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 Celebrating 45 years in show business in 2006, Dionne Warwick’s signature interpretations have made their mark on the landscape of pop music through each decade, weaving generations of listeners from every demographic. Her reputation as a hit maker has been firmly implanted into American consciousness, thanks to nearly sixty charted hit songs since “Don’t Make Me Over” climbed the charts in 1962.
Since that first historic meeting with Burt Bacharach and Hal David in 1962, Warwick and the legendary songwriting duo began a hit-filled, twelve-year, association with Scepter Records. In all, Warwick, Bacharach and David racked up thirty hit singles and close to twenty best-selling albums during their first decade together. Songs like “Message to Michael,” “This Girl’s In Love With You,” “I’ll Never Fall in Love Again,” “Reach Out For Me,” and “Do You Know the Way to San Jose,” established Warwick as a consummate artist and performer. Known as the artist who “bridged the gap,” her soulful blend of pop, gospel, and R&B music transcended race, generation, culture and musical boundaries.
Warwick received her first of five Grammy Awards in 1968 for her classic hit, “Do You Know The Way to San Jose?,” and in doing so, became the first African-American solo artist of her generation to win the prestigious award for Best Contemporary Female Performance. Dionne also preceded the success of her musical peers by becoming the first such artist to achieve twelve consecutive Top 100 hit singles from 1963-1966, including “Walk on By,” “I Say A Little Prayer,” “Close To You,” “Anyone Who Had A Heart,” among many others.
 Warwick’s landmark recordings of the songs “A House Is Not A Home,” “Alfie,” “The Valley of the Dolls,” and “The April Fools” made her a pioneer as one of the first female artists to popularize classic movie themes to mainstream listeners. In 1968, Dionne made her own film debut in the movie, “Slaves,” marking the first time, since Lena Horne, that a contemporary African-American female recording artist achieved such a goal. In 1968, Warwick became the first African-American female to appear before the Queen of England at a Royal Command Performance.
In 1970, Warwick received her second Grammy Award for the best-selling album, “I’ll Never Fall In Love Again,” and she embarked on her second decade of hits with Warner Bros. Records. She recorded six albums, produced by such names as Thom Bell, Holland-Dozier-Holland, Steve Barri and Micahel Omartian, among others. In 1974, she hit the top of the charts with “Then Came You,” a million-selling duet with The Spinners.
In 1976, Warwick signed with Arista Records, beginning a third decade of hit-making. Barry Manilow produced her first Platinum-selling album, “Dionne,” which launched two back-to-back
hits, “I’ll Never Love This Way Again,” and “Déjà Vu,” both which earned Grammy Awards,
making Warwick the first female artist to win the Best Female Pop and Best Female R&B Performance Awards.
Further milestones marked Warwick’s tenure with Arista. Her 1982 album and single, “Heartbreaker,” co-produced by Barry Gibb and The Bee Gees, became an international chart topper.
In 1985, Dionne reunited with producer Burt Bacharach, and longtime friends Gladys Knight, Stevie Wonder and Elton John to record the smash hit, “That’s What Friends Are For.” The landmark Grammy-winning, chart-topping single was the first music collaboration which raised literally, millions of dollars for AIDS research and AMFAR. Warwick’s album, “Friends,” achieved Gold status.
Throughout the world, the socially conscious singer has devoted countless hours to many philanthropic causes, serving as the U.S. Ambassador for Health, Global Ambassador for the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization, among several other educational and charitable endeavors.
Warwick completed her first new album of duets for Concord Records in 2006 featuring an array of top flights artists, including Gladys Knight, Olivia Newton John, Britney Spears, Gloria Estefan, Whitney Houston, Mya, and Pink, among others.
Warwick received the first SupportMusic Appreciation Award in Washington, DC for her efforts in lobbying Congress to keep music education in school curriculums, a cause which she continually advocates.
Throughout her 45th year in 2006, Warwick will continue to complete her world tour, performing in every city and on every continent that she has ever played, again making music history.
Now she is back again!
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