Dionne Warwick facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dionne Warwick
Warwick in 2021
Born	Marie Dionne Warrick (1940-12-12) December 12, 1940 (age 84) East Orange, New Jersey, U.S.
Education	University of Hartford
Occupation	Singer actress television host
Years active	1955–present
Spouse(s)	William Elliott ​ ​ (m. 1966; div. 1967)​ ​ ​ (m. 1967; div. 1975)​
Children	2, including Damon
Relatives	Dee Dee Warwick (sister) Cissy Houston (maternal aunt) Whitney Houston (maternal first cousin) Gary Garland (maternal first cousin) Bobbi Kristina Brown (maternal first cousin once removed) Leontyne Price (maternal first cousin once removed)
Musical career
Genres	R&B soul pop gospel
Instruments	Vocals
Labels	Scepter Warner Bros. Arista River North Concord Rhino

Dionne Warwick, born Marie Dionne Warrick on December 12, 1940, is a famous American singer, actress, and TV host. She has won many awards, including six Grammy Awards. Her amazing career has led to her being honored in many places. These include the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Warwick is known as one of the top singers in U.S. music history. She had 56 songs on the Billboard Hot 100 chart between 1962 and 1998. Twelve of these songs reached the top ten. She is also one of the most-charted female vocalists ever. Billboard magazine ranks her as one of the "Greatest Artists of all time."

Early Life and Musical Beginnings

Dionne Warwick was born Marie Dionne Warrick. Her mother managed a gospel music group called the Drinkard Singers. Her father worked in several jobs, including as a record promoter. Dionne had a sister, Dee Dee, and a brother, Mancel Jr. Her family had African-American, Native American, and Dutch roots.

Dionne grew up in East Orange, New Jersey. She was a Girl Scout and started singing gospel music as a child. She sang at the New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, New Jersey. After high school in 1959, she studied music at the Hartt College of Music. While studying, she also sang background vocals for recording sessions in New York City. This is how she met Burt Bacharach, a famous songwriter.

Career Highlights

Warwick performing in Amsterdam, 1966

Family Music Group

Many of Dionne's family members were part of the Drinkard Singers. This was a gospel group that performed often in New York. Dionne made her first TV appearance with them on TV Gospel Time. The group became very successful.

Singing Background Vocals

Dionne also sang with another group called the Gospelaires. They provided background vocals for many artists in New York City. This included famous groups like the Drifters and singers like Ben E. King. Dionne remembered how they would travel from East Orange to Manhattan after school. They would sing in recording studios and still get home in time for homework.

Her Big Discovery

While singing background for the Drifters, Dionne's voice caught the attention of Burt Bacharach. He was a songwriter who worked with Hal David. Bacharach was impressed by her strong yet delicate voice. He hired her to record demo songs, which are like sample recordings.

One of these demos, "It's Love That Really Counts," was meant for another group. But the head of Scepter Records, Florence Greenberg, heard Dionne's voice. She told Bacharach, "Forget the song, get the girl!" This led to Dionne signing a record deal with Scepter Records in 1962.

Becoming a Star (1962–1965)

In November 1962, Dionne released her first solo song, "Don't Make Me Over." She actually came up with the title herself during a moment of frustration. The song became a top-40 hit. On the record label, her last name was misspelled as "Warwick," and she decided to keep it that way.

After this first hit, she went on tour in France. Critics there called her "Paris' Black Pearl." Her next big hits were "Anyone Who Had a Heart" in 1963 and "Walk On By" in 1964. These songs sold millions and made her a global star. For many years, Burt Bacharach and Hal David wrote and produced most of her music.

Dionne Warwick remained popular even when British music became very big in the U.S. She was named the Bestselling Female Vocalist by Cash Box Magazine in 1964.

Continued Success (1966–1971)

Warwick in 1969

The mid-1960s to early 1970s were a very successful time for Dionne. She released many gold-selling albums and hit singles. "Message to Michael" became a top 10 hit in 1966. Her album Here Where There Is Love was her first gold album. It included the popular song "Alfie."

In 1967, her song "I Say a Little Prayer" became a huge hit. It reached number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and sold over a million copies. Her next big song was "(Theme from) Valley of the Dolls." This song was from a movie and became another million-seller.

More hits followed, including "Do You Know the Way to San Jose?" (1968), "This Girl's in Love with You" (1969), and "I'll Never Fall in Love Again" (1969). By the end of 1971, Dionne Warwick had sold millions of records around the world.

In 1971, Dionne signed a big contract with Warner Bros. Records. This was one of the largest deals for a female singer at that time. However, soon after, Burt Bacharach and Hal David stopped working together. This meant Dionne had to find new producers and songwriters.

Warwick with First Lady Pat Nixon in 1971

New Beginnings (1972–1978)

Without Bacharach and David, Dionne's career slowed down for a few years. But she still performed in concerts worldwide. In 1974, she had a big hit with "Then Came You." This was a duet with the Spinners and became her first number 1 hit in the U.S.

After her contract with Warner Bros. ended in 1977, Dionne Warwick signed with Arista Records in 1979. This started a new very successful period in her career.

Heartbreaker and Arista Success (1979–1989)

At Arista Records, Dionne Warwick quickly found success again. Her song "I'll Never Love This Way Again" (1979) sold over a million copies. The album, Dionne, also sold over a million copies. In 1980, she won two Grammy Awards for these songs. She was the first female artist to win in both Pop and R&B vocal categories in the same year.

In 1982, she worked with Barry Gibb of the Bee Gees on the album Heartbreaker. The title song became one of her biggest international hits. It reached the top 10 in the U.S. and was a number 1 hit on the Adult Contemporary chart. The album sold 3 million copies worldwide.

In 1985, Dionne Warwick sang on the famous charity song "We Are the World." She joined many other stars like Michael Jackson and Elton John. The song raised money for charity and was a huge hit.

Later in 1985, Dionne reunited with Burt Bacharach for the song "That's What Friends Are For." This song was a benefit single for the American Foundation for AIDS Research (AmFAR). It featured Dionne, Gladys Knight, Elton John, and Stevie Wonder. The song was a massive success, reaching number 1 on three different charts. It raised over three million dollars for AIDS research. This song also won a Grammy Award.

Later Career and Recognition (1990–Present)

In the 1990s, Dionne Warwick hosted TV infomercials for the Psychic Friends Network. She later ended her connection with the company.

In 2002, Dionne Warwick was named a Goodwill Ambassador for the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. This role allowed her to help fight hunger around the world.

In 2005, she was honored by Oprah Winfrey at her Legends Ball. She also appeared on American Idol in 2006, singing a medley of her hits with Burt Bacharach.

In 2011, Dionne Warwick released a jazz album called Only Trust Your Heart. She also appeared on The Celebrity Apprentice 4 to raise money for the Hunger Project.

In 2019, Dionne Warwick received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. This special award celebrates her long and impactful career in music.

In 2020, she appeared on The Masked Singer as "Mouse." In 2021, she released a duet with Chance the Rapper called "Nothing's Impossible." This song also supported charities. A documentary about her life, Dionne Warwick: Don't Make Me Over, premiered in 2021.

In 2024, Dionne Warwick was chosen for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. This is a very high honor in music.

Voice and Style

Dionne Warwick is known for her unique and "husky" singing voice. She has a wide vocal range, meaning she can sing both low and high notes. Music critics often describe her voice as "elegant" and "sophisticated."

She is often called the "muse" (inspiration) for songwriters Burt Bacharach and Hal David. They wrote many songs specifically for her voice. Her way of singing their songs made them even more special.

Dionne Warwick's music blends different styles like pop, soul, R&B, and gospel. She is considered one of the greatest pop singers of all time. In recent years, she has also become known for sharing her honest opinions on social media, earning her the nickname "Queen of Twitter."

Personal Life

Dionne Warwick married actor and drummer William Elliott in 1966. They divorced in 1967 but remarried later that year. They had two sons, David and Damon. They divorced again in 1975. Dionne has said that it was sometimes hard being the main provider for her family.

Her older son, David, is a singer-songwriter and has performed with his mother. Her younger son, Damon, is a music producer who has worked with many famous artists. He also produced one of his mother's albums.

Dionne Warwick's sister, Dee Dee Warwick, was also a successful singer. Her maternal aunt is gospel singer Cissy Houston, who is the mother of her cousin, the late singer Whitney Houston. Opera singer Leontyne Price is also a cousin.

Discography

Studio albums

Tours

• Dionne Warwick Tour (1966)
• Dionne: 40 Anniversary Tour (2002)
• Soul Divas Tour (2004)
• An Evening with Dionne (2007)
• She's Back: One Last Time (2022)

Awards and Honors

Dionne Warwick has received many awards and special recognitions. The Miami-Dade Chamber of Commerce declared May 25 as Dionne Warwick Day. A school in East Orange, New Jersey, was renamed the Dionne Warwick Institute of Economics and Entrepreneurship in her honor. In October 2024, a street in East Orange, NJ, was named "Dionne Warwick Way."

Awards

Honors

Filmography

Film

Television

Live Performances

See also

In Spanish: Dionne Warwick para niños