KWXY Presents ● The Music of Dionne Warwick
Dionne Warwick - CBS Television Publicity Photo from her 1969 television special /
Dionne Warwick is a singer, actress, TV host, former UN Goodwill Ambassador and who ranks as one of the most-charted vocalists of all time. In a career spanning from 1955 to the present, Warwick has earned six Grammy Awards, induction into the Grammy Hall of Fame, a 2019 Grammy Lifetime Achievement Awards and worldwide sales of more than 100 million records. Her famous relatives include her sister Dee Dee Warwick, maternal aunt Cissy Houston, first cousin Whitney Houston and maternal cousin Leontyne Price.
She was born Marie Dionne Warrick on December 12, 1940 in Orange, New Jersey. She was raised in East Orange, New Jersey, graduating from East Orange High School in 1959. While attending the Hartt College of Music in West Hartford, Connecticut, Warwick worked as a background vocalist in New York City.
Her television debut came on the NBC-TV show, TV Gospel Time when her family’s gospel singing group, The Drinkard Singers, appeared as guests. Warwick’s big break came in 1962 during a recording session with The Drifters where she was discovered by composer and future collaborator, Burt Bachrach.
Dionne Warwick in Paris - Album Cover / released on April 14, 1966, on Scepter Records
After signing with Bachrach and lyricist Hal David, Warwick released her first single in November 1962, “Don’t Make Me Over.” A misprint on the single’s label credited her as “Warwick” instead of “Warrick” and she adopted the name professionally as well as personally.
As her success grew, Warwick was able to better weather the changes brought about by the British Invasion with such Burt Bachrach/Hal David numbers as “Walk On By” in 1963 and “Do You Know The Way To San Jose?” in 1968. She charted six times in 1964 and continued her streak of chart-toppers throughout the 1960s and early 1970s with even more Bachrach/David hits including “Alfie,” the theme from a 1966 movie of the same name.
In 1972, she signed with Warner Records and although she recorded five albums on the label between 1972 and 1978, she had no major hits at the time with the exception of “Then Came You” in 1974 with R&B group, The Spinners. A move to Arista Records in 1979 saw Warwick’s return to stardom beginning with “I’ll Never Love This Way Again,” produced by labelmate Barry Manilow.
Throughout the 1980′s and 1990′s, she collaborated with many musicians including Johnny Mathis, Smokey Robinson, Luther Vandross, Jeffrey Osborne, and Stevie Wonder.
In 1980-81 and again in 1985-86, she hosted the one-hour weekly TV special, Solid Gold. Later, she hosted a series of successful infomercials for the telephone psychic service, Psychic Friends Network, earning her more than $3 million a year.
Dionne Warwick
Publicity Photo - Station Collection
Personal Management / Paul Cantor.
William Morris Agency, Inc.
Photo Credit: Bruno of Hollywood
One of her most successful singles to date was her 1985 cover of the Rod Stewart single, “That’s What Friends Are For.” Accompanied by Elton John, Stevie Wonder and Gladys Knight and billed as being recorded by “Dionne & Friends,” the Grammy Award-winning charity single raised more than $3 million for AIDS research.
Today, Dionne Warwick continues to tour and record. She has been nominated for fourteen Grammys and won five, including the 1987 #1 Single of the Year for “That’s What Friends Are For” and the 2019 Lifetime Achievement Award.
Last year she released a much-anticipated star-studded duets album titled “Feels So Good,” featuring collaborations with Alicia Keys, Jamie Foxx, Ne-Yo and others.
KWXY interviewed Dionne Warwick last December 7th, when Oscar’s in Palm Springs hosted “An Intimate Evening with Dionne Warwick,” a night of music and memories.
The next morning, on December 8,2021, Dionne was inducted into Palm Springs’ Walk of Fame with the installation of her star at a Star Dedication ceremony. The ceremony was emceed by Palm Springs Chamber of Commerce Chief Executive Officer, Nona Watson, who introduced guest speakers, including Oscar’s owner Dan Gore, Palm Springs Mayor Christy Holstege, amongst many others. Her star is installed at 100 S. Palm Canyon Road in Palm Springs near the Welwood Murray Memorial Library.
Considering tonight’s CNN Film “Don’t Make Me Over” documentary about Dionne Warwick's life, that was slated to open the Palm Springs International Film Festival last January, we thought it appropriate to kick off the New Year on KWXY Presents, with “The Music of Dionne Warwick” along with some of her interview last year with KWXY’s Louie Comella.
Check out the premiering of the new CNN Film #DontMakeMeOver on this first day of 2023 because that’s what friends are for. Celebrate Dionne Warwick and her remarkable life on tonight New Year’s Day at 9 p.m. ET/PT
KWXY Presents ● “The Music Dionne Warwick” today at 12pm and again at 5pm, hosted by Louie Comella, on KWXY Music Radio 92.3FM ● 1340AM ● streaming at kwxy.com and ivoxradio.com