artists of all time". During her career, she has sold more than 100 million records worldwide and she has won many awards, including six Grammy Awards. Warwick has been inducted into the
Hollywood Walk of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a historic landmark which consists of more than 2,700 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, Californ ...
, the
Grammy Hall of Fame The Grammy Hall of Fame is a hall of fame to honor musical recordings of lasting qualitative or historical significance. Inductees are selected annually by a special member committee of eminent and knowledgeable professionals from all branches of ...
, the R&B Music Hall of Fame and the Apollo Theater Walk of Fame. In 2019 she won the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. Three of her songs (" Walk On By", "
Alfie Alfie may refer to: Theatre and film * ''Alfie'' (play), a 1963 play by Bill Naughton * ''Alfie'' (1966 film), a film based on the play starring Michael Caine * ''Alfie'' (2004 film), a remake of the 1966 film * ''Alfie'' (2013 film), an Indi ...
" and " Don't Make Me Over") have been inducted into the
Grammy Hall of Fame The Grammy Hall of Fame is a hall of fame to honor musical recordings of lasting qualitative or historical significance. Inductees are selected annually by a special member committee of eminent and knowledgeable professionals from all branches of ...
. She is a former
Goodwill Ambassador Goodwill ambassador is a post-nominal honorific title, a professional occupation and/or authoritative designation that is assigned to a person who advocates for a specific cause or global issue on the basis of their notability such as a publ ...
for the UN's
Food and Agriculture Organization The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)french: link=no, Organisation des Nations unies pour l'alimentation et l'agriculture; it, Organizzazione delle Nazioni Unite per l'Alimentazione e l'Agricoltura is an intern ...
.


Early life

Marie Dionne Warrick, later Warwick, was born in East Orange, New Jersey to Lee Drinkard and Mancel Warrick. Her mother was manager of
the Drinkard Singers The Drinkard Singers were an American gospel singing group, most successful in the late 1950s and important in the careers of singers Cissy Houston, Dionne Warwick, Dee Dee Warwick, and Judy Clay. Family origins Nitcholas (aka ''Nitch'', 1896� ...
, and her father was a
Pullman porter Pullman porters were men hired to work for the railroads as porters on sleeping cars. Starting shortly after the American Civil War, George Pullman sought out former slaves to work on his sleeper cars. Their job was to carry passengers’ bag ...
, chef, record promoter and CPA. Dionne was named after her aunt on her mother's side. She had a sister, Delia ("Dee Dee"), who died in 2008, and a brother, Mancel Jr., who was killed in an accident in 1968 at age 21. Her parents were both
African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, and she also has Native American and
Dutch Dutch commonly refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands * Dutch people () * Dutch language () Dutch may also refer to: Places * Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States * Pennsylvania Dutch Country People E ...
ancestry. She was raised in East Orange, New Jersey and was a Girl Scout for a time. After finishing
East Orange High School East Orange High School was a comprehensive community public high school serving students in ninth through twelfth grades from 1891 to 2002 in East Orange, in Essex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. For most of its existence, the school ...
in 1959, Warwick pursued her passion at the
Hartt College of Music The Hartt School is the comprehensive performing arts conservatory of the University of Hartford located in West Hartford, Connecticut, United States, that offers degree programs in music, dance, and theatre. Founded in 1920 by Julius Hartt and ...
in West Hartford, Connecticut. She landed some work with her group singing backing vocals for recording sessions in New York City. During one session, Warwick met
Burt Bacharach Burt Freeman Bacharach ( ; born May 12, 1928) is an American composer, songwriter, record producer and pianist who composed hundreds of pop songs from the late 1950s through the 1980s, many in collaboration with lyricist Hal David. A six-time Gra ...
, who hired her to record demos featuring songs written by him and lyricist
Hal David Harold Lane David (May 25, 1921 – September 1, 2012) was an American lyricist. He grew up in New York City. He was best known for his collaborations with composer Burt Bacharach and his association with Dionne Warwick. Early life David ...
. She later landed her own record deal.


Career


Drinkard Singers

Many of Warwick's family were members of
the Drinkard Singers The Drinkard Singers were an American gospel singing group, most successful in the late 1950s and important in the careers of singers Cissy Houston, Dionne Warwick, Dee Dee Warwick, and Judy Clay. Family origins Nitcholas (aka ''Nitch'', 1896� ...
, a family gospel group and
RCA The RCA Corporation was a major American electronics company, which was founded as the Radio Corporation of America in 1919. It was initially a patent trust owned by General Electric (GE), Westinghouse, AT&T Corporation and United Fruit Comp ...
recording artists who frequently performed throughout the New York metropolitan area. The original group, known as the Drinkard Jubilairs, consisted of Cissy, Anne, Larry, and Nicky, and later included Warwick's grandparents, Nicholas and Delia Drinkard, and their children: William, Lee (Warwick's mother) and Hansom. When the Drinkard Singers performed on ''
TV Gospel Time ''TV Gospel Time'' was an American Sunday morning television gospel music show that ran for three years on NBC network from 1962 to 1965. The show was based out of Chicago, with running time of 30 minutes. ''TV Gospel Time'' was the first televisio ...
'', Dionne Warwick had her television performance debut. Marie instructed the group, and they were managed by Lee. As they became more successful, Lee and Marie began performing with the group, and they were augmented by pop/R&B singer
Judy Clay Judy Clay (September 12, 1938 – July 19, 2001)
Thedeadrockstarsclub.com. Retrieved September 11, 2016.
was an American < ...
, whom Lee had unofficially adopted.
Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one ...
eventually expressed an interest in having them join his touring entourage. Dionne began singing gospel as a child at the New Hope Baptist Church in
Newark, New Jersey Newark ( , ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Jersey and the seat of Essex County and the second largest city within the New York metropolitan area.Judy Clay Judy Clay (September 12, 1938 – July 19, 2001)
Thedeadrockstarsclub.com. Retrieved September 11, 2016.
was an American < ...
, Cissy Houston and Doris "Rikii" Troy, whose chart selection "Just One Look", when she recorded it in 1963, featured backing vocals from the Gospelaires. After personnel changes (Dionne and Doris left the group after achieving solo success), the Gospelaires became the recording group
the Sweet Inspirations The Sweet Inspirations were an American R&B girl group mostly known for their work as backup singers on studio recordings for other R&B and rock artists. A founding member of the group was Dionne Warwick, who was later replaced by her aunt, Ciss ...
, who had some chart success, but were much sought-after as studio background singers. The Gospelaires and later the Sweet Inspirations performed on many records cut in New York City for artists such as
Garnet Mimms Garnet Mimms (born Garrett Mimms, November 16, 1933) is an American singer, influential in soul music and rhythm and blues. He first achieved success as the lead singer of Garnet Mimms & The Enchanters, and is best known for the 1963 hit " Cry B ...
,
the Drifters The Drifters are several American doo-wop and R&B/Soul music, soul vocal groups. They were originally formed as a backing group for Clyde McPhatter, formerly the lead tenor of Billy Ward and his Dominoes in 1953. The second group of Drifters, f ...
,
Jerry Butler Jerry Butler Jr. (born December 8, 1939) is an American soul singer-songwriter, producer, musician, and retired politician. He was the original lead singer of the R&B vocal group the Impressions, inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame i ...
, Solomon Burke and later Warwick's recordings,
Aretha Franklin Aretha Louise Franklin ( ; March 25, 1942 – August 16, 2018) was an American singer, songwriter and pianist. Referred to as the " Queen of Soul", she has twice been placed ninth in ''Rolling Stone''s "100 Greatest Artists of All Time". With ...
and
Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one ...
. Warwick recalled, in 2002's ''
Biography A biography, or simply bio, is a detailed description of a person's life. It involves more than just the basic facts like education, work, relationships, and death; it portrays a person's experience of these life events. Unlike a profile or ...
'', that "a man came running frantically backstage at the Apollo and said he needed background singers for a session for
Sam "the Man" Taylor Samuel Leroy Taylor, Jr. (July 12, 1916 – October 5, 1990), Sam Taylor Biography ''AllMusic'' known as Sam "The Man" Taylor, was an American jazz, rhythm and blues, and blues tenor saxophonist. Taylor was born in Lexington, Tennessee, United St ...
and old big-mouth here spoke up and said 'We'll do it!' and we left and did the session. I wish I remembered the gentleman's name because he was responsible for the beginning of my professional career." The backstage encounter led to the group being asked to sing background sessions at recording studios in New York. Soon, the group were in demand in New York music circles for their background work for such artists as the Drifters,
Ben E. King Benjamin Earl King (né Nelson; September 28, 1938 – April 30, 2015) was an American soul and R&B singer and record producer. He is best known as the singer and co-composer of " Stand by Me"—a US Top 10 hit, both in 1961 and later ...
,
Chuck Jackson Chuck Jackson (born July 22, 1937) is an American R&B singer who was one of the first artists to record material by Burt Bacharach and Hal David successfully. He has performed with moderate success since 1961. His hits include "I Don't Want to ...
,
Dinah Washington Dinah Washington (born Ruth Lee Jones; August 29, 1924 – December 14, 1963) was an American singer and pianist, who has been cited as "the most popular black female recording artist of the 1950s songs". Primarily a jazz vocalist, she performe ...
, Ronnie "the Hawk" Hawkins, and Solomon Burke, among many others. Warwick remembered, in ''
Biography A biography, or simply bio, is a detailed description of a person's life. It involves more than just the basic facts like education, work, relationships, and death; it portrays a person's experience of these life events. Unlike a profile or ...
'', that after school, they would catch a bus from East Orange to the
Port Authority Terminal The Port Authority Bus Terminal (colloquially known as the Port Authority and by its acronym PABT) is a bus terminal located in Manhattan in New York City. It is the busiest bus terminal in the world by volume of traffic, serving about 8,000 buse ...
, then take the subway to recording studios in
Manhattan Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...
, perform their background gigs and be back at home in East Orange in time to do their school homework. Her background vocal work would continue while Warwick pursued her studies at Hartt. On June 25, 2019 ''
The New York Times Magazine ''The New York Times Magazine'' is an American Sunday magazine Supplement (publishing), supplement included with the Sunday edition of ''The New York Times''. It features articles longer than those typically in the newspaper and has attracted man ...
'' listed the Gospelaires among hundreds of artists whose material was destroyed in the 2008 Universal fire.


Discovery

While she was performing background on the Drifters' recording of their 1962 release "
Mexican Divorce In the mid-20th century, some Americans traveled to Mexico to obtain a "Mexican divorce". A divorce in Mexico was easier, quicker, and less expensive than a divorce in most U.S. states, which then only allowed at-fault divorces requiring extensive ...
", Warwick's voice and star presence were noticed by the song's composer,
Burt Bacharach Burt Freeman Bacharach ( ; born May 12, 1928) is an American composer, songwriter, record producer and pianist who composed hundreds of pop songs from the late 1950s through the 1980s, many in collaboration with lyricist Hal David. A six-time Gra ...
, a
Brill Building The Brill Building is an office building at 1619 Broadway on 49th Street in the New York City borough of Manhattan, just north of Times Square and further uptown from the historic musical Tin Pan Alley neighborhood. It was built in 1931 as t ...
songwriter who was writing songs with many other songwriters, including lyricist
Hal David Harold Lane David (May 25, 1921 – September 1, 2012) was an American lyricist. He grew up in New York City. He was best known for his collaborations with composer Burt Bacharach and his association with Dionne Warwick. Early life David ...
. According to a July 14, 1967, article on Warwick in ''
Time Time is the continued sequence of existence and events that occurs in an apparently irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequence events, to ...
'', Bacharach stated, "She has a tremendous strong side and a delicacy when singing softly — like miniature ships in bottles." Musically, she was no "play-safe girl. What emotion I could get away with!" During the session, Bacharach asked Warwick if she would be interested in recording demonstration recordings of his compositions to pitch the tunes to record labels, paying her $12.50 per demo recording session (). One such demo, "It's Love That Really Counts"destined to be recorded by Scepter-signed act
the Shirelles The Shirelles were an American girl group formed in Passaic, New Jersey in 1957. They consisted of schoolmates Shirley Owens (later Shirley Alston Reeves), Doris Coley (later Doris Kenner-Jackson), Addie "Micki" Harris (later Addie Harris McFadd ...
caught the attention of the President of
Scepter Records Scepter Records was an American record company founded in 1959 by Florence Greenberg. History Florence Greenberg founded Scepter Records from the $4,000 she received after she sold Tiara Records and the Shirelles to Decca Records. When the Shire ...
,
Florence Greenberg Florence Greenberg (September 16, 1913 – November 2, 1995) was an American record label owner, music executive, and record producer. Greenberg was the founder and owner of Tiara Records, Scepter Records, Hob Records, and Wand Records. She is ...
, who, according to ''
Current Biography ''Current Biography'' is an American monthly magazine published by the H. W. Wilson Company of New York City, a publisher of reference books, that appears every month except December. ''Current Biography'' contains profiles of people in the news ...
'' (1969 Yearbook), told Bacharach, "Forget the song, get the girl!" Warwick was signed to Bacharach's and David's production company, according to Warwick, which in turn was signed to Scepter Records in 1962 by Greenberg. The partnership would provide Bacharach with the freedom to produce Warwick without the control of recording company executives and company A&R men. Warwick's musical ability and education would also allow Bacharach to compose more challenging tunes. The demo version of "It's Love That Really Counts", along with her original demo of "Make It Easy on Yourself", would surface on Warwick's debut Scepter album, ''
Presenting Dionne Warwick ''Presenting Dionne Warwick'' is the debut studio album by American singer Dionne Warwick. It was released by Scepter Records on April 10, 1963 in the United States. Composers Burt Bacharach and Hal David provided three-quarters of the track list ...
'', which was released in early 1963.


Early stardom

In November 1962, Scepter Records released her first solo single, " Don't Make Me Over", the title of which Warwick supplied herself when she snapped the phrase at producers Burt Bacharach and Hal David in anger. Warwick had found out that "
Make It Easy on Yourself "Make It Easy on Yourself" is a popular song written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David which was first a hit for Jerry Butler in 1962. The best known version is the 1965 recording by the Walker Brothers for whom it was a No. 1 UK hit. Dionne Wa ...
" — a song on which she had recorded the original demo and had wanted to be her first single release — had been given to another artist,
Jerry Butler Jerry Butler Jr. (born December 8, 1939) is an American soul singer-songwriter, producer, musician, and retired politician. He was the original lead singer of the R&B vocal group the Impressions, inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame i ...
. From the phrase "don't make me over", Bacharach and David created their first top 40 pop hit (No. 21) and a top 5 U.S. R&B hit. Warrick's name was misspelled on the single's label, and she began using the new spelling, "Warwick", both professionally and personally. After "Don't Make Me Over" hit in 1962, she answered the call of her manager, left school and went on a tour of
France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
, where critics crowned her "Paris' Black Pearl", having been introduced on stage at
Paris Olympia The Olympia (; commonly known as L'Olympia or in the English-speaking world as Olympia Hall) is a concert venue in the 9th arrondissement of Paris, France, located at 28 Boulevard des Capucines, equally distancing Madeleine church and Opéra ...
that year by
Marlene Dietrich Marie Magdalene "Marlene" DietrichBorn as Maria Magdalena, not Marie Magdalene, according to Dietrich's biography by her daughter, Maria Riva ; however Dietrich's biography by Charlotte Chandler cites "Marie Magdalene" as her birth name . (, ; ...
. The two immediate follow-ups to "Don't Make Me Over" — "This Empty Place" (with "B" side "
Wishin' and Hopin' "Wishin' and Hopin" is a song, written by Hal David and Burt Bacharach, which was a US Top 10 hit for Dusty Springfield in 1964. History The song was first recorded by Dionne Warwick in the fall of 1962, and was the B-side of Warwick's singl ...
" later recorded by
Dusty Springfield Mary Isobel Catherine Bernadette O'Brien (16 April 1939 – 2 March 1999), known professionally as Dusty Springfield, was an English singer. With her distinctive mezzo-soprano sound, she was a popular singer of blue-eyed soul, Pop music, p ...
) and "Make The Music Play" — charted briefly in the top 100. Her fourth single, " Anyone Who Had a Heart", released in November 1963, was Warwick's first top 10 pop hit (No. 8) in the U.S. and an international million seller. This was followed by " Walk On By" in April 1964, another major international hit and million seller that solidified her career. For the rest of the 1960s, Warwick was a fixture on the U.S. and Canadian charts, and much of her output from 1962 to 1971 was written and produced by the Bacharach/David team. Warwick weathered the
British Invasion The British Invasion was a cultural phenomenon of the mid-1960s, when rock and pop music acts from the United Kingdom and other aspects of British culture became popular in the United States and significant to the rising "counterculture" on ...
better than most American artists. Her biggest UK hits were " Walk On By" and "
Do You Know the Way to San Jose "Do You Know the Way to San Jose" is a 1968 popular song written and composed for singer Dionne Warwick by Burt Bacharach. Hal David wrote the lyrics. The song was Warwick's biggest international hit to that point, selling several million copies ...
?" In the UK, a number of Bacharach-David-Warwick songs were recorded by British singers
Cilla Black Priscilla Maria Veronica White (27 May 1943 – 1 August 2015), better known as Cilla Black, was an English singer, actress and television presenter. Championed by her friends the Beatles, Black began her career as a singer in 1963. Her ...
,
Sandie Shaw Sandie may refer to: __NOTOC__ People * Sandie Clair (born 1988), French professional racing cyclist * Sandie Fitzgibbon, Irish former camogie player * Sandie Jones (1950/1951–2019), Irish singer * Sandie Lindsay, 1st Baron Lindsay of Birker (187 ...
and
Dusty Springfield Mary Isobel Catherine Bernadette O'Brien (16 April 1939 – 2 March 1999), known professionally as Dusty Springfield, was an English singer. With her distinctive mezzo-soprano sound, she was a popular singer of blue-eyed soul, Pop music, p ...
, most notably Black's " Anyone Who Had a Heart" which went to No. 1 in the UK. This upset Warwick, who described feeling insulted when told that in the UK, record company executives wanted her songs recorded by someone else. Warwick met Cilla Black while on tour in Britain. She recalled what she said to her: "I told her that "
You're My World "You're My World" is a ballad originally recorded in 1963 as "Il mio mondo" ("My World") by Umberto Bindi, who co-wrote the Italian version with Gino Paoli. Subsequently, an English version was commissioned, and the lyrics were written by Carl S ...
" would be my next single in the States. I honestly believe that if I'd sneezed on my next record, then Cilla would have sneezed on hers too. There was no imagination in her recording." Warwick later covered two of Cilla's songs – "You're My World" appeared on '' Dionne Warwick in Valley of the Dolls'', released in 1968 and on the soundtrack to ''
Alfie Alfie may refer to: Theatre and film * ''Alfie'' (play), a 1963 play by Bill Naughton * ''Alfie'' (1966 film), a film based on the play starring Michael Caine * ''Alfie'' (2004 film), a remake of the 1966 film * ''Alfie'' (2013 film), an Indi ...
''. Warwick was named the Bestselling Female Vocalist in the ''
Cash Box Magazine ''Cashbox'', also known as ''Cash Box'', was an American music industry trade magazine, originally published weekly from July 1942 to November 1996. Ten years after its dissolution, it was revived and continues as ''Cashbox Magazine'', an online ...
'' poll in 1964, with six chart hits in that year. ''Cash Box'' named her the Top Female Vocalist in 1969, 1970 and 1971. In the 1967 ''Cash Box'' poll, she was second to
Petula Clark Petula Sally Olwen Clark, CBE (born 15 November 1932) is an English singer, actress, and composer. She has one of the longest serving careers of a British singer, spanning more than seven decades. Clark's professional career began during the ...
, and in 1968's poll second to
Aretha Franklin Aretha Louise Franklin ( ; March 25, 1942 – August 16, 2018) was an American singer, songwriter and pianist. Referred to as the " Queen of Soul", she has twice been placed ninth in ''Rolling Stone''s "100 Greatest Artists of All Time". With ...
. ''
Playboy ''Playboy'' is an American men's lifestyle and entertainment magazine, formerly in print and currently online. It was founded in Chicago in 1953, by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. K ...
''s influential Music Poll of 1970 named her the Top Female Vocalist. In 1969, Harvard's Hasty Pudding Society named her Woman of the Year. In the May 21, 1965 ''
Time Time is the continued sequence of existence and events that occurs in an apparently irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequence events, to ...
'' cover article entitled "The Sound of the Sixties", Warwick's sound was described as:
Swinging World. Scholarly articles probe the relationship between the
Beatles The Beatles were an English rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the most influential band of all time and were integral to the developme ...
and the nouvelle vague films of
Jean-Luc Godard Jean-Luc Godard ( , ; ; 3 December 193013 September 2022) was a French-Swiss film director, screenwriter, and film critic. He rose to prominence as a pioneer of the French New Wave film movement of the 1960s, alongside such filmmakers as Fran� ...
, discuss "the brio and elegance" of Dionne Warwick's singing style as a 'pleasurable but complex' event to be 'experienced without condescension.' In chic circles, anyone damning
rock 'n' roll Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock 'n' roll, or rock 'n roll) is a genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It originated from African-American music such as jazz, rhythm an ...
is labeled not only square but uncultured. For inspirational purposes, such hip artists as Robert Rauschenberg,
Larry Rivers Larry Rivers (born Yitzroch Loiza Grossberg) (1923 – 2002) was an American artist, musician, filmmaker, and occasional actor. Considered by many scholars to be the "Godfather" and "Grandfather" of Pop art, he was one of the first artists ...
and
Andy Warhol Andy Warhol (; born Andrew Warhola Jr.; August 6, 1928 – February 22, 1987) was an American visual artist, film director, and producer who was a leading figure in the visual art movement known as pop art. His works explore the relationsh ...
occasionally paint while listening to rock 'n' roll music. Explains Warhol: "It makes me mindless, and I paint better." After gallery openings in Manhattan, the black-tie gatherings often adjourn to a
discothèque A nightclub (music club, discothèque, disco club, or simply club) is an entertainment venue during nighttime comprising a dance floor, lightshow, and a stage for live music or a disc jockey (DJ) who plays recorded music. Nightclubs gener ...
.
In 1965, Eon Productions intended to use Warwick's song titled "Mr. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang" as the theme song of the ''James Bond'' film '' Thunderball'', until
Albert R. Broccoli Albert Romolo Broccoli ( ; April 5, 1909 – June 27, 1996), nicknamed "Cubby", was an American film producer who made more than 40 motion pictures throughout his career. Most of the films were made in the United Kingdom and often filmed at Pi ...
insisted that the theme song include the film's title. A new song was composed and recorded in the eleventh hour titled "Thunderball", performed by Tom Jones. The melody of "Mr. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang" remains a major component of the film score. The Ultimate Edition DVD of ''Thunderball'' has the Warwick song playing over the titles on one of the commentary track extras, and the song was released on the 30th anniversary CD of Bond songs.


Mid-1960s to early 1970s

The mid-1960s to early 1970s were a more successful time period for Warwick, who saw a string of gold-selling albums and Top 20 and Top 10 hit singles. "
Message to Michael "Message to Michael" is a song written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David, that has been a hit for several different artists under several different titles. The song was first recorded as "Message to Martha" by Jerry Butler in 1962. In 1964, singer ...
", a Bacharach-David composition that the duo was certain was a "man's song", became a top 10 hit for Warwick in May 1966. The January 1967 LP '' Here Where There Is Love'' was her first
RIAA The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
certified Gold album, and featured "
Alfie Alfie may refer to: Theatre and film * ''Alfie'' (play), a 1963 play by Bill Naughton * ''Alfie'' (1966 film), a film based on the play starring Michael Caine * ''Alfie'' (2004 film), a remake of the 1966 film * ''Alfie'' (2013 film), an Indi ...
" and two 1966 hits: "Trains and Boats and Planes" and " I Just Don't Know What to Do with Myself". "Alfie" had become a radio hit when disc jockeys across the nation began to play the album cut early in 1967. "Alfie" was released as the "B" side of a Bacharach/David ballad, "The Beginning of Loneliness", which charted in the Hot 100. Disc jockeys flipped the single and made it a double-sided hit. Bacharach had been contracted to produce "Alfie" for the
Michael Caine Sir Michael Caine (born Maurice Joseph Micklewhite; 14 March 1933) is an English actor. Known for his distinctive Cockney accent, he has appeared in more than 160 films in a career spanning seven decades, and is considered a British film ico ...
film of the same name and wanted Warwick to sing the tune, but the British producers wanted a British subject to cut the tune.
Cilla Black Priscilla Maria Veronica White (27 May 1943 – 1 August 2015), better known as Cilla Black, was an English singer, actress and television presenter. Championed by her friends the Beatles, Black began her career as a singer in 1963. Her ...
was selected to record the song, and her version peaked at No. 95 upon its release in the US. A cover version by
Cher Cher (; born Cherilyn Sarkisian; May 20, 1946) is an American singer, actress and television personality. Often referred to by the media as the Honorific nicknames in popular music, "Goddess of Pop", she has been described as embodying female ...
used in the American prints of the film peaked at No. 33. In the UK and Australia, Black's version was a Top 10 hit. Her follow-up to "I Say a Little Prayer", " (Theme from) Valley of the Dolls", was unusual in several respects. It was not written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David; it was the "B" side of her "I Say a Little Prayer" single, and it was a song that she almost did not record. While the
film version A film adaptation is the transfer of a work or story, in whole or in part, to a feature film. Although often considered a type of derivative work, film adaptation has been conceptualized recently by academic scholars such as Robert Stam as a dia ...
of '' Valley of the Dolls'' was being made, actress
Barbara Parkins Barbara Parkins (born May 22, 1942) is a Canadian-American former actress, singer, dancer and photographer. Early life Parkins was born in Vancouver, British Columbia.André André — sometimes transliterated as Andre — is the French and Portuguese form of the name Andrew, and is now also used in the English-speaking world. It used in France, Quebec, Canada and other French-speaking countries. It is a variation ...
and
Dory Previn Dorothy "Dory" Veronica Previn ( Langan; October 22, 1925 – February 14, 2012) was an American lyricist, singer-songwriter and poet. During the late 1950s and 1960s, Previn was a lyricist on songs intended for motion pictures and, with her t ...
. The song was to be recorded by
Judy Garland Judy Garland (born Frances Ethel Gumm; June 10, 1922June 22, 1969) was an American actress and singer. While critically acclaimed for many different roles throughout her career, she is widely known for playing the part of Dorothy Gale in '' The ...
, who was subsequently fired from the film. Warwick performed the song, and when the film became a success in the early weeks of 1968, disc jockeys flipped the single and made the single one of the biggest double-sided hits of the rock era and another million seller. At the time, RIAA rules allowed only one side of a double-sided hit single to be certified as gold, but Scepter awarded Warwick an "in-house award" to recognize "(Theme from) Valley of the Dolls" as a million selling tune. Warwick had re-recorded a Pat Williams-arranged version of the theme at A&R Studios in New York because contractual restrictions with her label would not allow the Warwick version from the film to be included on the
20th Century Fox 20th Century Studios, Inc. (previously known as 20th Century Fox) is an American film production company headquartered at the Fox Studio Lot in the Century City area of Los Angeles. As of 2019, it serves as a film production arm of Walt Dis ...
soundtrack LP, and reverse legal restrictions would not allow the film version to be used anyplace else in a commercial LP. The LP '' Dionne Warwick in Valley of the Dolls'', released in early 1968 and containing the re-recorded version of the movie theme (No. 2 for three weeks), "
Do You Know the Way to San Jose "Do You Know the Way to San Jose" is a 1968 popular song written and composed for singer Dionne Warwick by Burt Bacharach. Hal David wrote the lyrics. The song was Warwick's biggest international hit to that point, selling several million copies ...
?" and several new Bacharach-David compositions, hit the No. 6 position on the ''Billboard'' album chart and would remain on the chart for over a year. The film soundtrack LP, without Warwick vocals, failed to impress the public, while ''Dionne Warwick in Valley of the Dolls'' earned an RIAA Gold certification. The single "Do You Know the Way to San Jose?" (an international million seller and a Top 10 hit in several countries, including the UK, Canada, Australia, South Africa, Japan and Mexico) was also a double-sided hit, with the "B" side "Let Me Be Lonely" charting at No. 79. More hits followed into 1971, including "Who Is Gonna Love Me" (#32, 1968) with "B" side, " (There's) Always Something There to Remind Me" becoming another double-sided hit; "Promises, Promises" (#19, 1968); "
This Girl's in Love with You ''This Girl's in Love with You'' is the sixteenth studio album by American singer Aretha Franklin, released on January 15, 1970 by Atlantic Records. It reached '' Billboard''s Top 20 and was reissued on compact disc through Rhino Records in ...
" (#7, 1969); "The April Fools" (#37, 1969); "
You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin is a song by Phil Spector, Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, first recorded in 1964 by the American vocal duo the Righteous Brothers, whose version was also produced by Spector and is cited by some music critics as ...
" (#15, 1969); "
I'll Never Fall in Love Again "I'll Never Fall in Love Again" is a popular song by composer Burt Bacharach and lyricist Hal David that was written for the 1968 musical '' Promises, Promises''. Several recordings of the song were released in 1969; the most popular versions wer ...
" (#6 Pop, #1 AC, 1969); "
Make It Easy on Yourself "Make It Easy on Yourself" is a popular song written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David which was first a hit for Jerry Butler in 1962. The best known version is the 1965 recording by the Walker Brothers for whom it was a No. 1 UK hit. Dionne Wa ...
" (#37 Pop, #10 AC, 1970); "Let Me Go to Him" (#32 Pop, #4 AC, 1970); and "Paper Mache" (#43 Pop, #3 AC), 1970). Warwick's final Bacharach/David penned single on the Scepter label was March 1971's "Who Gets the Guy" (#52 Pop, #6 AC), 1971), and her final "official" Scepter single release was "He's Moving On" b/w "Amanda", (#83 Pop, #12 AC) both from the soundtrack of the motion picture adaptation of
Jacqueline Susann Jacqueline Susann (August 20, 1918 – September 21, 1974) was an American novelist and actress. Her iconic novel, '' Valley of the Dolls'' (1966), is one of the best-selling books in publishing history. With her two subsequent works, '' The Lov ...
's '' The Love Machine''. Warwick had become the priority act of Scepter Records with the release of " Anyone Who Had a Heart" in 1963. Other Scepter LPs certified RIAA Gold include ''Dionne Warwick's Golden Hits Part 1'' released in 1967 and ''The Dionne Warwicke Story: A Decade of Gold'' released in 1971. By the end of 1971, Warwick had sold an estimated 35 million singles and albums internationally in less than nine years and more than 16 million singles in the U.S. alone. Exact figures of her sales are unknown and probably underestimated, due to Scepter Records' apparently lax accounting policies and the company policy of not submitting recordings for RIAA audit. Warwick became the first Scepter artist to request RIAA audits of her recordings in 1967 with the release of "I Say a Little Prayer". On September 17, 1969, CBS Television aired Warwick's first television special, entitled ''The Dionne Warwick Chevy Special''. Warwick's guests were Burt Bacharach,
George Kirby George Kirby (June 8, 1923 – September 30, 1995) was an American comedian, singer, and actor. Career Born in Chicago, Kirby broke into show business in the 1940s at the Club DeLisa, a South Side establishment that employed a variety-show ...
,
Glen Campbell Glen Travis Campbell (April 22, 1936 – August 8, 2017) was an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, actor and television host. He was best known for a series of hit songs in the 1960s and 1970s, and for hosting '' The Glen Campbell Good ...
, and Creedence Clearwater Revival. In 1970, Warwick formed her own label, Sonday Records, of which she was president. Sonday was distributed by Scepter. In 1970 she was a performer on the prestigious Royal Variety Performance at the
London Palladium The London Palladium () is a Grade II* West End theatre located on Argyll Street, London, in the famous area of Soho. The theatre holds 2,286 seats. Of the roster of stars who have played there, many have televised performances. Between 1955 a ...
, singing ''The Look of Love, What the World Needs Now'' and ''
Come Together "Come Together" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles, written by John Lennon and credited to Lennon–McCartney. The song is the opening track on their 1969 album ''Abbey Road'' and was also released as a single coupled with " Somethi ...
''. In 1971, Warwick left the family atmosphere of Scepter Records for
Warner Bros. Records Warner Records Inc. (formerly Warner Bros. Records Inc.) is an American record label. A subsidiary of the Warner Music Group, it is headquartered in Los Angeles, California. It was founded on March 19, 1958, as the recorded music division of the ...
, for a $5 million contract, the most lucrative recording contract given to a female vocalist up to that time, according to ''
Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...
''. Warwick's last LP for Scepter was the soundtrack for the motion picture ''The Love Machine'', in which she appeared in an uncredited cameo, released in July 1971. In 1975, Bacharach and David sued Scepter Records for an accurate accounting of royalties due the team from their recordings with Warwick and labelmate B.J. Thomas. They were awarded almost $600,000 and the rights to all Bacharach/David recordings on the Scepter label. The label, with the defection of Warwick to Warner Bros. Records, filed for bankruptcy in 1975 and was sold to Springboard International Records in 1976. Following her signing with Warners, with Bacharach and David as writers and producers, Warwick returned to New York City's A&R Studios in late 1971 to begin recording her first album for the new label, the self-titled ''Dionne'' (not to be confused with her later Arista debut album) in January 1972. The album peaked at No. 57 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 Album Chart. In 1972, Burt Bacharach and Hal David scored and wrote the tunes for the motion picture ''
Lost Horizon ''Lost Horizon'' is a 1933 novel by English writer James Hilton. The book was turned into a film, also called '' Lost Horizon'', in 1937 by director Frank Capra. It is best remembered as the origin of Shangri-La, a fictional utopian lamas ...
''. However, the film was panned by the critics, and in the fallout, the songwriting duo decided to terminate their working relationship. The break-up left Warwick devoid of their services as her producers and songwriters. She was contractually obligated to fulfill her contract with Warners without Bacharach and David, and she would team with a variety of producers during her tenure with the label. Faced with the prospect of being sued by Warner Bros. Records due to the breakup of Bacharach/David and their failure to honor their contract with Warwick, she filed a $5.5 million lawsuit against her former partners for breach of contract. The suit was settled out of court in 1979 for $5 million, including the rights to all Warwick recordings produced by Bacharach and David. Also in 1971, Warwick had her name changed to "Warwicke" per the advice of
Linda Goodman Mary Alice Kemery, popularly known as Linda Goodman (April 9, 1925 – October 21, 1995), was a ''New York Times'' bestselling American astrologer and poet. She wrote the first astrology book to make the ''New York Times'' Best Seller list. ...
, an astrologer friend, who believed it would bring greater success. A few years later, she reverted to the old spelling after a string of disappointments and an absence from the ''Billboard'' top 40.


Warner era (1972–1978)

Without the guidance and songwriting that Bacharach/David had provided, Warwick's career stalled in the early 1970s although she remained a top concert draw throughout the world. There were no big hits during the early and mid part of the decade, aside from 1974's " Then Came You", recorded as a duet with the Spinners and produced by
Thom Bell Thomas Randolph Bell (January 27th, 1943 – December 22, 2022) was an American singer, songwriter, record producer, arranger, pianist, and composer known as one of the creators of Philadelphia soul in the 1970s. He found success as a producer ...
. Bell later noted, "Dionne made a (strange) face when we finished
he song He or HE may refer to: Language * He (pronoun), an English pronoun * He (kana), the romanization of the Japanese kana へ * He (letter), the fifth letter of many Semitic alphabets * He (Cyrillic), a letter of the Cyrillic script called ''He'' ...
She didn't like it much, but I knew we had something. So we ripped a dollar in two, signed each half and exchanged them. I told her, 'If it doesn't go number one, I'll send you my half.' When it took off, Dionne sent hers back. There was an apology on it." It was her first U.S. No. 1 hit on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Other than this success, Warwick's five years on
Warner Bros. Records Warner Records Inc. (formerly Warner Bros. Records Inc.) is an American record label. A subsidiary of the Warner Music Group, it is headquartered in Los Angeles, California. It was founded on March 19, 1958, as the recorded music division of the ...
produced no other major hits, but "Then Came You" was issued by co-owned
Atlantic Records Atlantic Recording Corporation (simply known as Atlantic Records) is an American record label founded in October 1947 by Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson. Over its first 20 years of operation, Atlantic earned a reputation as one of the most i ...
, the Spinners' label. Two notable songs recorded during this period were "His House and Me" and "Once You Hit The Road" (#79 pop, #5 R&B, #22 Adult Contemporary), both of which were produced in 1975 by
Thom Bell Thomas Randolph Bell (January 27th, 1943 – December 22, 2022) was an American singer, songwriter, record producer, arranger, pianist, and composer known as one of the creators of Philadelphia soul in the 1970s. He found success as a producer ...
. Warwick recorded five albums with Warners: ''Dionne'' (1972), produced by Bacharach and David and a modest chart success; ''Just Being Myself'' (1973), produced by Holland-Dozier-Holland; ''Then Came You'' (1975), produced by Jerry Ragovoy; ''Track of the Cat'' (1975), produced by
Thom Bell Thomas Randolph Bell (January 27th, 1943 – December 22, 2022) was an American singer, songwriter, record producer, arranger, pianist, and composer known as one of the creators of Philadelphia soul in the 1970s. He found success as a producer ...
; and ''Love at First Sight'' (1977), produced by
Steve Barri Steve Barri (born Steven Barry Lipkin in Brooklyn, New York on February 23, 1942) is an American songwriter and record producer. Career Early in his career, Barri was a staff writer with Dunhill Records. He produced such huge hits as " Dizzy" ...
and Michael Omartian. Her five-year contract with Warners expired in 1977, and with that, she ended her stay at the label. Warwick's dry spell on the American charts ended with her signing to Arista Records in 1979, where she began a second highly successful run of hit records and albums well into the late 1980s.


Move to Arista, 1979

With the move to Arista Records and the release of her RIAA-certified million seller "
I'll Never Love This Way Again "I'll Never Love This Way Again" is a song written and composed by English musician Richard Kerr and American lyricist Will Jennings, and first recorded by Kerr himself for his album ''Welcome to the Club'' as "I Know I'll Never Love This Way A ...
" in 1979, Warwick was again enjoying top success on the charts. The song was produced by
Barry Manilow Barry Manilow (born Barry Alan Pincus; June 17, 1943) is an American singer and songwriter with a career that spans seven decades. His hit recordings include "Could It Be Magic", " Somewhere Down the Road", " Mandy", "I Write the Songs", " Can ...
. The accompanying album, '' Dionne'', was
certified Platinum Music recording certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped, sold, or streamed a certain number of units. The threshold quantity varies by type (such as album, single, music video) and by nation or territory (see ...
in the United States for sales exceeding one million units. The album peaked at No. 12 on the ''Billboard'' Album Chart and made the Top 10 of the ''Billboard'' R&B Albums Chart. Warwick had been personally signed and guided by the label's founder
Clive Davis Clive Jay Davis (born April 4, 1932) is an American record producer, A&R executive, record executive, and lawyer. He has won five Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a non-performer, in 2000. From 1967 to 1 ...
, who told her, "You may be ready to give the business up, but the business is not ready to give you up." Warwick's next single release was another major hit. "
Deja Vu Deja or Dejah may refer to: * Deja News, an archive of messages posted to Usenet discussion groups and its successor ''deja.com'' * Andreas Deja (born 1957), German animator * Dejah Mulipola (born 1998), American softball player * Dejah Thoris, a ...
" was co-written by
Isaac Hayes Isaac Lee Hayes Jr. (August 20, 1942 – August 10, 2008) was an American singer, actor, songwriter, and composer. He was one of the creative forces behind the Southern soul music label Stax Records, where he served both as an in-house songwri ...
and hit No. 1 Adult Contemporary as well as No. 15 on ''Billboard''s Hot 100. In 1980, Warwick won the NARAS Grammy Awards for
Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female The Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance was a Grammy Award recognizing superior vocal performance by a female in the pop category, the first of which was presented in 1959. It was discontinued after the 2011 Grammy season. The awar ...
for "
I'll Never Love This Way Again "I'll Never Love This Way Again" is a song written and composed by English musician Richard Kerr and American lyricist Will Jennings, and first recorded by Kerr himself for his album ''Welcome to the Club'' as "I Know I'll Never Love This Way A ...
" and
Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female The Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance (previously called Best Rhythm and Blues Solo Vocal Performance, Female) was an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Award ...
for "Déjà Vu". She became the first female artist in the history of the awards to win in both categories the same year. Her second Arista album, 1980's '' No Night So Long'' sold 500,000 U.S. copies and featured the title track which became a major success — hitting #1 Adult Contemporary and #23 on ''Billboard''s Hot 100 — and the album peaked at No. 23 on the ''Billboard'' Albums Chart. In January 1980, while under contract to Arista Records, Warwick hosted a two-hour TV special called ''Solid Gold '79''. This was adapted into the weekly one-hour show '' Solid Gold'', which she hosted throughout 1980 and 1981 and again in 1985–86. Major highlights of each show were the duets she performed with her co-hosts, which often included some of Warwick's hits and her co-hosts' hits, intermingled and arranged by ''Solid Gold'' musical director Michael Miller. Another highlight in each show was Warwick's vocal rendition of the ''Solid Gold'' theme, composed by Miller (with lyrics by
Dean Pitchford Dean Pitchford (born July 29, 1951) is an American songwriter, screenwriter, director, actor, and novelist. His work has earned him an Oscar and a Golden Globe Award, as well as nominations for three additional Oscars, two more Golden Globes, ei ...
). After a brief appearance in the Top Forty in early 1982 with Johnny Mathis on "Friends in Love" — from the album of the same name — Warwick's next hit later that same year was her full-length collaboration with
Barry Gibb Sir Barry Alan Crompton Gibb (born 1 September 1946) is a British musician, singer-songwriter and record producer. He rose to worldwide fame as a member of the Bee Gees, one of the most commercially successful groups in the history of popul ...
of the Bee Gees for the album ''
Heartbreaker Heartbreaker(s) or The Heart Breaker(s) may refer to: Film and television *''The Heart Breakers'', a 1916 film starring Andrew Arbuckle *''The Heart Breaker'', a 1925 film directed by Benjamin Stoloff * ''Heartbreaker'' (1983 film), an American f ...
''. The song became one of Warwick's biggest international hits, returning her to the Top 10 of
Billboard's Hot 100 The ''Billboard'' Hot 100 is the music industry standard record chart in the United States for songs, published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine. Chart rankings are based on sales (physical and digital), radio play, and online streaming ...
as well as No. 1 Adult Contemporary and No. 2 in both the UK and Australia. The tune was also a Top 10 hit throughout continental Europe, Australia (No. 1), Japan, South Africa, Canada and Asia. The title track was taken from the album of the same name which sold over 3 million copies internationally and earned Warwick an
RIAA The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
Gold record Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile me ...
award in the US. In Britain, the disc was certified Platinum. Warwick later stated to Wesley Hyatt in his ''Billboard Book of Number One Adult Contemporary Hits'' that she was not initially fond of "
Heartbreaker Heartbreaker(s) or The Heart Breaker(s) may refer to: Film and television *''The Heart Breakers'', a 1916 film starring Andrew Arbuckle *''The Heart Breaker'', a 1925 film directed by Benjamin Stoloff * ''Heartbreaker'' (1983 film), an American f ...
" but recorded the tune because she trusted the Bee Gees' judgment that it would be a hit. The project came about when
Clive Davis Clive Jay Davis (born April 4, 1932) is an American record producer, A&R executive, record executive, and lawyer. He has won five Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a non-performer, in 2000. From 1967 to 1 ...
was attending his aunt's wedding in Orlando, Florida in early 1982 and spoke with Barry Gibb. Gibb mentioned that he had always been a fan of Warwick's, and Davis arranged for Warwick and the Bee Gees to discuss a project. Warwick and the Gibb brothers obviously hit it off as both the album and the title single were released in October 1982 to massive success. In 1983, Warwick released '' How Many Times Can We Say Goodbye'', produced by Luther Vandross. The album's most successful single was the title track, "How Many Times Can We Say Goodbye", a Warwick/Vandross duet, which peaked at No. 27 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. It also became a Top 10 hit on the Adult Contemporary and R&B charts. The album peaked at No. 57 on the ''Billboard'' album chart. Of note was a reunion with the original
Shirelles The Shirelles were an American girl group formed in Passaic, New Jersey in 1957. They consisted of schoolmates Shirley Owens (later Shirley Alston Reeves), Doris Coley (later Doris Kenner-Jackson), Addie "Micki" Harris (later Addie Harris McFad ...
on Warwick's cover of "Will You (Still) Love Me Tomorrow?" The album ''
Finder of Lost Loves ''Finder of Lost Loves'' is an American drama series aired by the ABC network during the 1984–1985 season. Synopsis After Cary Maxwell's (Anthony Franciosa) wife Kate dies, he decides to set up a private detective agency specializing in reu ...
'' followed in 1984 and reunited her with both
Barry Manilow Barry Manilow (born Barry Alan Pincus; June 17, 1943) is an American singer and songwriter with a career that spans seven decades. His hit recordings include "Could It Be Magic", " Somewhere Down the Road", " Mandy", "I Write the Songs", " Can ...
and Burt Bacharach, who was writing with his then current lyricist partner and wife,
Carole Bayer Sager Carole Bayer Sager (born Carol Bayer on March 8, 1947) is an American lyricist, singer, and songwriter. Early life and career Bayer Sager was born in Manhattan, New York City, to Anita Nathan Bayer and Eli Bayer. Her family was Jewish. She grad ...
. In 1985, Warwick contributed her voice to the multi-
Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
winning charity song "
We Are the World "We Are the World" is a charity single originally recorded by the supergroup USA for Africa in 1985. It was written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie and produced by Quincy Jones and Michael Omartian for the album '' We Are the World''. Wi ...
", along with vocalists like
Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over a ...
, Diana Ross, and
Ray Charles Ray Charles Robinson Sr. (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He is regarded as one of the most iconic and influential singers in history, and was often referred to by contemporaries as "The Ge ...
. The song spent four consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart. It was the year's biggest hit — certified four times Platinum in the United States alone. In 1985, Warwick recorded the
American Foundation for AIDS Research amfAR, the Foundation for AIDS Research, known until 2005 as the American Foundation for AIDS Research, is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to the support of AIDS research, HIV prevention, treatment education, and the advocacy of ...
(AmFAR) benefit single "
That's What Friends Are For "That's What Friends Are For" is a song written by Burt Bacharach and Carole Bayer Sager. It was first recorded in 1982 by Rod Stewart for the soundtrack of the film '' Night Shift'', but it is better known for the 1985 cover version by Dionn ...
" alongside
Gladys Knight Gladys Maria Knight (born May 28, 1944), known as the "Empress of Soul", is an American singer, actress and businesswoman. A seven-time Grammy Award-winner, Knight recorded hits through the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s with her family group Gladys K ...
,
Elton John Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, pianist and composer. Commonly nicknamed the "Rocket Man" after his 1972 hit single of the same name, John has led a commercially successful career a ...
and
Stevie Wonder Stevland Hardaway Morris ( Judkins; May 13, 1950), known professionally as Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, who is credited as a pioneer and influence by musicians across a range of genres that include rhythm and blues, Pop musi ...
. The single, credited to "Dionne and Friends", was released in October and eventually raised over three million dollars for that cause. The tune was a triple No. 1 — R&B, Adult Contemporary, and four weeks at the summit on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 in early 1986 — selling close to two million 45s in the United States alone. "Working against AIDS, especially after years of raising money for work on many blood-related diseases such as sickle-cell anemia, seemed the right thing to do. You have to be granite not to want to help people with AIDS, because the devastation that it causes is so painful to see. I was so hurt to see my friend die with such agony", Warwick told ''
The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...
'' in 1988. "I am tired of hurting and it does hurt." The single won the performers the
NARAS The Recording Academy (formally the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences; abbreviated NARAS) is an American learned academy of musicians, producers, recording engineers, and other musical professionals. It is famous for its Grammy A ...
Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, as well as Song of the Year for its writers, Bacharach and Bayer Sager. It also was ranked by ''Billboard'' magazine as the most popular song of 1986. With this single Warwick also released her most successful album of the 1980s, titled '' Friends'', which reached No. 12 on Billboard's album chart. In 1987 Dionne Warwick won the Special Recognition Award at the
American Music Awards The American Music Awards (AMAs) is an annual American music awards show, generally held in the fall, created by Dick Clark in 1973 for ABC when the network's contract to air the Grammy Awards expired, and currently produced by Dick Clark Pro ...
for "That's What Friends Are For". In 1987 Warwick scored another hit with "
Love Power Love Power may refer to: * "Love Power" (Dionne Warwick song), 1987 * "Love Power" (Will to Power album), 1996 * "Love Power" (Praga Khan song), 2003 * "Love Power" (The Boss song), 2011 * "Love Power" (The KMG's song), Belgian entry in the 20 ...
". Her eighth career No. 1 Adult Contemporary hit, it also reached No. 5 in R&B and No. 12 on Billboard's Hot 100. A duet with
Jeffrey Osborne Jeffrey Linton Osborne (born March 9, 1948) is an American singer-songwriter, musician, and lyricist. He is the former drummer and lead singer of the American R&B/soul group L.T.D., with whom he began his musical career in 1970. Biography Earl ...
, it was also written by Burt Bacharach and
Carole Bayer Sager Carole Bayer Sager (born Carol Bayer on March 8, 1947) is an American lyricist, singer, and songwriter. Early life and career Bayer Sager was born in Manhattan, New York City, to Anita Nathan Bayer and Eli Bayer. Her family was Jewish. She grad ...
, and it was featured in Warwick's album ''
Reservations for Two ''Reservations for Two'' is a studio album by the American singer Dionne Warwick. It was recorded during the spring of 1987 and released on July 30 of that year. Her eighth album for Arista Records, it was again executive produced by label head ...
''. The album's title song, a duet with
Kashif Kashif (also spelled Kaashif, Kaşif, Khasif or Kashef, ar, کاشف) is an Arabic word, commonly used as a male given name in the Muslim world. Its meaning is close to the "revealer", "discoverer", "uncoverer" or "pioneer", "explorer". When use ...
, was also a chart hit. Other artists featured on the album included Smokey Robinson and
June Pointer June Antoinette Pointer (November 30, 1953 – April 11, 2006) was an American singer, best known as the youngest of the founding members of the vocal group The Pointer Sisters. Early life and career Born the youngest of six children to minister ...
.


1990s to 2000

During the 1990s, Warwick hosted infomercials for the
Psychic Friends Network The Psychic Friends Network (PFN) was a telephone psychic service operating in the United States in the 1990s. The company's infomercials were aired frequently on late night television at that time. In 2012, the business began to migrate to on ...
, which featured self-described psychic Linda Georgian. The
900 number Premium-rate telephone numbers are telephone numbers that charge callers higher price rates for select services, including information and entertainment. A portion of the call fees is paid to the service provider, allowing premium calls to be an ...
psychic A psychic is a person who claims to use extrasensory perception (ESP) to identify information hidden from the normal senses, particularly involving telepathy or clairvoyance, or who performs acts that are apparently inexplicable by natural laws, ...
service was active from 1991 to 1998. According to press statements throughout the 1990s, the program was the most successful infomercial for several years and Warwick earned in excess of three million dollars per year as spokesperson for the network. In 1998, Inphomation, the corporation owning the network, filed for bankruptcy and Warwick ended her association with the organization. Warwick's longtime friend and tour manager Henry Carr acknowledged that "when Dionne was going through an airport and a child recognized her as 'that psychic lady on TV', Dionne was crushed and said she had worked too hard as an entertainer to become known as 'the psychic lady. Warwick's most publicized album during this period was 1993's '' Friends Can Be Lovers'', which was produced in part by Ian Devaney and
Lisa Stansfield Lisa Jane Stansfield (born 11 April 1966) is an English singer, songwriter, and actress. Her career began in 1980 when she won the singing competition ''Search for a Star''. After appearances in various television shows and releasing her first ...
. Featured on the album was "Sunny Weather Lover", which was the first song that Burt Bacharach and Hal David had written together for Warwick since 1972. It was Warwick's lead single in the United States, and was heavily promoted by Arista, but failed to chart. A follow-up "Where My Lips Have Been" peaked at No. 95 on the
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart ranks the most popular R&B and hip hop songs in the United States and is published weekly by ''Billboard''. Rankings are based on a measure of radio airplay, sales data, and streaming activity. The chart had 100 p ...
. The 1994 ''Aquarela Do Brasil'' album marked the end of Warwick's contract with Arista Records. In 1990, Warwick recorded the song " It's All Over" with former member of
Modern Talking Modern Talking was a German pop music duo consisting of arranger, songwriter and producer Dieter Bohlen and singer Thomas Anders. They have been referred to as Germany's most successful pop duo, and have had a number of hit singles, reaching ...
Dieter Bohlen Dieter Bohlen (; born Dieter Günter Bohlen, 7 February 1954) is a German songwriter, producer, singer and television personality. He first achieved fame as a member of pop duo Modern Talking in the 1980s, and has since produced numerous German a ...
(
Blue System Blue System was a German pop group that was founded by Dieter Bohlen in 1986 after the break-up of Modern Talking. Career The group consisted of Dieter Bohlen (mastermind creator, composer, writer, producer, mixer, arranger and verse main ...
). The single peaked at No. 60 (No. 33 airplay) on the German pop charts and it was covered on Blue System's album ''
Déjà Vu ''Déjà vu'' ( , ; "already seen") is a French loanword for the phenomenon of feeling as though one has lived through the present situation before.Schnider, Armin. (2008). ''The Confabulating Mind: How the Brain Creates Reality''. Oxford Univers ...
''. In 1993,
Forrest Sawyer Forrest Sawyer (born April 19, 1949) is an American broadcast journalist. Sawyer worked 11 years with ABC News, where he frequently anchored ''ABC World News Tonight'' and ''Nightline'' and reported for all ABC News broadcasts. He anchored the new ...
, host of the ABC news/entertainment program ''
Day One Day One may refer to: Film and television * ''Day One'' (1989 film), a 1989 television film * ''Day One'', also known as ''To Write Love on Her Arms'', a 2012 drama film * ''Day One'' (2015 film), a 2015 short film * ''Day One'' (TV series), a ...
'', alleged financial improprieties by the Warwick Foundation, founded in 1989 to benefit AIDS patients, and particularly Warwick's charity concert performances organized to benefit the organization as "America's Ambassador of Health". The network news magazine story, "That's What Friends Are For", reported that the Warwick Foundation was operating at over 90% administrative cost, donating only about 3% of the money it raised to AIDS groups. Several AIDS groups and nonprofit experts criticized her foundation, including an AIDS group in the Virgin Islands that claimed she nearly bankrupted them after extravagant expenses left nothing for local charities. ABC reported that Warwick flew first class and was accommodated at first-class hotels for charity concerts and events in which she participated for the Warwick Foundation, managed by her close confident, Guy Draper, a former chief of protocol for former Washington DC Mayor Marion Barry, and who had a history of bankruptcies. Warwick alleged that the ABC report was racially motivated and threatened to sue ABC News for defamation, although a suit was never filed. The Internal Revenue Service began an investigation of the Warwick Foundation after other complaints were filed, and the Warwick Foundation was later dissolved. ABC's story was nominated for a national Emmy award in 1994 and won a prestigious Investigative Reporters and Editors national television award in 1993.


2000s to 2010

On October 16, 2002, Warwick was nominated to be
Goodwill Ambassador Goodwill ambassador is a post-nominal honorific title, a professional occupation and/or authoritative designation that is assigned to a person who advocates for a specific cause or global issue on the basis of their notability such as a publ ...
of the
Food and Agriculture Organization The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)french: link=no, Organisation des Nations unies pour l'alimentation et l'agriculture; it, Organizzazione delle Nazioni Unite per l'Alimentazione e l'Agricoltura is an intern ...
of the United Nations (FAO). In 2004, Warwick's first Christmas album was released. The CD, entitled ''My Favorite Time of the Year'' featured jazzy interpretations of many holiday classics. In 2007, Rhino Records re-released the CD with new cover art. In 2005, Warwick was honored by Oprah Winfrey at her Legends Ball. She appeared on the May 24, 2006, fifth-season finale of ''
American Idol ''American Idol'' is an American singing competition television series created by Simon Fuller, produced by Fremantle North America and 19 Entertainment, and distributed by Fremantle North America. It aired on Fox from June 11, 2002, to Ap ...
''. Warwick sang a medley of " Walk On By" and "
That's What Friends Are For "That's What Friends Are For" is a song written by Burt Bacharach and Carole Bayer Sager. It was first recorded in 1982 by Rod Stewart for the soundtrack of the film '' Night Shift'', but it is better known for the 1985 cover version by Dionn ...
", with longtime collaborator Burt Bacharach accompanying her on the piano. In 2006, Warwick signed with
Concord Records Concord Records is an American record label owned by Concord and based in Los Angeles, California. Concord Records was launched in 1995 as an imprint designed to reach beyond the company's foundational Concord Jazz label. The label's artists have ...
after a fifteen-year tenure at Arista, which had ended in 1994. Her first and only release for the label was ''My Friends and Me'', a duets album containing reworkings of her old hits, very similar to her 1998 CD ''Dionne Sings Dionne''. Among her singing partners were Gloria Estefan,
Olivia Newton-John Dame Olivia Newton-John (26 September 1948 – 8 August 2022) was a British-Australian singer, actress and activist. She was a four-time Grammy Award winner whose music career included 15 top-ten singles, including 5 number-one singles on the ...
,
Wynonna Judd Wynonna Ellen Judd or simply Wynonna ( ; born Christina Claire Ciminella; May 30, 1964) is an American country music singer. She is one of the most widely recognized and awarded female country singers. In all, she has had 19 No. 1 singles, incl ...
and Reba McEntire. The album peaked at No. 66 on the
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a music chart published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales in the United States and is compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The chart debuted as Hot R&B LPs in the issue dated J ...
chart. The album was produced by her son,
Damon Elliott Damon William Elliott (born March 21, 1973) is an American musician, record producer, singer, songwriter and composer, who has worked in several genres of music including hip hop, R&B, pop, pop rock, gospel, reggae and country. He is the founder ...
. A follow-up album featuring Warwick's old hits as duets with male vocalists was planned, but the project was cancelled. The relationship with Concord concluded with the release of ''My Friends and Me''. A compilation CD of her greatest hits and love songs, ''The Love Collection'', entered the UK album chart at number 27 on February 16, 2008. Warwick's second gospel album, ''Why We Sing'', was released on February 26, 2008, in the United Kingdom and on April 1, 2008, in the United States. The album features guest spots by her sister
Dee Dee Warwick Delia Juanita Warrick (September 25, 1942 – October 18, 2008), known professionally as Dee Dee Warwick, was an American soul singer. Born in Newark, New Jersey, she was the sister of singer Dionne Warwick, the niece of Cissy Houston, and a ...
and BeBe Winans. On October 18, 2008, Dee Dee died in a nursing home in Essex County, New Jersey. She had been in failing health for several months. On November 24, 2008, Warwick was the star performer on "Divas II", a UK ITV1 special. The show also featured
Rihanna Robyn Rihanna Fenty ( ; born February 20, 1988) is a Barbadian singer, actress, and businesswoman. Born in Saint Michael and raised in Bridgetown, Barbados, Rihanna auditioned for American record producer Evan Rogers who invited her to the ...
,
Leona Lewis Leona Louise Lewis (born 3 April 1985) is a British singer, songwriter, actress and activist. Born and raised in the London Borough of Islington, she attended the BRIT School for Performing Arts and Technology in Croydon. Lewis achieved nationa ...
, the
Sugababes Sugababes are a British girl group composed of Mutya Buena, Keisha Buchanan and Siobhán Donaghy. The lineup changed three times before returning to the original lineup in 2011. Formed in 1998 by All Saints manager Ron Tom, Sugababes releas ...
,
Pink Pink is the color of a namesake flower that is a pale tint of red. It was first used as a color name in the late 17th century. According to surveys in Europe and the United States, pink is the color most often associated with charm, politeness, ...
,
Gabriella Climi Gabriella Lucia Cilmi ( ; ; born 10 October 1991) is an Australian pop singer. A contralto, Cilmi is known for her distinctive raspy singing voice. Her debut album, '' Lessons to Be Learned'', was released in March 2008, becoming a moderate in ...
and Anastacia. In 2008, Warwick began recording an album of songs from the Sammy Cahn and Jack Wolf songbooks. The finished recording, entitled ''Only Trust Your Heart'', was released in 2011. On October 20, 2009, Starlight Children's Foundation and New Gold Music Ltd. released a song that Warwick had recorded about ten years prior called "Starlight". The lyrics were written by
Dean Pitchford Dean Pitchford (born July 29, 1951) is an American songwriter, screenwriter, director, actor, and novelist. His work has earned him an Oscar and a Golden Globe Award, as well as nominations for three additional Oscars, two more Golden Globes, ei ...
, prolific writer of ''Fame (1980 film), Fame'', screenwriter of — and sole or joint lyricist of every song in the soundtrack of — the original 1984 film ''Footloose (1984 film), Footloose'', and lyricist of the '' Solid Gold'' theme. The music had been composed by Bill Goldstein, whose versatile career included the original music for NBC's ''Fame'' TV series. Warwick, Pitchford and Goldstein announced that they would be donating 100% of their royalties to Starlight Children's Foundation, to support Starlight's mission to help seriously ill children and their families cope with pain, fear and isolation through entertainment, education and family activities.
When Bill and Dean brought this song to me, I instantly felt connected to its message of shining a little light into the lives of people who need it most", said Warwick. "I admire the work of Starlight Children's Foundation and know that if the song brings hope to even just one sick child, we have succeeded.


2011 to 2019

In 2011, the New Jazz style CD ''Only Trust Your Heart'' was released, featuring many Sammy Cahn songs. In March 2011, Warwick appeared on ''The Apprentice (U.S. season 11), The Celebrity Apprentice 4''. Her charity was the Hunger Project. She was dismissed from her "apprenticeship" to Donald Trump during the fourth task of the season. In February 2012, Warwick performed "Walk On By" on ''The Jonathan Ross Show''. She also received the Goldene Kamera Musical Lifetime Achievement Award in Germany, and performed "That's What Friends Are For" at the ceremony. On May 28, 2012, Warwick headlined the World Hunger Day concert at London's Royal Albert Hall. She sang "One World One Song", specially written for the Hunger Project by Tony Hatch and Tim Holder and was joined by Joe McElderry, the London Community Gospel Choir and a choir from Woodbridge School, Woodbridge, Suffolk. In 2012, the 50th anniversary CD entitled ''NOW'' was released; Warwick recorded 12 Bacharach/David tracks produced by Phil Ramone. On September 19, 2013, she collaborated with country singer Billy Ray Cyrus for his song "Hope Is Just Ahead". In 2014, the duets album ''Feels So Good'' was released. Funkytowngrooves re-issued the remastered Arista albums ''No Night So Long'', ''How Many Times Can We Say Goodbye'' ("So Amazing"), and ''Finder of Lost Loves'' ("Without Your Love"), all expanded with bonus material. In December 2015, Warwick's website released the ''Tropical Love'' EP with five tracks previously unreleased from the Aquarel Do Brasil Sessions in 1994 – To Say Goodbye (Pra Dizer Adeus) with Edu Lobo – Love Me – Lullaby – Bridges (Travessia) – Rainy Day Girl with Ivan Lins. A ''Heartbreaker'' two-disc expanded edition was planned for a 2016 release by Funkytowngrooves, which would include the original Heartbreaker album and up to 15 bonus tracks consisting of a mixture of unreleased songs, alternate takes, and instrumentals, with more remastered and expanded Arista albums to follow. In 2016, she was inducted into the Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame. In 2017, she performed a benefit in Chicago for the Center on Halsted, an organization that contributes to the LGBTQ community. This event was co-chaired by Rahm Emanuel and Barack Obama. Also that year, she made a cameo appearance in the Christian drama ''Let There Be Light (2017 film), Let There Be Light'' directed by Kevin Sorbo. In 2019 she was awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.


2020s to present

In 2020, she appeared as "Mouse" on The Masked Singer (American season 3), season three of ''The Masked Singer (American TV series), The Masked Singer''. She was eliminated in the fifth round, but came back during the first part of the season three finale to sing "What the World Needs Now is Love" with the finalists Kandi Burruss, Night Angel, Bow Wow (rapper), Frog and Jesse McCartney, Turtle as a tribute to the healthcare workers working on the front lines during the COVID-19 pandemic, coronavirus pandemic. This performance was created after the season wrapped production in March. Warwick made a guest appearance during Gladys Knight's and Patti Labelle's Verzuz battle. Together they performed Warwick's song, "
That's What Friends Are For "That's What Friends Are For" is a song written by Burt Bacharach and Carole Bayer Sager. It was first recorded in 1982 by Rod Stewart for the soundtrack of the film '' Night Shift'', but it is better known for the 1985 cover version by Dionn ...
". They closed with their collaborative song "Superwoman (Karyn White song), Superwoman". In ''My Life, as I See It: An Autobiography'', Warwick lists her honorary doctorate from Hartt among those awarded by six other institutions: Hartt College, Bethune-Cookman University, Shaw University, Columbia College of Chicago, Lincoln College (Illinois), Lincoln College, Illinois [May 2010, Doctor of Arts (hon.)], and University of Maryland Eastern Shore. On February 10, 2021, Dionne got nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for the first time. Warwick will appear in a documentary revolving around her life and career ''Dionne Warwick: Don't Make Me Over'' which will have its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2021. Organizers of the Toronto Film Festival announced that she would be honored in the upcoming event as a music icon. On November 26, 2021, Warwick released the single "Nothing's Impossible" a duet featuring Chance the Rapper. Two charities are being supported by the duet: SocialWorks, a Chicago-based nonprofit that Chance founded to empower the youth through the arts, education and civic engagement, and Hunger: Not Impossible, a text-based service connecting kids and their families in need with prepaid, nutritious, to-go meals from local restaurants.


Voice and artistry

Warwick is a contralto, particularly known for her signature musicality and "husky" singing voice. ''The New Yorker'' theatre critic Hilton Als reported that, early in her singing career, Warwick's wide vocal range "allowed her both to sing contralto low notes and to soar as a soprano". According to Mike Joyce of ''
The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...
'', some performances on Warwick's album ''Dionne Warwick Sings Cole Porter'' (1990) capture her warmth "and emphasize her subtle phrasing". In a separate review published in 1982, Joyce noted that Warwick's "magical" voice still manages to be "opaque, elusive, elegant" simultaneously, even when performing what he described as some of her most banal material in her discography. Reviewing a concert in 1983, ''The New York Times'' music critic Stephen Holden observed that Warwick's voice had deepened "into a near-baritone at its bottom end", resulting in "an ever-more fascinating vocal personality". Similarly, in 2006, Sarah Dempster of ''The Guardian'' observed that Warwick's voice "has deepened with age, lending a splendidly full-bodied finish to everything". Music critics have described Warwick as the Muses, muse of songwriters Burt Bacharach and Hal David's, a term Bacharach himself has used to refer to the singer. Bacharach confirmed that they considered Warwick their "main artist", to whom they allowed first priority on new songs. MTV contributor Carol Cooper said Warwick's interpretation of their songs "established Warwick as the eloquent voice of wounded feminine pride", crediting her with making their material "even more unique and compelling". According to Michael Musto of ''The Village Voice'', the singer's voice proved to be "the perfect venue for Bacharach-David hits", writing, "Dionne could do sultry, pained, wispy, and regretful, all with sophisticated phrasings that made her a vocal emblem for the ’60s heartbeat". The singer claims she did not find their material difficult to sing because they had been written specifically for her voice. Cooper identified their partnership as a precedent to the collaborations between R&B singer Toni Braxton, and songwriters Babyface (musician), Babyface and Diane Warren. Musically, ''The New York Times'' music critic Stephen Holden and ''The Guardian'''s Ian Gittins described Warwick as a pop soul singer. However, AllMusic biographer William Ruhlmann found the singer particularly difficult to categorize as a vocalist, writing, "Although Warwick grew up singing in church, she is not a gospel singer. Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan are clear influences, but she is not a jazz singer. R&B is also part of her background, yet she is not really a soul singer, either, at least not in the sense that Aretha Franklin is". Similar, AllMusic reviewer believes Warwick combines elements of jazz, R&B, and gospel, which ultimately result in a "pure pop singer". ''The Washington Informer'' senior editor D. Kevin McNeir reported that Warwick's delivery and stage presence are often described as "scintillating, soothing, sensual and soulful". A writer for the ''South Bend Tribune'' observed that Warwick is usually described as a "sophisticated" singer, while noting that this term "doesn’t place her in a specific musical category". A writer for ''The Guardian'' described Warwick as "one of the greatest pop singers of all time", while Mikael Wood of the ''Los Angeles Times'' named her "that one-of-a-kind instrument that defined pop sophistication in the mid-1960s". In recent years, Warwick has become known for sharing candid, straightforward opinions about various topics on the social media platform Twitter, being nicknamed the "Queen of Twitter" by several media publications.


Personal life

In 1966, Warwick married actor and drummer William Elliott (actor, born 1934), William Elliott; they divorced in May 1967. They reconciled and were remarried in Milan, Italy, in August 1967. On January 18, 1969, while living in East Orange, New Jersey, she gave birth to her first son, David Elliott. In 1973, her second son
Damon Elliott Damon William Elliott (born March 21, 1973) is an American musician, record producer, singer, songwriter and composer, who has worked in several genres of music including hip hop, R&B, pop, pop rock, gospel, reggae and country. He is the founder ...
was born. On May 30, 1975, the couple separated and Warwick was granted a divorce in December 1975 in Los Angeles. The court denied Elliott's request for $2,000 a month () in support pending a community property trial, and for $5,000, when he insisted he was making $500 a month in comparison to Warwick making $100,000 a month (). Warwick stated "I was the breadwinner. The male ego is a fragile thing. It's hard when the woman is the breadwinner. All my life, the only man who ever took care of me financially was my father. I have always taken care of myself." In 2002 Warwick was arrested at Miami International Airport for possession of marijuana. It was discovered that she had 11 suspected marijuana cigarettes inside her carry-on luggage, hidden in a lipstick container. She was charged with possessing marijuana totaling less than five grams. Warwick made the Top 250 Delinquent Taxpayers List published in October 2007. Warwick was listed with a tax delinquency of $2,665,305.83 in personal income tax and a tax lien was filed July 24, 1997. The IRS eventually discovered that a large portion of the lien was due to an accounting error and revoked $1.2mil of the tax lien in 2009. Warwick lived in Brazil, a country she first visited in the early 1960s, from an indeterminate date until 2005, according to an interview with JazzWax, when she moved back to the United States to be near her ailing mother and sister. She became so entranced by Brazil that she studied Portuguese and divided her time between Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. In April 2010, in an interview on talk-show ''Programa do Jô'', she said Brazil was the place where she intended to spend the rest of her life after retiring. In 1993, her older son David, a former Los Angeles police officer, co-wrote with Terry Steele the Warwick-Whitney Houston duet "Love Will Find a Way", featured on her album ''Friends Can Be Lovers''. Since 2002, he has periodically toured with and performed duets with his mother (along with being the drummer of her touring band), and had his acting debut in the film ''Ali'' as the singer Sam Cooke. David became a singer-songwriter, with Luther Vandross' "Here and Now (Luther Vandross song), Here and Now" among others to his credit. Her second son,
Damon Elliott Damon William Elliott (born March 21, 1973) is an American musician, record producer, singer, songwriter and composer, who has worked in several genres of music including hip hop, R&B, pop, pop rock, gospel, reggae and country. He is the founder ...
, is a music producer, who has worked with Mýa,
Pink Pink is the color of a namesake flower that is a pale tint of red. It was first used as a color name in the late 17th century. According to surveys in Europe and the United States, pink is the color most often associated with charm, politeness, ...
, Christina Aguilera and Keyshia Cole. He arranged and produced his mother's 2006 Concord release ''My Friends and Me''. She received a 2014
Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
nomination in the Traditional Pop Category for her 2013 album release, ''Now''. On January 24, 2015, Warwick was hospitalized after a fall in the shower at her home. After ankle surgery, she was discharged from the hospital.


Bankruptcy

Warwick declared Chapter 7 bankruptcy in New Jersey on March 21, 2013. Due to the reported mismanagement of her business affairs, she listed liabilities that included nearly $7 million owed to the Internal Revenue Service for the years 1991 to 1999 and more than $3 million in business taxes owed to the state of California. Unable to work out an agreement with tax officials, she and her attorney decided that declaring bankruptcy would be the best course of action.


Relations

Warwick's sister
Dee Dee Warwick Delia Juanita Warrick (September 25, 1942 – October 18, 2008), known professionally as Dee Dee Warwick, was an American soul singer. Born in Newark, New Jersey, she was the sister of singer Dionne Warwick, the niece of Cissy Houston, and a ...
also had a successful singing career, scoring several notable R&B hits in the US, including the original version of "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me". Dee Dee recorded the original version of the song "You're No Good", which later became a 1963 No. 5 R&B hit for Betty Everett, a 1964 No. 3 UK hit for The Swinging Blue Jeans and a 1975 No. 1 pop hit for Linda Ronstadt. In 1966, the Swinging Blue Jeans had a No. 31 UK hit with a cover of Dionne's " Don't Make Me Over", thus appearing in the UK Singles Chart with covers of songs from both Warwick sisters. Warwick's maternal aunt is gospel-trained vocalist Cissy Houston, mother of Warwick's cousin, singer Whitney Houston. In her 2011 autobiography, ''My Life, as I See It'', Warwick notes that opera diva Leontyne Price is a maternal cousin.


Discography


Tours

* ''Dionne Warwick Tour'' (1966) * ''Dionne: 40 Anniversary Tour'' (2002) * ''Soul Divas Tour'' (2004) * ''An Evening with Dionne'' (2007)


Awards and honors

Grammy Awards Warwick has been awarded five Grammys by the Recording Academy, having received fourteen Grammy nominations altogether. , - , , , , " Walk On By" , , Best Rhythm and Blues Recording, , , - , rowspan="2", , , "
Alfie Alfie may refer to: Theatre and film * ''Alfie'' (play), a 1963 play by Bill Naughton * ''Alfie'' (1966 film), a film based on the play starring Michael Caine * ''Alfie'' (2004 film), a remake of the 1966 film * ''Alfie'' (2013 film), an Indi ...
" , , Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, Best Female Pop Vocal Performance , , , - , "I Say a Little Prayer" , , Best Contemporary Female Solo Vocal Performance , , , - , , , , "
Do You Know the Way to San Jose "Do You Know the Way to San Jose" is a 1968 popular song written and composed for singer Dionne Warwick by Burt Bacharach. Hal David wrote the lyrics. The song was Warwick's biggest international hit to that point, selling several million copies ...
" , , Best Female Pop Vocal Performance , , , - , , , , "
This Girl's in Love with You ''This Girl's in Love with You'' is the sixteenth studio album by American singer Aretha Franklin, released on January 15, 1970 by Atlantic Records. It reached '' Billboard''s Top 20 and was reissued on compact disc through Rhino Records in ...
" , , Best Female Pop Vocal Performance , , , - , rowspan=1", , , "
I'll Never Fall in Love Again "I'll Never Fall in Love Again" is a popular song by composer Burt Bacharach and lyricist Hal David that was written for the 1968 musical '' Promises, Promises''. Several recordings of the song were released in 1969; the most popular versions wer ...
" , , Best Female Pop Vocal Performance , , , - , , , , " Then Came You" (with The Spinners (American band), The Spinners) , , Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals, Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo, Group with Vocals , , , - , rowspan="2", , , "
I'll Never Love This Way Again "I'll Never Love This Way Again" is a song written and composed by English musician Richard Kerr and American lyricist Will Jennings, and first recorded by Kerr himself for his album ''Welcome to the Club'' as "I Know I'll Never Love This Way A ...
" , , Best Female Pop Vocal Performance , , , - , "Déjà Vu (Dionne Warwick song), Déjà Vu" , , Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance, Best Female R&B Vocal Performance , , , - , rowspan="3", , rowspan="2", "
That's What Friends Are For "That's What Friends Are For" is a song written by Burt Bacharach and Carole Bayer Sager. It was first recorded in 1982 by Rod Stewart for the soundtrack of the film '' Night Shift'', but it is better known for the 1985 cover version by Dionn ...
"
(with
Elton John Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, pianist and composer. Commonly nicknamed the "Rocket Man" after his 1972 hit single of the same name, John has led a commercially successful career a ...
,
Gladys Knight Gladys Maria Knight (born May 28, 1944), known as the "Empress of Soul", is an American singer, actress and businesswoman. A seven-time Grammy Award-winner, Knight recorded hits through the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s with her family group Gladys K ...
&
Stevie Wonder Stevland Hardaway Morris ( Judkins; May 13, 1950), known professionally as Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, who is credited as a pioneer and influence by musicians across a range of genres that include rhythm and blues, Pop musi ...
)
, , Grammy Award for Record of the Year, Record of the Year , , , - , Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal , , , - , '' Friends'' , , Best Female Pop Vocal Performance , , , - , rowspan=1", , , "Superwoman (Karyn White song), Superwoman" (with
Gladys Knight Gladys Maria Knight (born May 28, 1944), known as the "Empress of Soul", is an American singer, actress and businesswoman. A seven-time Grammy Award-winner, Knight recorded hits through the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s with her family group Gladys K ...
& Patti LaBelle)
, , Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group , , , - , rowspan=1", , , ''Now'' , , Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album , , , - , rowspan=1", , , Dionne Warwick , , Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, Lifetime Achievement Award , , , - Grammy Hall of Fame American Music Awards Billboard Music Awards
RIAA The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
People's Choice Awards NAACP Image Awards ASCAP Awards Rhythm & Blues Foundation Women's World Awards Trumpet Awards Ride of Fame Cash Box Magazine Annual Poll Soul Train Music Awards NME Awards Other awards and honors *National Association of Recording Merchandisers (NARM) – Top Female Vocalist – 1964, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971 *National Academy of Popular Music/Songwriters Hall of Fame – Hitmaker Award – 2001 *Hasty Pudding Woman of the Year, Woman of the Year – 1969 Hasty Pudding Theatricals, Harvard Hasty Pudding Society *Cannes Film Festival Palme d'Or nominee – ''Slaves'' – 1969 *''
Playboy ''Playboy'' is an American men's lifestyle and entertainment magazine, formerly in print and currently online. It was founded in Chicago in 1953, by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. K ...
'' magazine music poll – Top Female Vocalist – 1971 *''Playboy'' magazine's All-Star Band for 1971 – Female Vocals *National Association of Television and Radio Announcers - #1 R&B Vocalist – 1971 *Memphis Music Awards – Outstanding Female Vocalist – 1971 *1980 Tokyo Intl POP Music Festival for her performance of "Feeling Old Feelings" from her Arista debut album '' Dionne'' produced by Barry Manilow. The song was awarded Song of the Year (the equivalent of the Japanese Grammy). *Mayors Award and key to the city, Key to the City – San Jose, California, 1968 *ACE Award nominee for ''Sisters in the Name of Love'' (HBO, 1986) *United States Ambassador of Health – appointed by Ronald Reagan in 1987 *Kleenex American Hero Award – 1987 *American Society of Young Musicians – Luminary Award – 1997 *National Music Foundation – Cultural Impact Award – 1998 *United Nations Global Ambassador for the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) – appointed 2002 *NABFEME Shero Award (National Association of Black Female Executives in Music & Entertainment) – 2006 *Temecula Valley International Film Festival, Temecula Valley International Film & Music Festival – Lifetime Career Achievement Award – 2006 *Miami-Dade Life Time Achievement Award – 2007 and Dionne Warwick Day – May 25 *Starlight Foundation – Humanitarian of the Year Award *Bella Rackoff Women in Film – Humanitarian Award *Lincoln Elementary School in East Orange, New Jersey, honored her by renaming it to the Dionne Warwick Institute of Economics and Entrepreneurship. *Howard Theatre Restoration Honoree – 2013 *Living Legend Award, Black Girls Rock! – 2012 *Marian Anderson Award – 2017


Filmography

;Concerts * 1966: ''Live from the Olympia in Paris-Sacha Distel and Dionne Warwick'' – Radiodiffusion-Télévision Française * 1975: ''Dionne Warwick Live in Concert'' – nationally syndicated * 1975: ''Dionne Warwick: In Performance at Wolftrap'' – PBS * 1977: ''Dionne Warwick with the Edmonton Symphony'' – PBS * 1978: ''Dionne Warwick: Live at The Forum'' * 1980: ''Dionne Warwick: Live at the Park West'' – HBO * 1982: ''Dionne Warwick: Live from Lake Tahoe'' – HBO * 1983: ''Dionne Warwick: Live at the Rialto'' – PBS *1985: ''Dionne Warwick: Live at the Royal Albert Hall'' ITV * 1986: ''Sisters in the Name of Love'', with Patti LaBelle and Gladys Knight – HBO * 1987: ''Dionne Warwick: Live in Japan'' * 1988: ''Dionne Warwick with the Boston Pops'' – PBS * 1988: ''Dionne Warwick: That's What Friends Are For Benefit Concert'' – HBO * 1988: ''Dionne Warwick Live in London'' – BBC * 1989: ''Dionne Warwick: Live in Australia'' – ABC * 1989: ''Dionne Warwick: That's What Friends Are For Benefit Concert'' – HBO * 1990: ''Dionne Warwick and Friends: That's What Friends Are For Benefit Concert'' – HBO * 1995: ''Dionne Warwick and Burt Bacharach – Live from the Rainbow Room'' – A & E Network * 2005: ''Prime Concerts: In Concert with Edmonton Symphony'' PBS * 2007: ''Dionne Warwick — Live'' * 2008: ''Cabaret: Live in Cabaret July 18, 1975'' ;As an actress * 1969: ''Slaves (film), Slaves'' (film) – lead role – Cassy * 1970: ''The Name of the Game-I Love You Billy Baker – Part I'' * 1970: ''The Name of the Game-I Love You Billy Baker – Part II'' * 1971: '' The Love Machine'' (movie) – cameo appearance and performer (main theme singer – "He's Movin' On" and "Amanda") * 1976: ''Switch (American TV series), Switch'' – Sherry (Season One) * 1977: ''Rockford Files'' (TV series) – Theda Moran * 1977: ''Switch'' – Sherry (Season 3) * 1977: ''Switch'' – Sherry – Part II * 1988: ''Rent-A-Cop'' (film) – Beth Connors * 1991: ''Extralarge-Black and White'' (TV film) * 1991: ''Extralarge-Miami Killer'' (TV film) * 1991: ''Extralarge-Black Magic'' (TV film) * 1992: ''Extralarge-Cannonball'' (TV film) * 1992: ''Captain Planet and the Planeteers'' – Dr. Russell * 1996: ''The Wayans Bros.'' – Mrs. Jackson * 1997: ''The Drew Carey Show'' – Season 3, Episode 9 cameo appearance * 1998: ''The Bold and the Beautiful'' (1 episode) * 1998: ''The Wayans Bros.'' (1 episode) * 1999: ''Johnny Bravo'' (Season 2, Episode 3, "Karma Krisis") * 1999: ''Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child'' – Miss Kitty * 1999: ''So Weird'' (Season 1, Episode 12 – "Lost") * 2000: ''Walker, Texas Ranger'' (Season 9, Episode 10, "Faith") * 2017: ''Let There Be Light (2017 film), Let There Be Light'' – self * 2020: ''The Masked Singer (American TV series), The Masked Singer'' – the Mouse/herself * 2021: ''Saturday Night Live'' - self ;Documentary film appearances * 1968: ''Dionne Warwick: Don't Make Me Over'' – documentary by Gary Keys * 1977: ''The Day the Music Died'' * 2002: ''The Making and Meaning of We Are Family'' * 2001: ''The Teens Who Stole Popular Music'' – A & E Films * 2001: ''Don't Make Me Over: The Dionne Warwick Story'' – A & E Films * 2011: ''Michael Jackson: The Life of an Icon'' * 2013: ''Voices of Love-Featuring Whitney Houston, Dionne Warwick, Cissy Houston & The Drinkard Singers'' – documentary by Gary Keys * 2021: ''Dionne Warwick: Don't Make Me Over'' ;Compilations, series, and specials * 1963: ''American Bandstand'' – ABC: Performing Don't Make Me Over * 1963: ''American Bandstand'' – ABC: Performing Anyone Who Had a Heart * 1964: ''American Bandstand'' – ABC: Performing Walk On By * 1964: ''American Bandstand'' – ABC: Performing Reach Out For Me * 1965: ''The Danny Kaye Show'' – CBS * 1965: ''The Tonight Show'' – NBC – Multiple appearances * 1965: ''Hullaballoo'' – NBC – Multiple appearances * 1966: ''Hullaballoo'' – NBC – Multiple appearances * 1966: ''American Bandstand'' – ABC: Performing Message to Michael * 1966: ''American Bandstand'' – ABC: Performing Trains, Boats and Planes * 1966: ''The Red Skelton Show'' – CBS: Performing Walk on By, People * 1966: ''The Tonight Show'' – NBC – Multiple appearances * 1967: ''American Bandstand'' – ABC: Performing Another Night * 1967: ''The Ed Sullivan Show'' – CBS: Performing Alfie, The Way You Look Tonight * 1967: ''The 39th Annual Academy Awards'' – NBC: Performing Alfie * 1967: ''The Red Skelton Show'' – CBS: Performing I Say A little Prayer * 1967: ''Tin Pan Alley Today'' – NBC Television Network Special – Star * 1970: ''The Dean Martin Show'' – NBC – Performing Paper Mache * 1968: ''The Ed Sullivan Show'' – CBS: Performing I Say A little Prayer * 1968: ''The Carol Burnett Show'' – CBS: Performing (Theme from) Valley of the Dolls; Children Go Where I Send Thee * 1968: ''American Bandstand'' – ABC: Performing Do You Know the Way to San Jose * 1968: ''The Beautiful Phyllis Diller Show'' – NBC: Performing Promises, Promises and Do You Know the Way to San Jose * 1968: ''The Ed Sullivan Show'' – CBS: Performing Battle Hymn of the Republic * 1968: ''The Ed Sullivan Show'' – CBS: Performing Promises, Promises * 1968: ''The Tonight Show'' – NBC – Multiple appearances * 1967: ''The Dick Cavett Show'' – ABC – Multiple appearances * 1969: ''The Merv Griffin Show'' – Guest Host * 1969: ''The Jose Feliciano Special'' – NBC – Performing What the World Needs Now and Alfie with Burt Bacharach * 1969: ''The Dick Cavett Show'' – ABC – Multiple performances * 1969: ''The Tonight Show'' – NBC – Multiple appearances * 1969: ''Souled Out (special), Dionne Warwick: Souled Out'' – CBS Television with Warwick's guests Burt Bacharach, Creedence Clearwater Revival and Glen Campbell * 1970: ''The Dean Martin Show'' – NBC – Performing Paper Mache * 1970: ''An Evening with Burt Bacharach: Special Guest Dionne Warwick'' – NBC * 1970: ''The Carol Burnett Show'' – CBS: Performing (There's) Always Something There to Remind Me and What the World Needs Now * 1970: ''The Tonight Show'' – NBC – Multiple appearances * 1971: ''The Tonight Show'' – NBC – Multiple appearances * 1973: ''The Midnight Special: Host – Dionne Warwick'' – NBC * 1974: ''The Dionne Warwick Special'' – nationally syndicated * 1975: ''Music Country USA-Host Dionne Warwick'' – NBC * 1975: ''The Dionne Warwick Show'' – nationally syndicated * 1976: ''The Original Rompin' Stompin', Hot & Heavy, Cool & Groovy All-Star Jazz Show'' – Host Dionne Warwick with Count Basie * 1978: ''Dionne Warwick -Live from DC- Dick Clark'' – ABC * 1979: ''Solid Gold Countdown 1979'' – Hosts Dionne Warwick and Glen Campbell * 1980–1981 and 1985–1986: '' Solid Gold'' – Series Host * 1990–1991: ''Dionne!-(Talk Show)'' – Host – Nationally Syndicated * 2002: ''A Tribute to Burt Bacharach & Hal David'' * 2005: ''The 5th Dimension Travelling Sunshine Show'' * 2005: ''Straight from the Heart Live, Vol. 1'' * 2006: ''Flashbacks: Soul Sensations'' * 2006: ''Flashbacks: Pop Parade'' * 2008: ''Lost Concerts Series: Uptown Divas'' * 2011: ''The Apprentice (U.S. season 11), The Celebrity Apprentice 4'' – Contestant * 2018: ''The Four: Battle For Stardom'' – Cameo/Appearance, Warwick's Granddaughter "Cheyenne Elliot" performed for the Judges on the show.


Notes


References

*Harvey, Stephen
What's It All About Dionne? Interview – Dionne Warwick
, ''The Independent on Sunday'', February 23, 2003 *Ayres, Sabra
Dionne Warwick's Charges Dropped in Plea Bargain
Associated Press, June 5, 2002. * *Current Biography. H. W. Wilson, Company. Current Biography Yearbook 1969. Subject: Dionne Warwick. 1969. H.W. Wilson Company, Chicago, Ill. *Current Biography. H. W. Wilson, Company. Current Biography Yearbook 1971. Subject: Burt Bacharach. 1971. H.W. Wilson Company, Chicago, Ill. *Hitmakers: The Teens Who Stole Popular Music: Dionne Warwick – Don't Make Me Over. Performers – Dionne Warwick main subject, Burt Bacharach, Dee Dee Warwick, Dick Clark, et al. A&E Entertainment Video. 2002. *Hitmakers: Burt Bacharach. Performers-Burt Bacharach main subject, Dionne Warwick, Angie Dickinson, Steve Lawrence, et al. A&E Entertainment Video. 2002. *Lifetime Television's Intimate Portrait: Dionne Warwick. Performers: Dionne Warwick, Lee Warrick, David Elliott, Damon Elliott, Cissy Houston, et al. Lifetime Entertainment Video. 2004. *"Dionne Warwick Profile". ''People (magazine), People''. October 15, 1979. Time-Warner, Inc. *"Dionne Warwick". ''Rolling Stone'', November 15, 1979. Rolling Stone Press. *"Dionne the Universal Warwick". ''Ebony (magazine), Ebony'', May 1968. Johnson Publications. *"The Sound of the Sixties". ''
Time Time is the continued sequence of existence and events that occurs in an apparently irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequence events, to ...
''. May 21, 1965. Time, Inc. *"Spreading the Faith". ''Time''. July 14, 1967. Time, Inc. *"Dionne Warwick Married". ''Time''. September 8, 1967. Time, Inc.


External links

*[ AllMusic page]
VH1 Site

''Rolling Stone'' site
*[ ''Billboard'' chart history (since 1983)]
The Scepter Records Story
* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Warwick, Dionne Dionne Warwick, Living people Grammy Award winners Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winners African-American actresses American women pop singers American gospel singers American soul singers Torch singers Arista Records artists Scepter Records artists Warner Records artists Concord Records artists Rhino Records artists University of Hartford Hartt School alumni American people of Dutch descent American people of Native American descent American emigrants to Brazil African-American Christians Baptists from New Jersey East Orange High School alumni Musicians from East Orange, New Jersey Singers from New Jersey 20th-century African-American women singers 21st-century African-American women singers 20th-century American actresses 21st-century American actresses 20th-century American singers 21st-century American singers 20th-century American women singers 21st-century American women singers Ballad musicians Allegorical sculptures in Illinois 1940 births Participants in American reality television series The Apprentice (franchise) contestants The Sweet Inspirations members The Drinkard Singers members American contraltos