b. Marie Dionne Warrick, 12th December 1940, East Orange, New Jersey, U.S.A.
Dionne Warwick one of a select group of Soul Singers, who have migrated from the Gospel Church into becoming a major artist within all genre's of modern music.
Her sister is the late Dee Dee Warwick, another hugely talented songstress, her cousin is the singer Whitney Houston, and her aunt is the Gospel singer Cissy Houston, Whitney's mother.
Dionne was born Marie Dionne Warrick to her father, Mancel Warrick, whose chosen professions (at various times) were a porter, a chef, and a gospel record promoter for Chess Records.
Her mother was Lee Drinkard Warrick (b.1921–d.2005), who managed the group, The Drinkard Singers in East Orange, New Jersey.
As a child, a young Dionne sang at the New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, New Jersey.
The choir included Cissy Houston, Dionne Warwick, Dee Dee Warwick, Warren Davis, George Malone, John Ryanes (16th November 1940 - 30th May 1972), Frank Smith, Charles Patrick and Warren Ryans.
Her first solo church performance came at the age of six, whilst she also sang with The Drinkard Singers (who included Lee Drinkard (Dionne and Dee Dee Warwick's mother) and her sister Emily Drinkard (a.k.a. Cissy Houston, Whitney Houston's mother) and later Judy Clay ('adopted' by Lee Drinkard, Ann Moss, Marie Epps, Nicholas Drinkard and Larry Drinkard).
Dionne grew up in a racially mixed middle-class neighbourhood in East Orange, graduating from East Orange High School in 1959.
She was then awarded a Scholarship in Music Education to the Hartt College of Music in Hartford, Connecticut.
In 1958, Dionne formed the Gospelaires with Myrna Utley, Carol Slade, and Delia (a.k.a. Dee Dee Warwick).
The Gospelaires first performance was at the Apollo Theater, where they won the weekly amateur contest.
The line-up of the group changed during it's incarnation, with various members including Judy Clay, Cissy Houston, and Doris Troy.
The group performed backgrounds for many artists, including The Drifters, Ben E. King, Chuck Jackson, Dinah Washington, Ronnie Hawkins and The Hawks, and Solomon Burke.
Whilst performing background vocals for The Drifters, Dionne was noticed by the songwriter, Burt Bacharach.
He suggested that Dionne recorded a demo record, called 'It's Love That Really Counts' (later recorded by The Shirelles), which brought her to the attention of Scepter Records President Florence Greenberg.
Subsequently, Dionne was signed to Bacharach and David's production company, and then to Scepter Records in 1962 by Florence Greenberg.
don't make me over - 1962 / presenting dionne warwick - 1963
'It's Love That Really Counts' and 'Make It Easy on Yourself', both appeared on Dionne's debut Scepter album, 'Presenting Dionne Warwick', released early in 1963.
A year earlier, she had released 'Don't Make Me Over' b/w 'I Smiled Yesterday' as her debut 45.
anyone who had a heart - 1964 / make way for dionne warwick - 1964
'Make It Easy on Yourself' was originally recorded by Jerry Butler, however, Dionne's take became the first top 40 pop hit (number 21) for the Bacharach/David songwriting partnership, also becoming a top 5 U.S. R&B hit.
Her fourth single, 'Anyone Who Had a Heart' was her first top 10 pop hit (number 8) in the U.S.A. in December 1963.
'Walk On By' really became her trademark recording in April 1964, a major international hit and million seller that established her as one of the major Pop singers in the latter half of the Twentieth Century.
hal david, burt bacharach and dionne
Throughout the Sixties the largest section of her musical CV, between 1962-1971, were songs written and produced by the Bacharach/David songwriting partnership.
the sensitiver sound of dionne warwick - 1965 / here I am - 1966
Her other main hits, such as 'Do You Know the Way to San José', consolidated her international status, with many of her songs covered by the likes of Cilla Black ('Anyone Who Had a Heart'), Sandie Shaw and Dusty Springfield.
Dionne was named the Best selling Female Vocalist in the Cash Box Magazine Poll in 1964.
In 1966, Dionne married actor and drummer William Elliott, however, the couple divorced in May 1967 after being wed for less than a year.
here, where there is love - 1967 / on stage and at the movies - 1967
'Message to Michael' was a top 10 hit for Dionne in May 1966, and in 1967 she released the album 'Here Where There Is Love', featuring 'Trains and Boats and Planes' and 'I Just Don't Know What to Do with Myself'.
The theme song from the Michael Caine movie vehicle 'Alfie' was a huge hit in 1967 (often considered to be her signature song), a song originally the flip side of the song 'The Beginning of Loneliness'.
Later in 1967, Dionne released 'I Say a Little Prayer' (taken from her album 'The Windows of the World'), which Aretha Franklin would cover a year later.
the windows of the world - 1967 / valley of the dolls - 1968
The follow up song '(Theme from) Valley of the Dolls', was not written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David (but penned by Andre and Dory Previn), and was the flip side to 'I Say a Little Prayer'.
In 1969, while living in East Orange, NJ, she gave birth to her first son, David Elliott, who later became a singer-songwriter and is a former Los Angeles police officer.
the magic of believing - 1968 / promises, promises - 1968
Up until 1971, Dionne was still releasing hit songs including 'Promises, Promises', 'Who Is Gonna Love Me', 'Who Is Gonna Love Me' (all in 1968), 'I'll Never Fall in Love Again', 'You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin', This Girl's in Love with You', 'The April Fools' (all in 1969), 'Make It Easy on Yourself', 'Let Me Go To Him' and "Paper Mache" (all in 1970).
soulful - 1969 / greatest motion picture hits - 1969
Dionne's final Bacharach/David penned single was March 1971's 'Who Gets the Guy' and her final Scepter single release was 'He's Moving On'.
By the end of 1971, she had sold thirty-five million singles and albums and more than 16 million singles in the U.S.A.
She finally left the Scepter Records imprint for Warner Bros. Records.
I'll never fall in love again - 1970 / very dionne - 1970
Her final album for Scepter was the soundtrack for 'The Love Machine' in 1971.
dionne - 1972 / dionne - 1979
At Warners, Bacharach and David followed her, Dionne returned to New York City and released the album 'Dionne' in January 1972.
The following year, Burt Bacharach and Hal David severed their relationship with Dionne, leaving her to complete her contract with a variety of producers.
In 1973, she gave birth to her second son Damon Elliott, who became a producer (producing material by his mother amongst others).
The following year, Dionne teamed up with the Spinners, achieving a hit with the song 'Then Came You' (produced by Thom Bell).
dionne in 1975
the warner brothers releases: just being myself - 1973 / then came you - 1975 / track of the cat - 1975 / love at first sight - 1977
Dionne recorded five albums with Warners Brothers, which were, 'Dionne', 'Just Being Myself', 'Then Came You', 'Track of the Cat', and 'Love at First Sight'.
Her five-year contract with Warners expired in 1977, and Dionne left the label for the Arista Records imprint.
At the label she scored a huge hit with the song 'I'll Never Love This Way Again' in 1979.
A further self titled album 'Dionne' went Platinum in the United States, and reached number 12 on the Billboard Album Chart and number 10 on the R & B Album Chart.
Signed by Arista Records managing director, Clive Davis, she released further single called 'Deja Vu' (co-penned by the late Isaac Hayes).
no night so long - 1980 / heartbreaker - 1982
Her second Arista album, 1980's 'No Night So Long', was followed by the Bee Gees produced album 'Heartbreaker' in 1982.
The title track became one of Dionne's biggest international hits, returning her to the top of several international charts.
The Bee Gees connection transpired through Clive Davis attending his aunt's wedding in Orlando, Florida in early 1982.
He spoke with Barry Gibb and Barry mentioned he was a fan of Dionne's, leading to the project going ahead.
In 1983, Dionne released 'How Many Times Can We Say Goodbye' produced by the late Luther Vandross.
finder of lost loves - 1985 / reservations for two - 1987
The album 'Finder Of Lost Loves' followed in 1985, reuniting her with both Barry Manilow and Burt Bacharach (with his wife Carole Bayer Sager).
In 1985, Dionne became part of the 'We Are the World' / 'Live Aid' project, along with many vocalists, including Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, and Ray Charles.
In 1985, she recorded the American Foundation for AIDS Research benefit single 'That's What Friends Are For' alongside Gladys Knight, Elton John, and Stevie Wonder.
To accompany the song, she also released the album 'Friends' in 1985, which reached number 12 on Billboard's album chart.
In 1987, Dionne released the album 'Reservations for Two', which featured the single 'Love Power', a duet with Jeffrey Osborne.
friends can be lovers - 1993 / dionne sings dionne - 1998
During the Nineties, she continued to release successful albums, including 'Friends Can Be Lovers', which was produced in part by Ian Devaney and Lisa Stansfield.
On the album, one notable track was the song 'Sunny Weather Lover', the first song that Burt Bacharach and Hal David had written together for Warwick since 1972.
Other songs on the set included 'Where My Lips Have Been', which reached number 95 on the R&B Charts.
In 1994, Dionne ended her association with with Arista Records.
In 1998, she returned to recording releasing the album 'Dionne Sings Dionne', pairing Dionne with many top R & B producers (her interpretation of 'Aqualero Do Brazil' creating some interest in Soul circles).
In 2002, she was nominated Goodwill Ambassador of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
my favorite time of the year - 2004 / why we sing - 2008
She released her first album of Christmas songs in 2004, entitled 'My Favorite Time of the Year', and in 2007, Rhino Records re-released the CD with a new sleeve design.
In 2006 she appeared on American Idol, singing a medley of 'Walk On By' and 'That's What Friends Are For', with Burt Bacharach accompanying her on the piano.
That year she signed with Concord Records, releasing the album 'My Friends and Me', a duets album containing reworkings of her old hits, featuring Gloria Estefan, Olivia Newton-John, Wynonna Judd and Reba McEntire.
Dionne then left Concord Records and released a compilation CD of her greatest hits, entitled 'The Love Collection' in 2008.
Her second gospel album, 'Why We Sing', was released in 2008, and featured guest spots by her late sister Dee Dee Warwick and BeBe Winans.
dionne with (then, husband) william elliott and (sister) dee dee in 1966
Dee Dee passed away in a nursing home in Essex County, New Jersey, with Dionne beside her.
Dionne then began recording an album of songs written by Sammy Cahn, although the album has yet to see the light of day.
On the 8th of May 2010, she received an honorary Doctor of Arts from Lincoln College in Lincoln, Illinois.
Dionne now lives in Brazil, and is learning to speak Portuguese.
Albums
Presenting Dionne Warwick (Scepter Records 1963)
Anyone Who Had A Heart (Scepter Records 1964)
Make Way For Dionne Warwick (Scepter Records 1964)
The Sensitive Sound Of Dionne Warwick (Scepter Records 1965)
Here I Am (Scepter Records 1966)
Dionne Warwick In Paris (Scepter Records 1966)
Here Where There Is Love (Scepter Records 1967)
Dionne Warwick Onstage And In The Movies (Scepter Records 1967)
The Windows Of The World (Scepter Records 1967)
Dionne In The Valley Of The Dolls (Scepter Records 1968)
Magic Of Believing (Scepter Records 1968)
Promises Promises (Scepter Records 1968)
Soulful (Scepter Records 1969)
Dionne Warwick's Greatest Motion Picture Hits (Scepter Records 1969)
I'll Never Fall In Love Again (Scepter Records 1970)
Very Dionne (Scepter Records 1970)
The Dionne Warwick Story Live (Scepter Records 1971)
Dionne (Warners Brothers Records 1972)
From Within (Scepter Records 1972)
Just Being Myself (Warners Brothers Records 1973)
Then Came You (Warners Brothers Records 1975)
Track Of The Cat (Warners Brothers Records 1975)
with Isaac Hayes: A Man And A Woman (HBS Records 1977)
Only Love Can Break A Heart (Musicor Records 1977)
Love At First Sight (Warners Brothers Records 1977)
Dionne (Arista Records 1979)
No Night So Long (Arista Records 1980)
Hot! Live And Otherwise (Arista Records 1981)
Friends In Love (Arista Records 1982)
Heartbreaker (Arista Records 1982)
So Amazing (U.K. title) (Arista Records 1983)
Finder Of Lost Loves (Arista 1985)
Friends (Arista Records 1985)
Without Your Love (Arista Records 1985)
Reservations For Two (Arista Records 1987)
Dionne Warwick Sings Cole Porter (Arista Records 1989)
Friends Can Be Lovers (Arista Records 1993)
Aquarela Do Brazil (Arista Records 1995)
Dionne Sings Dionne (River North Records 1998)
Dionne Sings Dionne Vol. 2 (River North Records 2000)
Soulful Plus (Rhino Handmade Records 2004)
My Favorite Time Of The Year (DMI Records 2004)
My Friends and Me (Concord Records 2006)
Why We Sing (Rhino Records 2008)
Only Trust Your Heart (Red Distribution 2011)
Feels So Good (Universal Records 2014)
She's Back! (eOne Music Records 2019)
