Scintillating, soothing and sensual best describe the familiar and legendary voice of the one and only Dionne Warwick, who became a cornerstone of American pop music and culture. Warwick’s career had spanned more than 48 years at the time of this biography, establishing her as an international music legend. She earned more than sixty charted hits and sold over 100 million records.
She began singing professionally in 1961 after being discovered by the young songwriting team of Burt Bacharach and Hal David. Her first hit arrived in 1962 with “Don’t Make Me Over.” By 1970, she had accumulated more than 18 consecutive Top 100 singles, including the classic Bacharach and David recordings “Walk on By,” “Anyone Who Had a Heart,” “Message to Michael,” “Promises, Promises,” “A House Is Not a Home,” “Alfie” and the theme from The Valley of the Dolls.
Warwick received her first Grammy Award in 1968 for “Do You Know the Way to San Jose?” and a second Grammy in 1970 for the best-selling album I’ll Never Fall in Love Again. In 1974, she reached the top of the charts with “Then Came You,” a million-selling duet with The Spinners. In 1976, Arista Records label-mate Barry Manilow produced her first platinum-selling album, Dionne, which included the back-to-back hits “I’ll Never Love This Way Again” and “Déjà Vu.” Both recordings earned Grammy Awards, making Warwick the first female artist to win Best Female Pop and Best Female R&B Performance awards.
Warwick’s 1982 album Heartbreaker, co-produced by Barry Gibb and the Bee Gees, became an international chart-topper. In 1985, she reunited with producer Burt Bacharach and longtime friends Gladys Knight, Stevie Wonder and Elton John to record “That’s What Friends Are For.” The song became a number-one record around the world and the first recording dedicated to raising awareness and major funds for the AIDS cause, which Warwick continued to support.
Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Warwick collaborated with many musical peers, including Johnny Mathis, Smokey Robinson, Luther Vandross, Jeffrey Osborne, Kashif and Stevie Wonder. She later recorded the duet album My Friends and Me and the gospel album Why We Sing. At the time of this biography, she was completing an album devoted to the music of legendary composer Sammy Cahn. Warwick also added “author” to her credits with the best-selling children’s book Say a Little Prayer.
Always one to give back, Warwick supported and campaigned for causes and charities close to her heart, including AIDS awareness, The Starlight Foundation, children’s hospitals, world hunger, disaster relief and music education, raising millions of dollars. The Dionne Warwick Institute in New Jersey was named in recognition of her support and accomplishments.
This biography and photograph were reproduced from the Jamaica Jazz & Blues Media Press Kit.