Kim Warwick (born 8 April 1952 in Sydney, Australia) is a former Australian professional male tennis player mostly known for his doubles titles with Mark Edmondson, and for reaching the final of the singles Australian Open in 1980. He defeated players such as John Fitzgerald and defending champion Guillermo Vilas, in a hard five-set semifinal, before losing in the final against American Brian Teacher in straight sets. He won three singles titles and 26 doubles including Australian Open 1978 (with Wojtek Fibak) and Australian Open 1980 and 1981, Roland Garros 1986 and also a runner-up in Australian Open 1985, all of them partnering fellow countryman Mark Edmondson. Partnering with Evonne Goolagong,he won the French Open 1972, defeating Françoise Durr and Jean Claude Barclay in the final 6–2, 6–4. Yvonne and Kim were finalists in 1972 at Wimbledon against Rosie Casals and Ilie Năstase who won 6–4, 6–4.

Grand Slam singles finals

Runner-ups (1)

{| |- |width="50"|'''Year |width="175"|'''Championship |width="175"|'''Opponent in Final |width="100"|'''Score in Final |-bgcolor="FFFFCC" |1980 || Australian Open || Brian Teacher || 5–7, 6–7(4), 2–6 |}

Singles titles (3)

{| class="sortable wikitable" |- bgcolor="#eeeeee" |No. |Date |Tournament |Surface |Opponent in the final |Score |- | 1. | 1976 | Bangalore, India | Clay | Sashi Menon | 6–1, 6–2 |- | 2. | 1979 | Adelaide, Australia | Grass | Bernard Mitton | 7–5, 6–4 |- | 3. | 1980 | Johannesburg, South Africa | Hard | Fritz Buehning | 6–2, 6–1, 6–2 |}

Runner-ups (8)

{| class="sortable wikitable" |- bgcolor="#eeeeee" |No. |Date |Tournament |Surface |Opponent in the final |Score |- | 1. | 1972 | Adelaide, Australia | Grass | Alex Metreveli | 6–3, 6–3, 7–6 |- | 2. | 1974 | Jakarta, Indonesia | Hard | Onny Parun | 6–3, 6–3, 6–4 |- | 3. | 1977 | Tokyo Outdoor, Japan | Clay | Manuel Orantes | 6–2, 6–1 |- | 4. | 1978 | Stuttgart Outdoor, Germany | Clay | Ulrich Pinner | 6–2, 6–2, 7–6 |- | 5. | 1978 | Sydney Outdoor, Australia | Grass | Tim Wilkison | 6–3, 6–3, 6–7, 3–6, 6–2 |- | 6. | 1980 | London/Queen's Club, England | Grass | John McEnroe | 6–3, 6–1 |- | 7. | 1980 | Gstaad, Switzerland | Clay | Heinz Günthardt | 4–6, 6–4, 7–6 |- bgcolor="#e5d1cb" | 8. | 1980 | Australian Open, Melbourne | Grass | Brian Teacher | 7–5, 7–6, 6–2 |}

Doubles titles (26)

{| class="sortable wikitable" |- bgcolor="#eeeeee" |'''No. |'''Date |'''Tournament |'''Surface |'''Partnering |Opponent in the final |'''Score |- |- | 1. | 1974 | Cedar Grove, U.S. | Other | Steve Siegel | Dick Crealy Bob Danis | 4–6, 6–2, 6–1 |- | 2. | 1976 | Brisbane, Australia | Grass | Syd Ball | Ismail El Shafei Brian Fairlie | 6–4, 6–4 |- | 3. | 1976 | Sydney Outdoor, Australia | Grass | Syd Ball | Mark Edmondson John Marks | 6–3, 6–4 |- | 4. | 1977 | Tokyo Outdoor, Japan | Clay | Geoff Masters | Colin Dibley Chris Kachel | 6–2, 7–6 |- | 5. | 1977 | Hong Kong | Hard | Syd Ball | Marty Riessen Roscoe Tanner | 7–6, 6–3 |- | 6. | 1977 | Adelaide, Australia | Grass | Syd Ball | John Alexander Phil Dent | 3–6, 7–6, 6–4 |- bgcolor="#e5d1cb" | 7. | 1978 | Australian Open, Melbourne | Grass | Wojtek Fibak | Paul Kronk Cliff Letcher | 7–6, 7–5 |- | 8. | 1979 | Auckland, New Zealand | Hard | Bernard Mitton | Andrew Jarrett Jonathan Smith | 6–3, 2–6, 6–3 |- | 9. | 1980 | Nice, France | Clay | Chris Delaney | Stanislav Birner Jiří Hřebec | 6–4, 6–0 |- | 10. | 1980 | Rome, Italy | Clay | Mark Edmondson | Balázs Taróczy Eliot Teltscher | 7–6, 7–6 |- | 11. | 1980 | Surbiton, England | Grass | Mark Edmondson | Andrew Pattison Butch Walts | 7–6, 6–7, 6–7, 7–6, 15–13 |- bgcolor="#e5d1cb" | 12. | 1980 | Australian Open, Melbourne | Grass | Mark Edmondson | Peter McNamara Paul McNamee | 7–5, 6–4 |- bgcolor="#e5d1cb" | 13. | 1981 | Australian Open, Melbourne | Grass | Mark Edmondson | Hank Pfister John Sadri | 6–3, 6–7, 6–3 |- | 14. | 1982 | Adelaide-2, Australia | Grass | Mark Edmondson | Andrew Jarrett Jonathan Smith | 7–5, 4–6, 7–6 |- | 15. | 1982 | Guarujá, Brazil | Clay | Phil Dent | Carlos Kirmayr Cassio Motta | 6–7, 6–2, 6–3 |- | 16. | 1982 | Richmond WCT, United States | Carpet | Mark Edmondson | Syd Ball Rolf Gehring | 6–4, 6–2 |- | 17. | 1982 | Kitzbühel, Austria | Clay | Mark Edmondson | Rod Frawley Pavel Složil | 6–4, 4–6, 7–6 |- | 18. | 1983 | Stowe, U.S. | Hard | Brad Drewett | Fritz Buehning Tom Gullikson | 4–6, 7–5, 6–2 |- | 19. | 1983 | Taipei, Taiwan | Carpet | Wally Masur | Ken Flach Robert Seguso | 7–6, 6–4 |- | 20. | 1985 | Munich, Germany | Clay | Mark Edmondson | Sergio Casal Emilio Sánchez | 4–6, 7–5, 7–5 |- bgcolor="#e5d1cb" | 21. | 1985 | French Open, Paris | Clay | Mark Edmondson | Shlomo Glickstein Hans Simonsson | 6–3, 6–4, 6–7, 6–3 |- | 22. | 1985 | Hong Kong | Hard | Brad Drewett | Jakob Hlasek Tomáš Šmíd | 6–3, 4–6, 6–2 |- | 23. | 1985 | Adelaide, Australia | Grass | Mark Edmondson | Nelson Aerts Tomm Warneke | 6–4, 6–4 |- | 24. | 1986 | Cincinnati, U.S. | Hard | Mark Kratzmann | Christo Steyn Danie Visser | 6–3, 6–4 |- | 25. | 1986 | Stockholm, Sweden | Hard (i) | Sherwood Stewart | Pat Cash Slobodan Živojinović | 6–4, 6–4 |- | 26. | 1987 | Orlando, U.S. | Hard | Sherwood Stewart | Paul Annacone Christo van Rensburg | 2–6, 7–6, 6–4 |}

Runner-ups (26)

{| class="sortable wikitable" |- bgcolor="#eeeeee" |'''No. |'''Date |'''Tournament |'''Surface |'''Partnering |Opponent in the final |'''Score |- |- | 1. | 1974 | Omaha, U.S. | Other | Ian Fletcher | Jürgen Fassbender Karl Meiler | 6–2, 6–4 |- | 2. | 1974 | Tempe, U.S. | Hard | Ian Fletcher | Jürgen Fassbender Karl Meiler | 4–6, 6–4, 7–5 |- | 3. | 1975 | Stockholm WCT, Sweden | Carpet | Patrice Dominguez | Arthur Ashe Tom Okker | 6–3, 7–6 |- | 4. | 1975 | San Francisco, U.S. | Carpet | Allan Stone | Fred McNair Sherwood Stewart | 6–2, 7–6 |- | 5. | 1975 | Manila, Philippines | Hard | Syd Ball | Ross Case Geoff Masters | 6–1, 6–2 |- | 6. | 1976 | Hamburg, Germany | Clay | Dick Crealy | Fred McNair Sherwood Stewart | 7–6, 7–6, 7–6 |- | 7. | 1976 | Sydney Indoor, Australia | Hard | Syd Ball | Ismail El Shafei Brian Fairlie | 4–6, 6–4, 7–6 |- | 8. | 1977 | Adelaide, Australia | Grass | Syd Ball | Cliff Letcher Dick Stockton | 6–3, 4–6, 6–4 |- | 9. | 1977 | Denver, U.S. | Carpet | Syd Ball | Colin Dibley Geoff Masters | 6–2, 6–3 |- | 10. | 1977 | Hamburg, Germany | Clay | Phil Dent | Bob Hewitt Karl Meiler | 3–6, 6–3, 6–4, 6–4 |- | 11. | 1978 | Gstaad, Switzerland | Clay | Bob Hewitt | Mark Edmondson Tom Okker | 6–4, 1–6, 6–1, 6–4 |- | 12. | 1978 | Stowe, United States | Hard | Mark Edmondson | Tim Gullikson Tom Gullikson | 3–6, 7–6, 6–3 |- | 13. | 1980 | Metz, France | Carpet | Chris Delaney | Colin Dibley Gene Mayer | 7–6, 7–5 |- | 14. | 1980 | Gstaad, Switzerland | Clay | Mark Edmondson | Colin Dowdeswell Ismail El Shafei | 6–4, 6–4 |- | 15. | 1982 | Denver, U.S. | Carpet | Phil Dent | Kevin Curren Steve Denton | 6–4, 6–4 |- | 16. | 1982 | Bristol, England | Grass | Mark Edmondson | Tim Gullikson Tom Gullikson | 6–4, 7–6 |- | 17. | 1982 | Sawgrass Doubles, United States | Clay | Mark Edmondson | Brian Gottfried Raúl Ramírez | W/O |- | 18. | 1982 | Hong Kong | Hard | Van Winitsky | Charles Buzz Strode Morris Skip Strode | 6–4, 3–6, 6–2 |- | 19. | 1983 | Brisbane, Australia | Carpet | Mark Edmondson | Pat Cash Paul McNamee | 7–6, 7–6 |- | 20. | 1984 | Toronto, Canada | Hard | John Fitzgerald | Peter Fleming John McEnroe | 6–4, 6–2 |- | 21. | 1985 | Delray Beach, U.S. | Hard | Sherwood Stewart | Paul Annacone Christo van Rensburg | 7–5, 7–5, 6–4 |- | 22. | 1985 | Indianapolis, U.S. | Clay | Pavel Složil | Ken Flach Robert Seguso | 6–4, 6–4 |- | 23. | 1985 | Sydney Indoor, Australia | Hard (i) | Mark Edmondson | John Fitzgerald Anders Järryd | 6–3, 6–2 |- bgcolor="#e5d1cb" | 24. | 1985 | Australian Open, Melbourne | Grass | Mark Edmondson | Paul Annacone Christo van Rensburg | 6–7, 6–4, 6–4 |- | 25. | 1986 | Wembley, England | Carpet | Sherwood Stewart | Peter Fleming John McEnroe | 3–6, 7–6, 6–2 |- | 26. | 1988 | Orlando, U.S. | Hard | Sherwood Stewart | Guy Forget Yannick Noah | 6–4, 6–4 |}

References

Category:Australian male tennis players Category:Australian Open (tennis) champions Category:French Open champions Category:People from Sydney Category:Tennis people from New South Wales Category:1952 births Category:Living people

Coordinates	38°53′51.61″N77°2′11.58″N
Birth name	Whitney Elizabeth Houston
Background	solo_singer
Born	August 09, 1963Newark, New Jersey, U.S.
Origin	East Orange, New Jersey
Instrument	Vocals, piano
Genre	R&B;, pop, dance, soul, gospel
Occupation	Singer, actress, model, film producer, record producer , songwriter
Years active	1977–present
Label	Arista/Sony Music
Associated acts	Cissy Houston, Dionne Warwick, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Bobby Brown, Kim Burrell, CeCe Winans, Mariah Carey, Luther Vandross, Jermaine Jackson
Url

Whitney Elizabeth Houston (born August 9, 1963) is an American R&B;/pop singer and actress. Houston is the most awarded female artist of all time, according to Guinness World Records, and her list of awards include 2 Emmy Awards, 6 Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards, among a total of 415 career awards as of 2010. Houston is also one of the world's best-selling music artists, having sold over 170 million albums and singles worldwide.

Inspired by several prominent soul singers in her extended family, including mother Cissy Houston and cousins Dionne Warwick and Dee Dee Warwick, as well as her godmother, Aretha Franklin, Houston began singing with New Jersey church's junior gospel choir at age 11. After she began performing alongside her mother in night clubs in the New York City area, she was discovered by Arista Records label head Clive Davis. As of 2011, Houston has released seven studio albums and three movie soundtrack albums, all of which have had diamond, multi-platinum, platinum, or gold certification.

Houston's 1985 debut album, Whitney Houston, became the best-selling debut album by a female act at the time of its release. Her second studio album, Whitney (1987), became the first album by a female artist to debut at number one on the Billboard 200 albums chart. enabled several African-American female artists to follow in her success.

Houston's first acting role was as the star of the feature film The Bodyguard (1992). The movie's won the 1994 Grammy Award for Album of the Year. Its lead single, "I Will Always Love You", became the best-selling single by a female artist in music history. Three years after the release of her fourth studio album, My Love Is Your Love (1998), she renewed her recording contract with Arista Records. She is of African-American, Native-American and Dutch descent. Her mother, along with cousins Dionne Warwick and the late Dee Dee Warwick and godmother Aretha Franklin were all notable figures in the gospel, rhythm and blues, pop, and soul genres. Houston was raised a Baptist, but was also exposed to the Pentecostal church. After the 1967 Newark riots, the family moved to a middle class area in East Orange, New Jersey when she was four. Her first solo performance in the church was "Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah".

When Houston was a teenager, she attended a Catholic single-sex high school, Mount Saint Dominic Academy, where she met her best friend Robyn Crawford, whom she describes as the "sister she never had." While Houston was still in school, her mother continued to teach her how to sing.

1977–84: Early career

Houston spent some of her teenage years touring nightclubs where her mother Cissy was performing, and she would occasionally get on stage and perform with her. In 1977, at age 14, she was a backup singer on the Michael Zager Band's single "Life's a Party". Zager subsequently offered to obtain a recording contract for the young singer, but Cissy declined, wanting her young daughter to finish school first. Then in 1978, at age 15, Houston sang background vocals on Chaka Khan's hit single "I'm Every Woman", a song she would later turn into a hit for herself on her monster-selling soundtrack album . She also sang back-up on albums by Lou Rawls and Jermaine Jackson. In the early 1980s, Houston started working as a fashion model after a photographer saw her at Carnegie Hall singing with her mother. She appeared as a lead vocalist on a Paul Jabara album, entitled Paul Jabara and Friends, released by Columbia Records in 1983. She appeared in Seventeen and became one of the first women of color to grace the cover of the magazine. She was also featured in layouts in the pages Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Young Miss and appeared in a Canada Dry soft drink TV commercial. Her striking looks and girl-next-door charm made her one of the most sought after teen models of that time.

Houston had previously been offered several recording agencies (Michael Zager in 1980 and Elektra Records in 1981). In 1983, Gerry Griffith, an A&R; representative from Arista Records saw her performing with her mother in a New York City nightclub and was impressed. He convinced Arista's head Clive Davis to make time to see Houston perform. Davis too was impressed and offered a worldwide recording contract which Houston signed. Later that year, she made her national televised debut alongside Davis on The Merv Griffin Show.

Houston signed with Arista in 1983 but did not begin work on her album immediately. The label wanted to make sure no other label signed the singer away. Davis wanted to ensure he had the right material and producers for Houston's debut album. Some producers had to pass on the project due to prior commitments. Houston first recorded a duet with Teddy Pendergrass entitled "Hold Me" which appeared on his album, Love Language. The single was released in 1984 and gave Houston her first taste of success, becoming a Top 5 R&B; hit. It would also appear on her debut album in 1985.

1985–86: Rise to prominence

With production from Michael Masser, Kashif, Jermaine Jackson and Narada Michael Walden, Houston's self-titled debut album was released in February 1985. Rolling Stone magazine praised the new talent, calling her "one of the most exciting new voices in years" while The New York Times called the album "an impressive, musically conservative showcase for an exceptional vocal talent." The first single, the dance-funk "Someone For Me", failed to chart in the US and UK. The next single, "Thinking About You", reached the top ten of the US R&B; Chart, as the album sold modestly. The release of the next single, the soulful ballad "You Give Good Love", peaked at #3 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, and went to #1 on the R&B; Charts. The next single, "How Will I Know", peaked at #1 and introduced Houston to the MTV audience thanks to its video. This would make the singer the first African-American female artists to receive heavy rotation on the network. The final single, "Greatest Love of All", became Houston's biggest hit at the time after peaking #1 and remaining there for three weeks. At the time, Houston released the best-selling debut album by a female artist. Houston then embarked on her world tour, Greatest Love Tour. The album had become an international success, and was certified 13x Platinum (diamond) in the United States alone, and has sold a total of 25 million copies worldwide.

At the 1986 Grammy Awards, Houston was nominated for three awards including Album of the Year. She was ineligible for the Best New Artist category due to her previous duet recording with Teddy Pendergrass in 1984. She won her first Grammy award for 'Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female' for "Saving All My Love for You". At the same award show, she performed that Grammy-winning hit; that performance later winning her an Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program. Houston won seven American Music Awards in total in 1986 and 1987, and an MTV Video Music Award. The album's popularity would also carry over to the 1987 Grammy Awards when "Greatest Love of All" would receive a Record of the Year nomination. Houston's debut album is currently listed as one of Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time and on The Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame's Definitive 200 list. Whitney Houston's grand entrance into the music industry is considered one of the 25 musical milestones of the last 25 years, according to USA Today. Following Houston's breakthrough, doors were opened for other African-American female artists such as Janet Jackson and Anita Baker to find notable success in popular music and on MTV.

1987–91: Whitney, I'm Your Baby Tonight and "The Star Spangled Banner"

Houston’s second album, Whitney, was released in June 1987. The album again featured production from Masser, Kashif and Walden as well as Jellybean Benitez. Many critics complained that the material was too similar to her previous album. Rolling Stone said, "the narrow channel through which this talent has been directed is frustrating." Still, the album enjoyed commercial success. Houston became the first female artist in music history to debut at number one on the US and UK album chart while also hitting number one or top ten in dozens of other countries around the world. The album's first four singles, "I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)," "Didn't We Almost Have It All," "So Emotional," and "Where Do Broken Hearts Go" all peaked at number one on the US Hot 100, which gave her a total of seven consecutive number one hits, breaking the record of six previously shared by The Beatles and The Bee Gees. Whitney has been certified 9× Platinum in the US for shipments of over 9 million copies, and has sold a total of 20 million copies worldwide.

At the Grammy Awards in 1988, Houston was nominated for three awards, including Album of the Year, winning her second Grammy for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for "I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)". Houston also won two American Music Awards in 1988 and 1989 respectively. Following the release of the album, Houston embarked on the Moment of Truth World Tour which was one of the ten highest grossing concert tours of 1987. The success of the tour and her albums ranked Houston #8 for the highest earning entertainers list according to Forbes Magazine. She was the highest earning African-American woman and the third highest entertainer after Bill Cosby and Eddie Murphy.

Houston was a supporter of Nelson Mandela and the anti-apartheid movement. During her modeling days, the singer refused to work with any agencies who did business with the then-apartheid South Africa. In June 1988, during the European leg of her tour, Houston joined other musicians to perform a set at Wembley Stadium in London to celebrate a then-imprisoned Nelson Mandela's 70th birthday. Houston then flew back to the US for a concert at Madison Square Garden in New York City in August. The show was a benefit concert that raised a quarter of a million dollars for the United Negro College Fund. In the same year, she recorded a song for NBC's coverage of the 1988 Summer Olympics, "One Moment in Time", which became a Top 5 hit in the US, while reaching number one in the UK and Germany. With her current world tour continuing overseas, Houston was still one of the top 20 highest earning entertainers for 1987–1988 according to Forbes magazine.

in Tampa, Florida on January 27, 1991.]] In 1989, Houston formed The Whitney Houston Foundation For Children, a non-profit organization that has raised funds for the needs of children around the world. The organization cares for homelessness, children with cancer or AIDS, and other issues of self-empowerment. With the success of her first two albums, Houston was undoubtedly an international crossover superstar, the most prominent since Michael Jackson, appealing to all demographics. However, some black critics believed she was "selling out". Houston defended herself against the criticism, stating, "If you're gonna have a long career, there's a certain way to do it, and I did it that way. I'm not ashamed of it." while Entertainment Weekly, at the time thought Houston's shift towards an urban direction was "superficial". The album peaked at number three on the Billboard 200 and went on to be certified four times platinum in America while selling twelve million total worldwide. Two of the singles released from the album reached number one in the US.

With America at war, Houston performed "The Star Spangled Banner" at Super Bowl XXV in January 1991. VH1 listed the performance as the 12th greatest moment that rocked TV. Her recording of the song was released as a commercial single, and reached the Top 20 on the US Hot 100, making her the only act to turn the national anthem into a pop hit of that magnitude (Jose Feliciano's version reached #50 in November 1968). Houston donated all her share of the proceeds to the Red Cross. Later that year, Houston put together her Welcome Home Heroes concert with HBO for the soldiers fighting in the Gulf War and their families. The free concert took place at Naval Station Norfolk in Norfolk, Virginia in front of 3,500 servicemen and women. HBO descrambled the concert so that it was free for everyone to watch. Houston's concert gave HBO its highest ratings ever. She then embarked on the I'm Your Baby Tonight World Tour.

1992–94: Marriage to Bobby Brown and The Bodyguard

Throughout the 1980s, Houston was romantically linked to American football star Randall Cunningham and actor Eddie Murphy, whom she dated.

With the commercial success of her albums, movie offers poured in, including offers to work with Robert De Niro, Quincy Jones, and Spike Lee; but Houston felt the time wasn't right. Houston’s first film role was in The Bodyguard, released in 1992 and co-starring Kevin Costner. Houston played Rachel Marron, a star who is stalked by a crazed fan and hires a bodyguard to protect her. USA Today listed it as one of the 25 most memorable movie moments of the last 25 years. The movie is also notable for not mentioning or needing to explain its interracial aspect. Houston's mainstream appeal allowed people to look at the movie color-blind. Still, controversy arose as some felt the film's ads intentionally hid Houston's face to hide the film's interracial aspect. In an interview with Rolling Stone Magazine in 1993, the singer commented that "people know who Whitney Houston is—I'm black. You can't hide that fact." and The New York Times said she lacked passion with her co-star. Despite the film's mixed reviews, it was hugely successful at the box office, grossing more than $121 million in the U.S. and $410 million worldwide, making it one of the top 100 grossing films in film history at its time of release, though it is no longer in the top 100.

The film's soundtrack also enjoyed success. Houston executive produced and contributed six songs for the motion picture's . Rolling Stone said it is "nothing more than pleasant, tasteful and urbane". The soundtrack's lead single was "I Will Always Love You", written and originally recorded by Dolly Parton in 1974. The single peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for a then-record-breaking 14 weeks, number one on the R&B; chart for a then-record-breaking 11 weeks, and number one on the Adult Contemporary charts for five weeks, thus becoming the first single to top those three charts simultaneously for five weeks. The song also hit number-one in many other countries. The soundtrack debuted at #1 and remained there for twenty non-consecutive weeks and became one of the fastest selling albums ever. At one point the soundtrack sold over a million copies within a week, becoming the first album to do so. With the follow-up singles "I'm Every Woman", a Chaka Khan cover, and "I Have Nothing" both peaking in the top five, Houston became the first female artist to ever have three singles in the Top 20 simultaneously. The album was certified 17× platinum in the United States with worldwide sales of 42 million, making The Bodyguard the only album by a female act on the list of the world's Top 10 best-selling albums. Houston won three Grammys for the album, including two of the Academy's highest honors, Album of the Year and Record of the Year. In addition, she won eight American Music Awards at that year's ceremony, including the Award of Merit, and a BRIT award. Following the success of the project, Houston embarked on another expansive global tour in 1993 and 1994. Her concerts, movie, and recording grosses made her the third highest earning female entertainer of 1993–1994, just behind Oprah Winfrey and Barbra Streisand according to Forbes Magazine. Houston placed in the top five of Entertainment Weekly's annual "Entertainer of the Year" ranking and was labeled by Premier Magazine as one of the 100 most powerful people in Hollywood.

In October 1994, Houston attended and performed at a state dinner in the White House honoring newly elected South African president Nelson Mandela. At the end of her world tour, Houston performed three concerts in South Africa to honor President Mandela, playing to over 200,000 people. This would make the singer the first major musician to visit the newly unified and apartheid free nation following Mandela's winning election. The concert was broadcast live on HBO with funds of the concerts being donated to various charities in South Africa. The event was considered the nation's "biggest media event since the inauguration of Nelson Mandela."

1995–97: Waiting to Exhale, The Preacher's Wife and Cinderella

In 1995, Houston starred alongside Angela Bassett, Loretta Devine, and Lela Rochon in her second film Waiting to Exhale, a motion picture about four African-American women struggling with relationships. Houston plays the lead character Savannah Jackson, a TV producer in love with a married man. She chose the role because she saw the film as "a breakthrough for the image of black women because it presents them both as professionals and as caring mothers". it proved that a movie primarily targeting a black audience can cross over to success, while paving the way for other all-black movies such as How Stella Got Her Groove Back and the Tyler Perry movies that have become popular in the 2000s. The film is also notable for its portrayal of black women as strong middle class citizens as opposed to stereotypes. The reviews were mainly positive for the ensemble cast. The New York Times said "Ms. Houston has shed the defensive hauteur that made her portrayal of a pop star in 'The Bodyguard' seem so distant." Houston was nominated for an NAACP Image Award for "Outstanding Actress In A Motion Picture," but lost to her co-star Bassett.

The film's accompanying soundtrack, , was produced by Houston and Babyface. Though Babyface originally wanted Houston to record the entire album, she declined. Instead, she "wanted it to be an album of women with vocal distinction", and thus gathered several African-American female artists for the soundtrack, to go along with the film's strong women message. As a result, the album featured a range of contemporary R&B; female recording artists along with Houston, such as Mary J Blige, Aretha Franklin, Toni Braxton, Patti Labelle, and Brandy. Houston's "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)" peaked at #1, and then spent a record eleven weeks at the #2 spot and eight weeks on top of the R&B; Charts. "Count On Me", a duet with CeCe Winans, hit the US Top 10; and Houston's third contribution, "Why Does It Hurt So Bad", made the Top 30. The album debuted at #1, and was certified 7× Platinum in the United States, denoting shipments of seven million copies. and has since ranked it as one of the 100 Best Movie Soundtracks. Newsday called it "the most significant R&B; record of the decade." Later that year, Houston's children's charity organization was awarded a VH1 Honor for all the charitable work

In 1996, Houston starred in the holiday comedy The Preacher's Wife, with Denzel Washington. She plays a gospel-singing wife of a pastor (Courtney B. Vance). Houston earned $10 million for the role, making her one of the highest paid actress in Hollywood at the time and the highest earning African American actress in Hollywood. The movie, with its all African-American cast, was a moderate success, earning approximately $50 million at the U.S. box offices. The movie gave Houston her strongest reviews so far. The San Francisco Chronicle said Houston "is rather angelic herself, displaying a divine talent for being virtuous and flirtatious at the same time" and that she "exudes gentle yet spirited warmth, especially when praising the Lord in her gorgeous singing voice." Houston was again nominated for an NAACP Image Award and won for Outstanding Actress In A Motion Picture.

Houston recorded and co-produced, with Mervyn Warren, the film's accompanying gospel soundtrack. included six gospel songs with Georgia Mass Choir that were recorded at the Great Star Rising Baptist Church in Atlanta. Houston also duetted with gospel legend Shirley Caesar. The album sold six million copies worldwide and scored hit singles with "I Believe in You and Me" and "Step by Step", becoming the largest selling gospel album of all time. The album received mainly positive reviews. Some critics, such as that of USA Today, noted the presence of her emotional depth, while The UK Times said "To hear Houston going at full throttle with the 35 piece Georgia Mass Choir struggling to keep up is to realise what her phenomenal voice was made for."

In 1997, Houston's production company changed its name to BrownHouse Productions and was joined by Debra Martin Chase. Their goal was "to show aspects of the lives of African-Americans that have not been brought to the screen before" while improving how African-Americans are portrayed in film and television. Their first project was a made-for-television remake of Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella. In addition to co-producing, Houston starred in the movie as the Fairy Godmother along with Brandy, Jason Alexander, Whoopi Goldberg, and Bernadette Peters. Houston was initially offered the role of Cinderella in 1993, but other projects intervened. The film is notable for its multi-racial cast and nonstereotypical message. An estimated 60 million viewers tuned into the special giving ABC its highest TV ratings in 16 years. The movie received seven Emmy nominations including Outstanding Variety, Musical or Comedy, while winning Outstanding Art Direction in a Variety, Musical or Comedy Special.

Houston and Chase then obtained the rights to the story of Dorothy Dandridge. Houston was to play Dandridge, who was the first African American actress to be nominated for an Oscar. She wanted the story told with dignity and honor. Later that year, Houston paid tribute to her idols such as Aretha Franklin, Diana Ross, and Dionne Warwick by performing their hits during the three-night HBO Concert Classic Whitney, live from Washington, D.C. The special raised over $300,000 for the Children's Defense Fund.

1998–2000: My Love Is Your Love and Whitney: The Greatest Hits

After spending much of the early and mid 1990s working on motion pictures and their adjacent soundtrack albums, Houston's first studio album in eight years, the critically acclaimed My Love Is Your Love, was released in November 1998. Though originally slated to be a greatest hits album with a handful of new songs, recording sessions were so fruitful that a new full-length studio album was released. Recorded and mixed in only six weeks, it featured production from Rodney Jerkins, Wyclef Jean and Missy Elliott. The album debuted at number thirteen in the US. It had a funkier and edgier sound than past releases and saw Houston handling urban dance, hip hop, mid-tempo R&B;, reggae, torch songs, and ballads all with great dexterity. The album featured several hit singles: "When You Believe" (US #15, UK #4), a duet with Mariah Carey for 1998s The Prince of Egypt soundtrack, it also became an international hit as it peaked in the Top 10 in several countries and won an Academy Award; "Heartbreak Hotel" (US #2, UK# 25) featured Faith Evans and Kelly Price, and number one on the US R&B; chart for seven weeks; "It's Not Right But It's Okay" (US #4, UK #3) won Houston her sixth Grammy Award; "My Love Is Your Love" (US #4, UK #2); and "I Learned from the Best" (US #27, UK #19). These singles became international hits as well, and all the singles, except "When You Believe", became number one hits on the U.S. Dance/Clubplay Chart. The album sold four million copies in America (4× platinum) and a total of eleven million worldwide. and The Village Voice called it "Whitney's sharpest and most satisfying so far". In 1999, Houston participated in VH-1's Divas’ Live '99, alongside Mary J. Blige, Tina Turner, and Cher. The same year, Houston hit the road with her 70 date My Love Is Your Love worldwide tour. The European leg was Europe's highest grossing arena tour of the year.

In May 2000, was released. The double disc set peaked at number five in the United States and reached number one in the United Kingdom. While ballad songs were left unchanged, the album is notable for featuring house/club remixes of many of Houston's up-tempo hits, in place of their original version. Also included on the album were four new songs: "Could I Have This Kiss Forever" (a duet with Enrique Iglesias), "Same Script, Different Cast" (a duet with Deborah Cox), "If I Told You That" (a duet with George Michael), and "Fine". Along with the album, an accompanying DVD was released featuring the music videos to Houston's greatest hits. The greatest hits album was certified triple platinum in the US, with worldwide sales of ten million. Houston and Chase, along with Warner Brothers, were then set to produce a remake of the 1976 film Sparkle about a 1960s singing group of three sisters in Harlem. Aaliyah, who was to star in the remake, was killed in a plane crash in 2001 before production began.

2000–05: Just Whitney, drug allegations and personal struggles

Though Houston was seen as a "good girl" with a perfect image in the '80s and early '90s, by the late '90s, her behavior changed. She was often hours late for interviews, photo shoots and rehearsals, and canceling concerts and talk-show appearances. With the missed performances and weight loss, rumors about Houston using drugs with her husband circulated. On January 11, 2000, airport security guards discovered marijuana in both Houston's and husband Bobby Brown's luggage at a Hawaii airport, but the two boarded the plane and departed before authorities could arrive. Charges were later dropped against her and Brown, but rumors of drug usage between the couple would continue to surface. Two months later, Clive Davis was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Houston had been scheduled to perform at the event, but did not attend. Shortly thereafter, Houston was scheduled to perform at the Academy Awards but was fired from the event by musical director and long time friend Burt Bacharach. Her publicist cited throat problems as the reason for the cancellation. In his book The Big Show: High Times and Dirty Dealings Backstage at the Academy Awards, author Steve Pond revealed that "Houston's voice was shaky, she seemed distracted and jittery, and her attitude was casual, almost defiant," and that while Houston was to sing "Over the Rainbow", she would start singing a different song. Houston later admitted to having been fired. Later that year, Houston's long-time executive assistant and friend, Robyn Crawford, resigned from Houston's management company. She later made an appearance on . Her extremely thin frame further spurred rumors of drug use. Houston's publicist said, "Whitney has been under stress due to family matters, and when she is under stress she doesn't eat." The singer was scheduled for a second performance the following night but canceled. Within weeks, Houston's rendition of "The Star Spangled Banner" would be re-released after the terrorist attacks of September 11. The song peaked at #6 this time on the US Hot 100, topping its previous position. Houston stated that her 81-year-old father had nothing to do with the lawsuit. Although Skinner tried to claim otherwise, John Houston never appeared in court. Houston's father later died in February 2003. The lawsuit was dismissed on April 5, 2004, and Skinner was awarded nothing.

Also in 2002, Houston did an interview with Diane Sawyer to promote her then-upcoming album. The interview was the highest-rated television interview in history. During the prime-time special, Houston spoke on topics including rumored drug use and marriage. She was asked about the ongoing drug rumors and replied, "First of all, let's get one thing straight. Crack is cheap. I make too much money to ever smoke crack. Let's get that straight. Okay? We don't do crack. We don't do that. Crack is wack." Houston did, however, admit to using other substances at times. The album debuted at number 9 on the Billboard 200 chart and it had the highest first week sales of any album Houston had ever released. The four singles released from the album, didn't fare well on the Billboard Hot 100, but became Hot Dance Club Play hits. Just Whitney... was certified platinum in the United States, and sold approximately three million worldwide.

In late 2003, Houston released her first Christmas album , with a song listing of traditional holiday songs. Houston produced the album with Mervyn Warren and Gordon Chambers. A single titled "One Wish (for Christmas)" reached the Top 20 on the Adult Contemporary chart, and the album was certified gold in the US. Having always been a touring artist, Houston spent most of 2004 touring and performing in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Russia. In September 2004, she gave a surprise performance at the World Music Awards, in tribute to long time friend Clive Davis. After the show, Davis and Houston announced plans to go into studio to work on her new album.

In early 2004, husband Bobby Brown starred in his own reality TV program, Being Bobby Brown (on the Bravo network), which provided a view into the domestic goings-on in the Brown household. Though it was Brown's vehicle, Houston was a prominent figure throughout the show, receiving as much screen time as Brown. The series aired in 2005 and featured Houston in, what some would say, not her most flattering moments. The Hollywood Reporter said it was "undoubtedly the most disgusting and execrable series ever to ooze its way onto television." Despite the perceived train-wreck nature of the show, the series gave Bravo its highest ratings in its time slot and continued Houston's successful forays into film and television. The show was not renewed for a second season after Houston stated she would no longer appear in it, and Brown and Bravo could not come to an agreement for another season.

2006–present: Return to music, I Look to You and tour

After years of controversy and turmoil, Houston separated from Bobby Brown in September 2006, filing for divorce the next month. On February 1, 2007, Houston asked the court to fast track their divorce. The divorce was finalized on April 24, 2007, with Houston granted custody of the couple's daughter. Less than a month later, Brown sued Houston in Orange County, California court in an attempt to change the terms of their custody agreement. Brown also sought child and spousal support from Houston. In the lawsuit, Brown claimed that financial and emotional problems prevented him from properly responding to Houston's divorce petition. Brown lost at his court hearing as the judge dismissed his appeal to overrule the custody terms, leaving Houston with full custody and Brown with no spousal support. In March 2007, Clive Davis of Arista Records announced that Houston would begin recording a new album. In October 2007, Arista released another compilation The Ultimate Collection outside the United States. Houston released her new album, I Look to You, on August 2009. The album's first two singles are "I Look to You" and "Million Dollar Bill". The album entered the Billboard 200 at #1, with Houston's best opening-week sales of 305,000 copies, marking Houston's first number one album since The Bodyguard , and Houston's first studio album to reach number one since 1987's Whitney. Houston gave her first interview in seven years, appearing on Oprah Winfrey's season premiere on September 2009. The interview was billed as "the most anticipated music interview of the decade". The interview was so candid that Whitney admitted using drugs with former husband Bobby Brown describing to Oprah that she "laced marijuana with rock cocaine". Houston has also appeared on European television programs to promote the album. She performed the song "I Look to You" on the German television show Wetten Dass. Three days later, she performed the worldwide first single from I Look To You, Million Dollar Bill, on the French television show Le Grand Journal. Houston appeared as guest mentor on The X Factor in the United Kingdom. She performed "Million Dollar Bill" on the following day's results show, completing the song even as a strap in the back of her dress popped open two minutes into the performance. She later commented that she "sang [herself] out of [her] clothes". , April 28, 2010, as part of her Nothing but Love World Tour]] The performance was poorly received by the British media, and was variously described as "weird" and "ungracious", "shambolic" and a "flop". Despite this reception, "Million Dollar Bill" jumped to its peak from 14 to number 5 (her first UK top 5 for over a decade), and three weeks after release "I Look to You" went gold. Houston redeemed herself by appearing on the Italian version of X Factor, performing the same song "Million Dollar Bill" to good reviews. She was awarded the Gold Certificate for achieving over 50,000 CD sales of "I Look To You" in Italy. In November, Houston performed "I Didn't Know My Own Strength" at the 2009 American Music Awards in Los Angeles, California. Two days later, Houston performed both songs on the Dancing With The Stars season 9 finale. As of December 2009, "I Look to You" has been certified platinum by the RIAA for sales of more than one million copies in the United States.

Houston later embarked on a world tour, entitled the Nothing But Love Tour. It was her first world tour in over ten years and was announced as a triumphant comeback. However, some poor reviews and rescheduled concerts brought some negative media attention. Houston canceled some concerts due to illness and received widespread negative reviews from fans who were disappointed in the quality of her voice and performance. Some fans reportedly walked out of her concerts.

In January 2010, Houston was nominated for two NAACP Image Awards, one for Best Female Artist and one for Best Music Video. She won the award for Best Music Video for her single "I Look to You." On January 16, she received the BET Honors Award for Entertainer citing her lifetime achievements spanning over 25 years in the industry. The 2010 BET Honors was held at the Warner Theatre in Washington, DC and aired February 1, 2010. Jennifer Hudson and Kim Burrell performed in honor of her, garnering positive reviews. Houston also received a nomination from the Echo Awards, Germany's version of the Grammys, for Best International Artist. In April 2010, the UK newspaper The Mirror reported that Houston was thinking about recording her eighth studio album and would like to collaborate with will.i.am (of The Black Eyed Peas), her first choice for a collaboration. Houston also performed the song "I Look to You," on the 2011 BET Celebration of Gospel, with gospel–jazz singer Kim Burrell, held at the Staple Center, Los Angeles. The performance aired on January 30, 2011. Early in 2011, she gave an uneven performance in tribute to cousin Dionne Warwick at music mogul Clive Davis' annual pre-Grammy gala. In May 2011, Houston enrolled in rehabilitation center again, as an out-patient, citing drug and alcohol problems. A representative for Houston said that it was a part of Houston's "longstanding recovery process."

Legacy

Voice

Houston is a mezzo-soprano. Her vocal range extends from G below middle C (G₃) to high B-flat (B₅); she can belt out to treble F (F₅). She came in third on MTV's 22 Greatest Voices, and sixth on Online Magazine COVEs list of the 100 Best Pop Vocalists with a score of 48.5/50. In 2008, Rolling Stone listed Houston as the thirty-fourth of the 100 greatest singers of all time, stating "Her voice is a mammoth, coruscating cry: Few vocalists could get away with opening a song with 45 unaccompanied seconds of singing, but Houston's powerhouse version of Dolly Parton's "I Will Always Love You" is a tour de force." Describing Houston's voice, Mariah Carey states "[She] has a really rich, strong mid-belt that very few people have. She sounds really good, really strong." While in her review of I Look To You, music critic Ann Powers of Los Angeles Times writes, "[Houston's voice] stands like monuments upon the landscape of 20th century pop, defining the architecture of their times, sheltering the dreams of millions and inspiring the climbing careers of countless imitators," adding "When she was at her best, nothing could match her huge, clean, cool mezzo-soprano." Stephen Holden from The New York Times, in his review of Houston's Radio City Music Hall concert on July 20, 1993, praised her attitude as a singer highly, writing "Whitney Houston is one of the few contemporary pop stars of whom it might be said: the voice suffices. While almost every performer whose albums sell in the millions calls upon an entertainer's bag of tricks, from telling jokes to dancing to circus pyrotechnics, Ms. Houston would rather just stand there and sing." He added the comments on her singing style: "Her[Houston's] stylistic trademarks―shivery melismas that ripple up in the middle of a song, twirling embellishments at the ends of phrases that suggest an almost breathless exhilaration―infuse her interpretations with flashes of musical and emotional lightning." Elysa Gardner of Los Angeles Times in her review for The Preacher's Wife Soundtrack praised highly for Houston's vocal ability, commenting "She is first and foremost a pop diva―at that, the best one we have. No other female pop star―not Mariah Carey, not Celine Dion, not Barbra Streisand―quite rivals Houston in her exquisite vocal fluidity and purity of tone, and her ability to infuse a lyric with mesmerizing melodrama." Houston is commonly referred to as "The Voice", in reference to her exceptional vocal talent.

Influence

During the 1980s, MTV was coming into its own and received harsh criticism for not playing enough videos by black artists. With Michael Jackson breaking down the color barrier for black male artists, Houston did the same for black female artists. She became one of the few black female artists to receive heavy rotation on the network following the success of the "How Will I Know" video. Following Houston's breakthrough, other African-American female artists, such as Janet Jackson and Anita Baker, were successful in popular music. Allmusic also noted her contribution to success of black artists on the pop scene, commenting "Houston was able to handle big adult contemporary ballads, effervescent, stylish dance-pop, and slick urban contemporary soul with equal dexterity; the result was an across-the-board appeal that was matched by scant few artists of her era, and helped her become one of the first black artists to find success on MTV in Michael Jackson's wake." The New York Times stated that "Houston was a major catalyst for a movement within black music that recognized the continuity of soul, pop, jazz and gospel vocal traditions". Richard Corliss of TIME magazine commented about her first success breaking various barriers as follows; "Of her first album's ten cuts, six were ballads. This chanteuse [Houston] had to fight for air play with hard rockers. The young lady had to stand uncowed in the locker room of macho rock. The soul strutter had to seduce a music audience that anointed few black artists with superstardom. [...] She was a phenomenon waiting to happen, a canny tapping of the listener's yen for a return to the musical middle. And because every new star creates her own genre, her success has helped other blacks, other women, other smooth singers find an avid reception in the pop marketplace." Mary J. Blige said that Houston's inviting her onstage during VH1's Divas Live show in 1999 "opened doors for [her] all over the world."

According to The New York Times, Houston has "revitalized the tradition of strong gospel-oriented pop-soul singing". Ann Powers of the Los Angeles Times referred to the singer as a "national treasure". Similarly, Steve Huey from Allmusic wrote that the shadow of Houston's prodigious technique still looms large over nearly every pop diva and smooth urban soul singer - male or female - in her wake, and spawned a legion of imitators.

A number of artists have acknowledged Houston as an influence. Mariah Carey, who was often compared to Houston, said, "Houston has been a big influence on me." She later told USA Today that "none of us would sound the same if Aretha Franklin hadn't ever put out a record, or Whitney Houston hadn't." Brandy stated "The first Whitney Houston CD was genius. That CD introduced the world to her angelic yet powerful voice. Without Whitney half of this generation of singers wouldn't be singing," picking Houston's first album as a work of inspired. Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson cites Houston as her biggest musical influence. She told Newsday that she learned from Houston the "difference between being able to sing and knowing how to sing". Leona Lewis, who has been called the New Whitney Houston, also cites her as an influence. Lewis stated that she idolized her as a little girl. Kelly Rowland, in an Ebony's feature articles for celebrationg black music in June 2006, recalled that "[I] wanted to be a singer after I saw Whitney Houston on TV singing 'Greatest Love of All'. I wanted to sing like Whitney Houston in that red dress." She added that "And I have never, ever forgotten that song[Greatest Love of All]. I learned it backward, forward, sideways. The video still brings chills to me. When you wish and pray for something as a kid, you never know what blessings God will give you." Beyoncé Knowles told the Globe and Mail that Houston "inspired [her] to get up there and do what [she] did." Alicia Keys, in the interview on her new studio album with the Billboard magazine, also said "Whitney is an artist who inspired me from [the time I was] a little girl."

American recording artist Lady Gaga said that Houston has been one of her "vocal idols" for years. In an interview with IBN Live Gaga revealed that she used to listen Houston's version of The Star Spangled Banner over and over again. At the 2011 Grammys, Gaga gave a shout-out to Houston, and said that she wrote the song "Born This Way" thinking about Houston's vocals.

Celine Dion, Toni Braxton, Christina Aguilera, Kelly Clarkson, Britney Spears, Ciara, P!nk, Jennifer Hudson, Amerie, Destiny's Child, Regine Velasquez and Charice have all cited Houston as a musical inspiration.

Awards and achievements

Houston is the most awarded female artist of all time, according to Guinness World Records, Houston won a record 11 Billboard Music Awards at its 4th ceremony in 1993. She also has the record for the most WMAs won in a single year, winning five Awards at the 6th World Music Awards in 1994. In May 2003, Houston placed at number three on VH1's list of "50 Greatest Women of the Video Era," behind Madonna and Janet Jackson. She was also ranked at number 116 on their list of the "200 Greatest Pop Culture Icons of All Time." In 2008, Billboard magazine released a list of the Hot 100 All-Time Top Artists to celebrate the US singles chart's fiftieth anniversary, ranking Houston at number nine. Similarly, she is ranked as one of the Top 100 Greatest Artists of All Time by VH1 in September 2010. In November 2010, Billboard'' released its "Top 50 R&B; / Hip-Hop Artists of the Past 25 Years" list and ranked Houston at number three whom not only went on to earn eight No. 1 singles on the R&B;/Hip-Hop Songs chart, but also landed five No. 1s on R&B;/Hip-Hop Albums.

Houston's debut is currently listed as one of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time by Rolling Stone magazine Houston's entrance into the music industry is considered one of the 25 musical milestones of the last 25 years, according to USA Today in 2007. It stated that she paved the way for Mariah Carey’s chart-topping vocal gymnastics.

Houston is also one of the world's best-selling music artists, having sold over 170 million albums and singles worldwide.

She holds an Honorary Doctorate in Humanities from Grambling State University, Louisiana.

Discography

Whitney Houston (1985)

Whitney (1987)

I'm Your Baby Tonight (1990)

My Love Is Your Love (1998)

Just Whitney (2002)

(2003)

I Look to You (2009)

Filmography

Tours and concerts

;World tours

Greatest Love World Tour (1986)

Moment of Truth World Tour (1987–88)

I'm Your Baby Tonight World Tour (1991)

The Bodyguard World Tour (1993–94)

My Love Is Your Love World Tour (1999)

Nothing But Love World Tour (2010)

;Regional tours

Feels So Right Tour (1990)

The Pacific Rim Tour (1997)

The European Tour (1998)

Soul Divas Tour (2004)

;Notable concerts

Nelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute 1988

Welcome Home Heroes with Whitney Houston 1991

Super Bowl XXV 1991

1994

Classic Whitney Live from Washington, D.C. 1997

Further reading

See also

Whitney Houston chart records and achievements

Grammy nominations for Whitney Houston

American Music Award nominations for Whitney Houston

List of best-selling music artists

List of artists who reached number one in the United States

List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. Dance chart

Honorific nicknames in popular music

Melisma

References

External links

Whitney Houston at Whitney Info

Category:Article Feedback Pilot Category:Articles with inconsistent citation formats Category:1963 births Category:African American actors Category:African American female singers Category:American people of Native American descent Category:American people of Dutch descent Category:American dance musicians Category:American female models Category:American film actors Category:American film producers Category:American pop singers Category:American record producers Category:American rhythm and blues singers Category:American mezzo-sopranos Category:American vegetarians Category:Arista Records artists Category:Baptists from the United States Category:English-language singers Category:Grammy Award winners Category:Living people Category:Actors from New Jersey Category:Musicians from New Jersey Category:Participants in American reality television series Category:People from Newark, New Jersey Category:World record holders Category:1980s singers Category:1990s singers Category:2000s singers Category:2010s singers

Coordinates	38°53′51.61″N77°2′11.58″N
Name	Dionne Warwick
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Marie Dionne Warrick
Born	December 12, 1940
Origen	East Orange, New Jersey, U.S.
Genre	R&B;, Soul, Urban, Soft rock, Adult contemporary, Quiet storm, Pop
Occupation	Singer/Actress
Years active	1962–present
Instrument	Vocals
Label	Scepter (1962-1971)Warner Bros. (1972-1977)Arista (1979-1995)Concord (2005-2007)Rhino (2008-present)
Associated acts	Burt Bacharach, The Spinners, Isaac Hayes, Sacha Distel, Whitney Houston, Jeffrey Osborne, June Pointer, Stevie Wonder, Elton John, Dieter Bohlen, Gladys Knight, Smokey Robinson, Chuck Jackson, Barry Manilow, Bee Gees, Luther Vandross, Marvin Gaye

Marie Dionne Warwick (born December 12, 1940) is an American singer and actress who became a United Nations Global Ambassador for the Food and Agriculture Organization, and a United States Ambassador of Health.

Best known for her partnership with Burt Bacharach and Hal David, Warwick ranks among the 40 biggest hit makers of the entire rock era (1955 - 1999), based on the Billboard Hot 100 Pop Singles Charts. According to Billboard Magazine, Warwick ranks second only to Aretha Franklin as the most charted female vocalist with 56 singles making the Billboard Hot 100 between 1962 and 1998.

Biography

Early life and career

Warwick was born Marie Dionne Warrick to parents Mancel Warrick (1921–1977), who began his career as a Pullman porter and subsequently became a chef, a gospel record promoter for Chess Records and later a Certified Public Accountant; and Lee Drinkard Warrick (1921–2005), manager of The Drinkard Singers, the renowned family gospel group and RCA recording artists, in East Orange, New Jersey. Warwick had a sister Delia "Dee Dee" and a brother, Mancel Jr., who was killed in an accident in 1968 at the age of 21. She has African American, Native American and Dutch ancestry.

Dionne's career as a singer was almost inevitable considering her family background. Dionne's mother, aunts and uncles were members of a renowned gospel group known as the Drinkard Singers that frequently performed throughout the New York metropolitan area. The Drinkard family originated in Blakley, Georgia and migrated to Newark, New Jersey in the late 20's. The family was composed of Nitcholas "Nitch" Drinkard, and Delia Drinkard, Warwick's grandparents, and their children: William, Lee (Warwick's mother), Marie "Rebbie" (Warwick's namesake), Hansom, Anne, Larry, Nicky, and Emily "Cissy" (who is the mother of Warwick's cousin, Whitney Houston). Dionne's paternal grandfather Elzae Warrick was the preacher at St. Luke's AME, the church attended by the Drinkard family. Lee Drinkard and the preacher's son, Mancel, were later married, and Dionne became the Drinkard family's first grandchild on December 12, 1940. The original Drinkard Singers (known as the Drinkard Jubilairs) consisted of Cissy, Anne, Larry, and Nicky. Marie instructed the group and they were managed by Lee. As they became more successful, Lee and Marie also began performing with the group, and they were augmented by Judy Guoins, later known as pop/R&B; singer Judy Clay, whom Lee had unofficially adopted. The Drinkards became so well known that even Elvis Presly expressed an interest in having them join his touring entourage. Dionne began singing gospel as a child at the New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, New Jersey. She performed her first gospel solo at the age of six and frequently joined The Drinkard Singers. Her first televised performances were in the mid-and late 1950s with the Drinkard Singers on local television stations in New Jersey and New York City. Warwick grew up in a racially mixed middle-class neighborhood. She stated in an interview on The Biography Channel in 2002 that the neighborhood in East Orange "was literally the United Nations of neighborhoods. We had every nationality, every creed, every religion right there on our street." Warwick was untouched by the harsher aspects of racial intolerance and discrimination until her early professional career, when she began touring nationally.

Warwick graduated from East Orange High School in 1958 and was awarded a Scholarship in Music Education to the Hartt College of Music in Hartford, Connecticut (a school from which she earned her Doctorate of Music Education in 1973).

Also, in 1958, Warwick, Myrna Utley, Carol Slade, and Warwick's sister Delia, who by this time had begun to be known professionally as Dee Dee Warwick, formed their own group, which they called called "The Gospelaires." Their first performance together was at the world famous Apollo Theater, where they won the weekly amateur contest. Various other singers joined The Gospelaires from time to time, including Judy Clay, Cissy Houston, and Doris Troy, whose chart selection "Just One Look," when she recorded it in 1963, featured backing vocals from the Gospelaires. After various personnel changes (Dionne and Doris left the group after achieving solo success) The Gospelaires eventually became the recording group the Sweet Inspirations, which had minor chart success but were much sought-after as studio background singers. The Gospelaires and later the Sweet Inspirations performed on dozens and dozens of records cut in New York City for artist such as Garnet Mims, the Drifters, Jerry Butler, and later Dionne's recordings, Aretha Franklin, and Elvis Presley.

Warwick recalled, in her 2002 A&E; Biography, that "a man came running frantically backstage at The Apollo and said he needed background singers for a session for Sam 'The Man' Taylor and old big-mouth here spoke up and said 'We'll do it!' and we left and did the session. I wish I remembered the gentleman's name because he was responsible for the beginning of my professional career."

The backstage encounter led to the group being asked to sing background sessions at recording studios in New York. Soon, the group was in demand in New York music circles for their background work for such artists as The Drifters, Ben E. King, Chuck Jackson, Dinah Washington, Ronnie Hawkins and The Hawks, and Solomon Burke among many others.

Warwick remembered, in her A&E; Biography, that after school, they would catch a bus from East Orange to the Port Authority Terminal, and then subway to recording studios in Manhattan, perform their background gigs and be back at home in East Orange in time to do their school homework. The background vocal work would continue while Warwick pursued her studies at Hartt.

While she was performing background on The Drifters's recording of "Mexican Divorce," Warwick's voice and star presence were noticed by the song's composer, Burt Bacharach, a Brill Building songwriter who was writing songs with many other songwriters, including lyricist Hal David. According to a July 14, 1967, article on Warwick from Time, Bacharach stated, "She has a tremendous strong side and a delicacy when singing softly—like miniature ships in bottles." Musically, she was "no play-safe girl. What emotion I could get away with!" And what complexity, compared with the usual run of pop songs.

During the session, Bacharach asked Warwick if she would be interested in recording demonstration recordings of his compositions to be used to pitch the tunes to record labels. One such demo, "It's Love That Really Counts"--destined to be recorded by Scepter-signed act The Shirelles--caught the attention of Scepter Records President Florence Greenberg. Greenberg, according to Current Biography 1969 Yearbook, told Bacharach, "Forget the song, get the girl!"

Warwick was signed to Bacharach's and David's production company, according to Warwick, which in turn was signed to Scepter Records in 1962 by Greenberg. The partnership would provide Bacharach with the freedom to produce Warwick without the control of recording company executives and company A&R; men. Warwick's musical ability and education would also allow Bacharach to compose more challenging tunes. The demo version of "It's Love That Really Counts," along with her original demo of "Make It Easy on Yourself," would surface on Dionne's debut Scepter album, titled Presenting Dionne Warwick, which was released early in 1963.

Early stardom

Her first solo single for Scepter Records was released in November, 1962. The song was titled "Don't Make Me Over", the title (according to the A&E; Biography of Dionne Warwick) supplied by Warwick herself when she snapped the phrase at producers Burt Bacharach and Hal David in anger. Warwick found "Make It Easy on Yourself"—-a song on which she had recorded the original demo and had wanted to be her first single release—-had been given to another artist, Jerry Butler. From the phrase, Bacharach and David created their first top 40 pop hit (#21) and a top 5 US R&B; hit. Warrick's name was misspelled on the single's label, and she began using the new spelling (i.e., "Warwick") both professionally and personally. According to the July 14, 1967 Time magazine article, after "Don't Make Me Over" hit in 1962, she answered the call of her manager ("C'mon, baby, you gotta go"), left school and went on a tour of France, where critics crowned her "Paris' Black Pearl," having been introduced on stage at Paris Olympia that year by Marlene Dietrich. Rhapsodized Jean Monteaux in Arts: "The play of this voice makes you think sometimes of an eel, of a storm, of a cradle, a knot of seaweed, a dagger. It is not a voice so much as an organ. You could write fugues for Warwick's voice."

The two immediate follow-ups to "Don't Make Me Over"—-"This Empty Place" (with "B" Side "Wishin' and Hopin'" later covered by Dusty Springfield) and "Make The Music Play"-—charted briefly in the top 100. Her fourth single, "Anyone Who Had a Heart," released in December 1963, was Warwick's first top 10 pop hit (#8) in the USA and also an international hit. This was followed by "Walk On By" in April 1964, a major international hit and million seller that solidified her career. For the rest of the 1960s, Warwick was a fixture on the US and Canadian charts, and much of Warwick's output from 1962-1971 was written and produced by the Bacharach/David team.

Warwick weathered the British Invasion better than most American artists. Her UK hits were most notably "Walk On By" and "Do You Know the Way to San Jose?" In the UK, a number of Bacharach-David-Warwick songs were covered by UK singers Cilla Black, Sandie Shaw and Dusty Springfield, most notably Black's "Anyone Who Had a Heart" which went to #1 in the UK. This upset Warwick and she has described feeling insulted when told that in the UK, record company executives wanted her songs recorded by someone else. Warwick even met Cilla Black while on tour in the UK. She recalled what she said to her: "I told her that "You're My World" would be my next single in the States. I honestly believe that if I'd sneezed on my next record, then Cilla would have sneezed on hers too. There was no imagination in her recording." "You're My World"--recorded in no time by Black—was not released as a single by Warwick, but it did appear on a later album, Dionne Warwick in Valley of the Dolls, released in 1968.

Warwick was named the Bestselling Female Vocalist in the Cash Box Magazine Poll in 1964, with six chart hits in that year. Cash Box also named her the Top Female Vocalist in 1969, 1970 and 1971. In the 1967 Cash Box Poll, she was second to Petula Clark, and in 1968's poll second to Aretha Franklin. Playboy's influential Music Poll of 1970 named her the Top Female Vocalist. In 1969, Harvard's Hasty Pudding Society named her Woman of the Year.

In a May 21, 1965 Time Magazine cover article entitled "The Sound of the Sixties," Dionne Warwick's sound was described as follows:
"Swinging World. Scholarly articles probe the relationship between the Beatles and the nouvelle vague films of Jean-Luc Godard, discuss 'the brio and elegance' of Dionne Warwick's singing style as a 'pleasurable but complex' event to be 'experienced without condescension.' In chic circles, anyone damning rock 'n' roll is labeled not only square but uncultured. For inspirational purposes, such hip artists as Robert Rauschenberg, Larry Rivers and Andy Warhol occasionally paint while listening to rock 'n' roll music. Explains Warhol: 'It makes me mindless, and I paint better.' After gallery openings in Manhattan, the black-tie gatherings often adjourn to a discotheque."

The mid-1960s to early 1970s

The mid 1960s to early 1970s became an even more successful time period for Warwick, who saw a string of Gold selling albums and Top 20 and Top 10 hit singles. "Message to Michael", a Bacharach-David composition that the duo was certain was a "man's song", became a top 10 hit for Warwick in May 1966. The January 1967 LP Here Where There Is Love was her first RIAA certified Gold Album and featured "Alfie", and two 1966 hits "Trains and Boats and Planes", and "I Just Don't Know What to Do with Myself". "Alfie" had become a radio hit when disc jockeys across the nation began to play the album cut early in 1967. "Alfie" was released as the "B" side of a Bacharach/David ballad, "The Beginning of Loneliness" in which charted in the Hot 100. Disc jockeys flipped the single and made it a double-sided hit. Bacharach had been contracted to produce "Alfie" for the Michael Caine film of the same name and wanted Dionne Warwick to sing the tune but the British producers wanted a British subject to cut the tune. Cilla Black was selected to record the song, and her version peaked at #95 upon its release in the USA. A cover version by Cher used in the USA prints of the film peaked at #33. In the UK and Australia, Black's version was a Top 10 hit. In a 1983 concert appearance televised on PBS, Warwick states she was the 43rd person to record "Alfie", at Bacharach's insistence, who felt Dionne could make it a big hit. Warwick, at first, balked at recording the tune and asked Bacharach "How many more versions of Alfie do you need?" to which Bacharach replied "Just one more, yours." Bacharach took Warwick into the studio with his new arrangement and cut the tune the way he wanted it to be, which she nailed in one take. Warwick's version peaked at #15 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #1 on both the R&B; Chart and the AC Charts. Warwick performed the song at the Academy Awards in 1967. Today, "Alfie" is considered a signature song for Warwick.

Later that same year, Warwick earned her first RIAA Gold Single for US sales of over one million units for the single "I Say a Little Prayer" (from her album The Windows of the World). When disc jockeys across the nation began to play the track from the album in the fall of 1967 and demanded its release as a single, Florence Greenberg, President of Scepter Records, complied and "I Say a Little Prayer" became Warwick's biggest US hit to that point, reaching #4 on the US and Canadian Charts and # 8 on the R & B Charts. Aretha Franklin would cover the tune a year later hitting #10 on the hot 100,#3 on the R&B; charts as well a turning the song into a million seller as well. The tune was also the first RIAA certified USA million seller for Bacharach-David.

Her follow-up to "I Say a Little Prayer","(Theme from) Valley of the Dolls", was unusual in several respects. It was not written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David, it was the "B" side of her "I Say a Little Prayer" single, and it was a song that she almost didn't record. While the film version of Valley of the Dolls was being made, actress Barbara Parkins suggested that Warwick be considered to sing the film's theme song, written by songwriting team Andre and Dory Previn. The song was to be recorded by Judy Garland, who was fired from the film. Warwick performed the song, and when the film became a success in the early weeks of 1968, disc jockeys flipped the single and made the single one of the biggest double-sided hits of the rock era and another million seller. At the time, RIAA rules allowed only one side of a double-sided hit single to be certified as Gold, but Scepter awarded Warwick an "in-house award" to recognize "(Theme from) Valley of the Dolls" as a million selling tune.

Warwick had re-recorded a Pat Williams-arranged version of the theme at A&R; Studios in New York because contractual restrictions would not allow the Warwick version from the film to be included in the 20th Century Fox soundtrack LP. The LP Dionne Warwick in Valley of the Dolls, released in early 1968 and containing the re-recorded version of the movie theme (#2–4 weeks), "Do You Know the Way to San Jose?" and several new Bacharach-David compositions, hit the #6 position on the Billboard Hot 100 Album Chart and would remain on the chart for over a year. The film soundtrack LP, without Warwick vocals, failed to impress the public, while Dionne Warwick in Valley of the Dolls earned an RIAA Gold certification.

The single "Do You Know the Way to San Jose?", an international million seller and a Top 10 hit in several countries, including the UK, Canada, Australia, South Africa, Japan and Mexico, was also a double sided hit with the "B" side "Let Me Be Lonely" charting at #79.

More hits followed into 1971 including "Promises, Promises" (#19, 1968); "Who Is Gonna Love Me" (#32, 1968) with "B" side, "(There's) Always Something There to Remind Me" becoming another double-sided hit; "I'll Never Fall in Love Again" (#6, 1969); "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" (#15, 1969); "This Girl's in Love with You" (#7, 1969); "Make It Easy on Yourself" (#37, 1970); "Who Is Gonna Love Me" (#33, 1968); "The April Fools" (#37, 1969); "Let Me Go To Him" (#32, 1970); and "Paper Mache" (#43, 1970). Warwick's final Bacharach/David penned single was March 1971's "Who Gets the Guy" and her final "official" Scepter single release was "He's Moving On" backed with "Amanda" both from the soundtrack of the motion picture adaptation of Jacqueline Susann's The Love Machine.

Warwick had become the priority act of Scepter Records, according to the website "The Scepter Records Story" and producer/A&R; chief, Luther Dixon in a 2002 A&E; Biography of Burt Bacharach, with the release of "Anyone Who Had a Heart" in 1963. Other Scepter LPs certified RIAA Gold include Dionne Warwick's Golden Hits Part 1 released in 1967 and The Dionne Warwicke Story: A Decade of Gold released in 1971. By the end of 1971, Dionne Warwick had sold an estimated thirty-five million singles and albums internationally in less than nine years and more than 16 million singles in the USA alone. Exact figures of Warwick's sales are unknown and probably underestimated, due to Scepter Records apparently lax accounting policies and the company policy of not submitting recordings for RIAA audit. Dionne Warwick became the first Scepter artist to request RIAA audits of her recordings in 1967 with the release of "I Say A Little Prayer."

On Wednesday, September 17, 1969, CBS Television aired Dionne Warwick's first television special entitled "The Dionne Warwick Chevy Special." Dionne's guests were Burt Bacharach, George Kirby, Glen Campbell, and Creedence Clearwater Revival.

In 1971, Dionne Warwick left the family atmosphere of Scepter Records for Warner Bros. Records, for a $5 million contract, the most lucrative recording contract ever given to a female vocalist up to that time, according to Variety. Warwick's last LP for Scepter was the aforementioned soundtrack for the motion picture The Love Machine (in which she appeared in an uncredited cameo), released in July 1971. In 1975, Bacharach and David sued Scepter Records for an accurate accounting of royalties due the team from their recordings with Warwick and labelmate B. J. Thomas. They were awarded almost $600,000 and the rights to all Bacharach/David recordings on the Scepter label. The label, with the defection of Warwick to Warner Bros. Records, filed for bankruptcy in 1975 and was sold to Springboard International Records in 1976.

Following her signing with Warners, with Bacharach and David as writers and producers, Dionne returned to New York City's A&R; Studios in late 1971 to begin recording her first album for the new label, the self-titled album Dionne (not to be confused with her later Arista debut album) in January 1972. The album peaked at #57 on the Billboard Hot 100 Album Chart. In 1972, Burt Bacharach and Hal David scored and wrote the tunes for the motion picture Lost Horizon. But the film was panned by the critics, and in the fallout from the film, the songwriting duo decided to terminate their working relationship. The break-up left Dionne devoid of their services as her producers and songwriters. Dionne was contractually obligated to fulfill her contract with Warners without Bacharach and David and she would team with a variety of producers during her tenure with the label.

Faced with the prospect of being sued by Warner Bros. Records due to the breakup of Bacharach/David and their failure to honor their contract with Dionne, she filed a $5.5 million lawsuit against her former partners for breach of contract. The suit was settled out of court in 1979 for $5 million including the rights to all Warwick recordings produced by Bacharach and David.

Warwick, for years an aficionado of psychic phenomena, was advised by famed astrologer Linda Goodman in 1971 to add a small "e" to her last name, making Warwick "WARWICKe" for good luck and to recognize her married name and her spouse, actor and drummer William "Bill" Elliott. Goodman convinced Warwick that the extra small "e" would add a vibration needed to balance her last name and bring her even more good fortune in her marriage and her professional life. Unfortunately, Goodman proved to be mistaken about this. The extra "e," according to Dionne, "was the worst thing I could have done in retrospect, and in 1975 I finally got rid of that damn 'e' and became 'Dionne Warwick' again."

The Warner era (1972-1978)

Without the guidance and songwriting that Bacharach/David had provided, Warwick's career stalled in the 1970s. There were no big hits during the decade aside from 1974's "Then Came You", recorded as a duet with the Spinners and produced by Thom Bell. Bell later noted, "Dionne made a (strange) face when we finished [the song]. She didn't like it much, but I knew we had something. So we ripped a dollar in two, signed each half and exchanged them. I told her, 'If it doesn't go number one, I'll send you my half.' When it took off, Dionne sent hers back. There was an apology on it." It was her first US #1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. Other than this success, Warwick's five years on Warner Bros. Records produced no other major hits. Two notable songs recorded during this period were "His House and Me" and "Once You Hit The Road" (#79 R&B;, #6 Adult Contemporary) — both of which were produced in 1975 by Thom Bell.

Warwick recorded five unsuccessful albums with Warners: Dionne, produced by Bacharach and David; Just Being Myself, produced by Holland-Dozier-Holland; Then Came You, produced by Jerry Ragovoy; Track of the Cat, produced by Thom Bell; and Love at First Sight, produced by Steve Barri and Michael Omartian. The singer's five-year contract with Warners expired in 1977, and with that, Warwick ended her stay at the label.

The 80s: Move to Arista

With the move to Arista Records and the release of her RIAA certified million seller "I'll Never Love This Way Again" in 1979, Dionne was again enjoying top success on the charts. The song was produced by Barry Manilow. The accompanying album Dionne was certified Platinum in the United States for sales exceeding one million units. The album peaked at #12 on the Billboard Album Chart and #10 on the Billboard R & B Album Chart. Warwick had been personally signed and guided by the label's founder Clive Davis, who stated to Dionne "You may be ready to give the business up, but the business is not ready to give you up." Dionne's next single release was another major hit for her. "Deja Vu" was co-written by Isaac Hayes and hit #1 Adult Contemporary as well as #15 on Billboard's Hot 100. In 1980, Dionne was nominated for the NARAS Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female for "I'll Never Love This Way Again" and Best R&B; Vocal Performance, Female for "Déjà Vu". Dionne became the first female artist in the history of the awards to win in both categories the same year. Her second Arista album, 1980's No Night So Long sold 500,000 US copies and featured the title track which became a major success - hitting #1 Adult Contemporary and #23 on Billboard's Hot 100 - and the album peaked at #23 on the Billboard Albums Chart.

In January 1980, while under contract to Arista Records, Dionne Warwick hosted a two-hour TV special called Solid Gold '79. This was adapted into the weekly one-hour show Solid Gold, which she hosted throughout 1980 and 1981 and again in 1985-86.

After a brief appearance in the Top Forty in early 1982 with Johnny Mathis on "Friends In Love" - from the album of the same name - Warwick's next hit later that same year was her full-length collaboration with Barry Gibb of The Bee Gees for the album Heartbreaker. The song "Heartbreaker" became one of Dionne's biggest international hits, returning her to the Top 10 of Billboard's Hot 100 - for the first time since 1979 - as well as #1 Adult Contemporary and #2 in the UK. Internationally, the tune was also a Top 10 hit throughout continential Europe, Australia (#1), Japan, South Africa, Canada, and Asia. The title track was taken from the album of the same name which sold over 3 million copies internationally and earned Dionne an RIAA USA Gold record award for the album. The album peaked at #25 on the Billboard Album Chart, #13 on the R&B; Albums Chart and #3 in the UK. Dionne stated to Wesley Hyatt in his The Billboard Book of Number One Adult Contemporary Hits that she was not fond of "Heartbreaker" but recorded the tune because she trusted The Bee Gees' judgment that it would be a hit. The project came about when Clive Davis was attending his aunt's wedding in Orlando, Florida in early 1982 and spoke with Barry Gibb. Barry mentioned that he had always been a fan of Dionne's and Clive arranged for Dionne and The Bee Gees to discuss a project. Dionne and the brothers Gibb hit it off and the album and the title single were released in October 1982.

In 1983, Dionne released How Many Times Can We Say Goodbye produced by Luther Vandross. The album's most successful single was the title track, "How Many Times Can We Say Goodbye", a Warwick/Vandross duet, which peaked at #27 on the Billboard Hot 100. It also became a Top 10 hit on the Adult Contemporary and R&B; charts. The album peaked at #57 on the Billboard album chart. Of note was a reunion with the original Shirelles on Warwick's cover of "Will You (Still) Love Me Tomorrow?" The album Finder Of Lost Loves followed in 1985 and reunited her with both Barry Manilow and Burt Bacharach, who was writing with his then current lyricist partner and wife, Carole Bayer Sager.

In 1985, Warwick contributed her voice to the multi-Grammy Award winning charity song We Are the World, along with vocalists like Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, and Ray Charles. The song spent four consecutive weeks at #1 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart. It was the year's biggest hit - certified four times Platinum in the United States alone.

In 1985, Warwick recorded the American Foundation for AIDS Research (AmFAR) benefit single "That's What Friends Are For" alongside Gladys Knight, Elton John, and Stevie Wonder. The single, credited to "Dionne and Friends" was released in October and eventually raised over three million dollars for that cause. The tune was a triple #1 - R&B;, Adult Contemporary, and four weeks at the summit on the Billboard Hot 100 in early 1986 - selling close to two million 45s in the United States alone. In 1988, the Washington Post wrote: So working against AIDS, especially after years of raising money for work on many blood-related diseases such as sickle-cell anemia, seemed the right thing to do. "You have to be granite not to want to help people with AIDS, because the devastation that it causes is so painful to see. I was so hurt to see my friend die with such agony," Warwick remembers. "I am tired of hurting and it does hurt." The single won the performers the NARAS Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, as well as Song of the Year for its writers, Bacharach and Bayer Sager. It also was ranked by Billboard magazine as the most popular song of 1986. With this single Warwick also released her most successful album of the 1980s, titled Friends, which reached #12 on Billboard's album chart.

In 1987 Dionne scored another hit with "Love Power", her eighth career #1 Adult Contemporary hit that went to #5 R&B; and #10 on Billboard's Hot 100. "Love Power", a duet with Jeffrey Osborne, was another written by Burt Bacharach and Carole Bayer Sager, and featured in Warwick's album Reservations for Two. The album's title song, a duet with Kashif, was also a chart hit. Other artists featured on the album included Smokey Robinson and the late June Pointer.

1990s to present

During the 1990s, Warwick hosted infomercials for the Psychic Friends Network which featured psychic Linda Georgian. The 900 number psychic service was active from 1991 to 1998. According to press statements throughout the 1990s, the program was the most successful infomercial for several years and Warwick earned in excess of three million dollars per year as spokesperson for the network. In 1998, Inphomation, the corporation owning the network, filed for bankruptcy and Warwick ended her association with the organization. Warwick's longtime friend and tour manager Henry Carr acknowledged in a 2002 Biography Channel interview that "when Dionne was going through an airport and a child recognized her as 'that psychic lady on TV' Dionne was crushed and said she had worked too hard as an entertainer to become known as 'the psychic lady'."

Warwick's most publicized album during this period was 1993's "Friends Can Be Lovers", which was produced in part by Ian Devaney and Lisa Stansfield. Featured on the album was "Sunny Weather Lover", which was the first song that Burt Bacharach and Hal David had written together for Warwick since 1972. It was Warwick's lead single in the US, and was heavily promoted by Arista, but failed to chart. A follow-up "Where My Lips Have Been" peaked at #95 on the Hot R&B;/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks. 1994 marked the end of Warwick's contract with Arista Records.

In 1990 Dionne recorded a song "It's All Over" with former member of Modern Talking Dieter Bohlen (Blue System). The single peaked at #84 on U.S R&B; charts and it appears on Blue System's album "Deja Vu".

In 1993, Forrest Sawyer, host of the ABC News/Entertainment program "Day One", alleged financial improprieties by the Warwick Foundation, founded in 1989 to benefit AIDS patients, particularly Dionne Warwick's charity concert performances organized to benefit the organization. ABC alleged the Foundation was operating at a near 90% administrative cost. ABC also alleged that Warwick flew first class and was accommodated at first class hotels for charity concerts and events in which she participated for the Foundation. Warwick, who had no executive, administrative or management role in the organization, challenged ABC to investigate the foundation further and alleged that the ABC report was racially motivated. An Internal Revenue Service investigation of the Warwick Foundation found no wrongdoing or criminal activity on the part of the Board of Directors or Warwick and its status as a non-profit charity was upheld. ABC maintained the report to be factually correct but the item has not been repeated since the original air date. The Foundation was later dissolved.

On 16 October 2002, Dionne Warwick was nominated Goodwill Ambassador of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

In 2004, Dionne Warwick's first Christmas album was released. The CD, entitled "My Favorite Time of the Year" featured jazzy interpretations of many holiday classics. In 2007, Rhino Records re-released the CD with new cover art.

In 2005, Dionne Warwick was honored by Oprah Winfrey at her Legends Ball.

Warwick appeared on the May 24, 2006, fifth-season finale of American Idol. Millions of U.S. viewers watched Warwick sing a medley of "Walk On By" and "That's What Friends Are For", with longtime collaborator Burt Bacharach accompanying her on the piano.

In 2006, Warwick signed with Concord Records after a fifteen-year tenure at Arista which had ended in 1994. Her first and only release for the label was My Friends and Me, a duets album containing reworkings of her old hits, very similar in fashion to her 1998 CD "Dionne Sings Dionne" . Among her singing partners were Gloria Estefan, Olivia Newton-John, Wynonna Judd and Reba McEntire. The album peaked at #66 on the Top R&B;/Hip-Hop Albums chart. The album was produced by her son, Damon Elliott. A followup album featuring Warwick's old hits as duets with male vocalists was planned but the project was cancelled. The relationship with Concord concluded with the release of My Friends and Me.

A compilation CD of her greatest hits and love songs "The Love Collection" entered the UK pop charts at number 27 on February 16, 2008.

Dionne Warwick's second gospel album, "Why We Sing", was released on February 26, 2008 in the UK and on April 1, 2008 in the USA. The album features guest spots by her sister Dee Dee Warwick and BeBe Winans.

On October 18, 2008, Warwick's sister Dee Dee Warwick died in a nursing home in Essex County, New Jersey. She had been in failing health for several months which lead up to her death. Warwick was with her sister Dee Dee when she died.

On November 24, 2008 Dionne was the star performer on "Divas II" a UK ITV1 special. The show also featured Rihanna, Leona Lewis, Sugababes, Pink, Gabriella Climi and Anastacia.

In 2008 Dionne began recording an album of songs written by Sammy Cahn, reportedly produced by George Duke. As of 2010 the album is in post-production, according to the artist's blog. The album will be released sometime in 2011.

On October 20, 2009, Starlight Children's Foundation and New Gold Music Ltd. released a song that Dionne recorded about 10 years prior called "Starlight." The song was written by Dean Pitchford, prolific writer of "Fame" and creator of "Footloose," and Bill Goldstein, whose versatile career includes the original music for NBC's "Fame" TV series. Dionne, Dean and Bill are donating 100% of their royalties to Starlight Children's Foundation as a way to raise money to support Starlight's mission to help seriously ill children and their families cope with their pain, fear and isolation through entertainment, education and family activities.

“When Bill and Dean brought this song to me, I instantly felt connected to its message of shining a little light into the lives of people who need it most,” said Warwick. “I admire the work of Starlight Children’s Foundation and know that if the song brings hope to even just one sick child, we have succeeded.”

In March 2011, Dionne will take part in the NBC show, The Celebrity Apprentice.

Personal life

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Dionne Warwick married actor and drummer William Elliott (CBS's Bridget Loves Bernie-1972-73) in 1966 and the couple divorced in May 1967 after being wed for less than a year. They reconciled and were remarried in Milan, Italy, in August 1967 according to Time. Warwick has stated in many interviews that "It was a case of can't do with, can't do without, so I married him again." On May 30, 1975, the couple separated and Warwick was granted a divorce in December 1975 in Los Angeles. The court denied Elliott's request for $2,000 a month in support pending a community property trial and for $5,000, when Elliott insisted that he was making $500 a month in comparison to Warwick making $100,000 a month. Dionne stated in "Don't Make Me Over: Dionne Warwick", a 2002 Biography Channel interview, "I was the breadwinner. The male ego is a fragile thing. It's hard when the woman is the breadwinner. All my life, the only man who ever took care of me financially was my father. I have always taken care of myself." Warwick has been connected romantically with Philadelphia Eagles great Timmy Brown, French singer-songwriter Sacha Distel, actor Philip Michael Thomas ("Miami Vice"), Seagram heir and CEO Edgar Bronfman, Jr., and Las Vegas restaurateur and actor Gianni Russo ("The Godfather").

On January 18, 1969, while living in East Orange, NJ, Warwick gave birth to her first son, David Elliott. Elliott is a singer-songwriter (Luther Vandross' "Here and Now" among others) and a former Los Angeles police officer. In 1993, David co-wrote with Terry Steele the Dionne Warwick-Whitney Houston duet "Love Will Find A Way" featured on her album Friends Can Be Lovers. Since 2002, David has toured with and performed duets with his famous mother periodically, and had his acting debut in the film "Ali" as the singer Sam Cooke. In 1973, Warwick's second son Damon Elliott was born. Damon Elliott is a noted music producer (Mýa, Pink, Keyshia Cole) and arranged and produced his mother's 2006 Concord release My Friends and Me.

Dionne Warwick made the Top 250 Delinquent Taxpayers List published in October 2007. California Revenue & Taxation Code Section 19195 directs the Franchise Tax Board to publish an annual list of the top 250 taxpayers with liened state income tax delinquencies greater than $100,000 in an effort to collect money from those taxpayers, some of whom have been delinquent since 1987. Dionne Warwick is listed with a tax delinquency of $2,665,305.83 in personal income tax and a tax lien was filed July 24, 1997. As of 2010, Warwick is still delinquent although now owes $2,185,901.08. Her publicist stated that she is actively paying off the debt.

On May 8, 2010, she received an honorary Doctor of Arts from Lincoln College in Lincoln IL. http://www.lincolncollege.edu/pr/feed/42710b.html

Dionne Warwick now lives in Brazil. Warwick first visited Brazil in the early 1960s and has become so entranced by the South American country that she has studied Portuguese. She lives part time in Rio de Janeiro and part time in Sao Paulo. In April 2010, in a interview to Programa do Jô, a famous brazilian talk-show, she said Brazil is the place she intends to spend the rest of her life after she retires.

Famous relations

Warwick's sister Dee Dee Warwick also had a successful singing career, scoring several notable R&B; hits, notably "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me" and "Oh No Not My Baby". Dee Dee died in 2008, at age 63, in a nursing home in Essex County, New Jersey, after a long series of illnesses and well documented narcotic addictions.

Warwick's cousin is singer Whitney Houston, and her aunt is Gospel-trained vocalist Cissy Houston, Whitney's mother.

Discography

Dionne Warwick's U.S. Charted Singles with peak Billboard magazine chart positions (*During 1964 Billboard's Top 100 and R & B Charts were combined)

Awards and honors

NARAS Grammy Award 1968: "Best Contemporary Female Solo Vocal Performance" for the single, "Do You Know the Way to San Jose?."

NARAS Grammy Award 1970: "Best Contemporary Vocal Performance, Female" for the album, "I'll Never Fall in Love Again".

NARAS Grammy Award 1979: "Best R&B; Vocal Performance, Female" for the single, "Déjà Vu."

NARAS Grammy Award 1979: "Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female" for the single, "I'll Never Love This Way Again."

NARAS Grammy Award 1986: "Best Pop Performance By a Duo or Group With Vocal" for the single, "That's What Friends Are For."

NARAS Grammy Hall of Fame-Don't Make Me Over

NARAS Grammy Hall of Fame-Walk on By.

NARAS Grammy Hall of Fame-Alfie.

NARAS Grammy Nominations for: Walk On By-1964; Alfie-1967; I Say A Little Prayer-1967; This Girl's In Love With You-1969; Then Came You-1974; That's What Friends Are For (Record of the Year)-1986; Friends (Album)-1986.

RIAA Songs of the Century-Walk On By-1964 (Awarded by the Recording Industry Association of America)

RIAA Songs of the Century-That's What Friends Are For-1985 (Awarded by the Recording Industry Association of America)

Woman of the Year-1969 Harvard Hasty Pudding Society

Cannes Film Festival Palme d'Or Nominee-Slaves-1969

Cash Box Magazine-#1 Female Vocalist-1964

Cash Box Magazine-#1 R & B Female Vocalist; #2 Pop-1966

Cash Box Magazine-#2 R & B;# 2 Pop-1967

Cash Box Magazine-#2 R & B;# 2 Pop-1968

Cash Box Magazine-#1 Female Vocalist (Albums and Singles)-1969

Cash Box Magazine-#1 Female Vocalist (Albums and Singles)-1970

Cash Box Magazine-#1 Female Vocalist (Albums and Singles)-1971

Cash Box Magasine-Radio's Most Programmed Female Vocalist-1969, 1970, 1971

NARM (National Association of Record Mercandisers) #1 Popular Vocalist-Female 1964, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970,1971.

Playboy Magazine Music Poll-Top Female Vocalist-1971;Playboy's All-Star Band for 1971-Female Vocals

National Association of Television and Radio Announcers-#1 R & B Vocalist-1971

Memphis Music Awards-Outstanding Female Vocalist-1971

The first People's Choice for Favorite Female Singer (1975)-Televised as a special on CBS as "The People's Choice." The CBS special became the basis for "The People's Choice Awards" and was first broadcast on CBS in the fall of 1975 under that title.

WINNER-1980 Tokyo Intl POP Music Festival for her performance of "FEELING OLD FEELINGS" from her Arista debut album "DIONNE" produced by Barry Manilow. The song was awarded Song of the Year...the equivalent of the Japanese Grammy.

Mayors Award and Key to the City-San Jose, California-1968

NAACP Image Awards Entertainer of the Year-1986

American Music Awards-Special Recognition- "That's What Friends Are For"-1987

Billboard Music Awards-# 1 Single of the Year-"That's What Friends Are For"-1987

ACE Award Nominee for "Sisters in the Name of Love"-Dionne Warwick (HBO-1987)

United States Ambassador of Health-Appointed by Ronald Reagan-1987

ASCAP Lifetime Achievement Award-1998

National Academy of Popular Music/Songwriters Hall of Fame-Hitmaker Award-2001

ASCAP Heroes Award-2002

United Nations Global Ambassador for the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)-appointed 2002

Women's World Award-Lifetime Achievement Award-2003

Rhythm & Blues Foundation-Lifetime Achievement Award-2003

American Society of Young Musicians-Luminary Award-1997

National Music Foundation-Cultural Impact Award-1998

NABFEME Shero Award (The National Association of Black Female Executives in Music & Entertainment)-2006

The Temecula Valley International Film & Music Festival-Lifetime Career Achievement Award-2006

Miami Dade Life Time Achievement Award-2007 and Dionne Warwick Day-May 25

Kleenex American Hero Award-1987

Starlight Foundation's Humanitarian of the Year Award

Bella Rackoff Women in Film Humanitarian Award

Trumpet Awards-Living Legend Award-2007

Lincoln Elementary School in East Orange, NJ, honored her by renaming it to the Dionne Warwick Institute of Economics and Entrepreneurship

Filmography

;Concerts

2005: Prime Concerts: In Concert with Edmonton Symphony

2007: Dionne Warwick - Live

2008: Live in Cabaret July 18, 1975

;As an actress

1969: Slaves

1988: Rent-A-Cop

1999: Johnny Bravo

;Documentary film appearances

1977: The Day the Music Died

2002: The Making and Meaning of We Are Family

2001: The Teens Who Stole Popular Music A & E Films

2001: Don't Make Me Over: The Dionne Warwick Story A & E Films

;Compilations

2002: A Tribute to Burt Bacharach & Hal David

2005: The 5th Dimension Travelling Sunshine Show

2005: Straight from the Heart Live, Vol. 1

2006: Flashbacks: Soul Sensations

2006: Flashbacks: Pop Parade

2008: Lost Concerts Series: Uptown Divas

Notes

References

Harvey, Stephen: What’s It All About Dionne? Interview – Dionne Warwick, The Independent on Sunday, February 23, 2003

Ayres, Sabra: Dionne Warwick's Charges Dropped in Plea Bargain, Associated Press, June 5, 2002.

Current Biography. H. W. Wilson, Company. Current Biography Yearbook 1969. Subject: Dionne Warwick. 1969. H.W. Wilson Company, Chicago, Ill.

Current Biography. H. W. Wilson, Company. Current Biography Yearbook 1971. Subject: Burt Bacharach. 1971. H.W. Wilson Company, Chicago, Ill.

Hitmakers: The Teens Who Stole Popular Music: Dionne Warwick-Don't Make Me Over. Performers-Dionne Warwick main subject, Burt Bacharach, Dee Dee Warwick, Dick Clark, et al. A&E; Entertainment Video. 2002.

Hitmakers: Burt Bacharach. Performers-Burt Bacharach main subject, Dionne Warwick, Angie Dickinson, Steve Lawrence, et al. A&E; Entertainment Video. 2002.

Lifetime Television's Intimate Portrait: Dionne Warwick. Performers: Dionne Warwick, Lee Warrick, David Elliott, Damon Elliott, Cissy Houston, et al. Lifetime Entertainment Video. 2004.

'Dionne Warwick Profile". People Magazine. 15 October 1979. Time-Warner, Inc.

"Dionne Warwick." Rolling Stone, 15 Nov. 1979. Rolling Stone Press.

"Dionne the Universal Warwick." Ebony Magazine, May 1968. Johnson Publications.

"The Sound of the Sixties." Time Magazine. May 21, 1965. Time, Inc.

'Spreading the Faith." Time Magazine. July 14, 1967. Time, Inc.

"Dionne Warwick Married." Time Magazine. September 8, 1967. Time, Inc.

External links

Dionne's official website

[ Dionne's AllMusic Guide page]

VH1 Site

Rolling Stone Site

Billboard Chart History (since 1983)

The Scepter Records Story

New York Times obituary (11/4/1995) of Florence Greenberg, founder of Scepter Records

Dionne Warwick's Artist page at RedEntertainment.com

Category:1940 births Category:Living people Category:Baptists from the United States Category:African American female singers Category:American female singers Category:American immigrants to Brazil Category:American pop singers Category:American rhythm and blues singers Category:American soul singers Category:Arista Records artists Category:American people of Native American descent Category:American people of Dutch descent Category:Brazilian people of American descent Category:Brazilian people of Black African descent Category:Brazilian people of Dutch descent Category:Grammy Award winners Category:Musicians from New Jersey Category:Naturalized citizens of Brazil Category:People from East Orange, New Jersey Category:Zeta Phi Beta Category:University of Hartford Category:The Apprentice (U.S. TV series) contestants