Dionne Warwick - Biography

Last Editor: heidi				Dionne Warwick Biography -   Name : Dionne Warwick Profession : Singer Birth Details : December 12, 1940 in East Orange, New Jersey as Marie Dionne Warrick Birth Name : Marie Dionne Warrick Origin : East Orange, New Jersey, U.S. Genre(s) : R&B, Soul, Urban, Soft Rock, Adult Contemporary, Quiet Storm, Pop Occupation(s) : Singer/Actress Instrument(s) : Vocals Years active : 1962–present Label(s) : Scepter (1962-1971) Warner Bros. Records (1972-1977) Arista (1979-1995) Independent Era (1996-2004) Concord (2005-Present) Associated acts : Burt Bacharach, The Spinners, Isaac Hayes, Sacha Distel, Whitney Houston, Jeffrey Osborne, June Pointer, Stevie Wonder, Elton John, Dieter Bohlen, Gl

Dionne Warwick Trivia -

She is the first cousin of Whitney Houston. On the advice of her numerologist, she added an "e" to her last name and spelled it that way professionally before reverting back to her original spelling. Mother of David Elliott, and Damon Elliott. She arrested on misdemeanor charge 12 May, 2002 at Miami International Airport for carrying 11 marijuana cigarettes, found in empty lipstick container, less than 5 grams of marijuana. A friend told reporters Warwick uses marijuana to fight effects of glaucoma. On 5 June 2002, AP reports that charges against Warwick were dropped after Miami-Dade County judge agreed to plea bargain deal, which included Warwick's completion of drug treatment program. She did not appear in court, but in a statement said, "To this day, I am puzzled about exactly what happened at the Miami International Airport. But through the grace of God, I can now put this unpleasant chapter behind me." Her plea also included her donation of $250 to a group which supports children born with HIV. Warwick also agreed to make an anti-drug public service announcement directed at youth. Celebrity spokesperson for the Psychic Friends Network and hostess for its infomercials in the 1990s. She ranked #42 on VH1's Greatest Women of Rock N Roll Honorary Member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. Although Warwick had a handful of Top Ten hits during the 1960s, many of her songs were not given the chance to shine. Such songs include "Any Old Time of the Day," "Here Where There Is Love," "The Wine Is Young," "Check Out Time," "Wives and Lovers," "Only Love Can Break a Heart," "Knowing When to Leave," "(They Long to Be) Close to You," "Don't Go Breaking My Heart," "Let Me Be Lonely," "Forever My Love," "In the Land of Make Believe," "What the World Needs Now Is Love," "The Look of Love," and "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head". As a teenager, she formed the Gospelaires, with sister Dee Dee Warwick and aunt Cissy Houston. She graduated from East Orange High School in East Orange, New Jersey in 1959. She was named the U.S. Ambassador of Health in 1987. In the 1960s, she worked with Burt Bacharach and Hal David who wrote most of her songs. She began singing at age 6 at a Baptist church. She attended Karen Carpenter's funeral on Tuesday, February 8, 1983. The services were held at United Methodist Church in Downey, California. Although her real last name is Warrick, on her first hit record, "Don't Make Me Over", her record company misspelled her name "Warwick" on the label, and she's used it ever since. Had a 12-year relationship with actor Gianni Russo best known for appearing as Carlo Rizzi, Connie Corleone's husband, in The Godfather (1972). Dionne's sister Dee Dee Warwick died Saturday October 19, 2008 at a New Jersey nursing home, with her elder sister by her side, after having been in poor health for several months, according to a family spokesman. She was 63. She was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Recording at 6922 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California.

Dionne Warwick Detailed Biography -

Dionne Warwick (born December 12, 1940 in East Orange, New Jersey as Marie Dionne Warrick) is an American singer best known for her work with Hal David and Burt Bacharach as songwriters. Her parents were Mansel Warrick and Lee Drinkard. She began singing gospel with her family, and started her professional solo career after graduating from the University of Hartford. Her first solo single was 1963's "Don't Make Me Over"; her name was misspelled on the credits, and she soon began using the new spelling ("Warwick"). The song was a moderate hit, but the follow-ups were unsuccessful until 1964's "Anyone Who Had a Heart." This was followed by "Walk on By," a major hit that launched her career into the stratosphere. Warwick weathered the British Invasion better than most American artists, and she released only a few minor hits in the UK during the late 1960s, most notably 1966's "Message to Michael". A 1967 LP called Here Where There Is Love became a big hit, as did her single "I Say a Little Prayer", which is now very famous for being featured in the recent movie, My Best Friend's Wedding. Her next big hit was unusual in that it was not written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David; "(Theme From) Valley of the Dolls" was a smash success, as was the follow-up, "Do You Know the Way to San José?". More hits and a few Grammies followed in the last two years of the 1960s. Her career slowed greatly in the 1970s, with no big hits until 1974's "Then Came You" with the Spinners. In the early 70's at the advice of a numerologist, both Dionne and her sister DeeDee added an 'e' to the end of Warwicke (later dropped). A five-year hiatus ensued, ending with "I'll Never Love This Way Again," produced by Barry Manilow. The accompanying album, Dionne, was her first to go platinum. Warwick's next hit was her 1982 full-length collaboration with the Bee Gees, Heartbreaker. In 1986, Warwick led the American Foundation for AIDS Research (AmFAR) benefit single "That's What Friends Are For" with Gladys Knight, Elton John and Stevie Wonder; it was a number one hit, and garnered Warwick's fifth Grammy. Her career took a major downturn in the 1990s, with only a few moderate-selling albums released and no major singles. During this period, she was perhaps best known for hosting infomercials for the Psychic Friends Network, a 900 number psychic service. In 2002, Warwick was arrested at Miami International Airport for possession of marijuana. Miami-Dade Police officers reported finding 11 marijuana cigarettes inside a lipstick container. Drug charges were dropped when she agreed to complete a drug treatment program, donate $250 to charity, and make an anti-drug public service announcement directed at youth. Warwick's sister Dee Dee Warwick also had a successful singing career, scoring a Top 20 R&B hit in the form of "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me" in 1967. One of Warwick's cousins is Whitney Houston. 1963 Presenting Dionne Warwick 1964 Anyone Who Had a Heart 1964 Make Way for Dionne Warwick 1965 The Sensitive Sound of Dionne Warwick 1966 Here I Am 1966 Dionne Warwick in Paris 1967 Here, Where There Is Love 1967 Dionne Warwick Onstage and in the Movies 1967 The Windows of the World 1968 Dionne in the Valley of the Dolls 1968 Magic of Believing 1968 Promises Promises 1969 Soulful 1969 Dionne Warwick's Greatest Motion Picture Hits 1970 I'll Never Fall in Love Again 1970 Very Dionne 1971 The Dionne Warwick Story: Live 1972 Dionne 1972 From Within 1973 Just Being Myself 1975 Then Came You 1975 Track of the Cat 1977 A Man and a Woman (w/ Isaac Hayes) 1977 Only Love Can Break a Heart 1977 Love at First Sight 1979 Dionne 1980 No Night So Long 1981 Hot! Live and Otherwise 1982 Friends in Love 1982 Heartbreaker 1985 Finder of Lost Loves 1985 Friends 1985 Without Your Love 1987 Reservations for Two 1989 Dionne Warwick Sings Cole Porter 1993 Friends Can Be Lovers 1995 Aquarela Do Brazil 1998 Dionne Sings Dionne 2000 Dionne Sings Dionne Vol. 2 2004 My Favorite Time of the Year