The American pop legend discusses her international tour.
She may have walked on by the mysterious gentleman who broke her heart in the 1960’s ballad “Walk on By”, but in 2012 music legend Dionne Warwick is strutting right onto the big stage.
“I’m on a world tour; I’m celebrating my 50th year in show business,” Warwick explains. “We have a new cd out that I’m also promoting. We are covering all 6 continents, including the U.S. “
For decades the iconic New Jersey native has dazzled the world with her impressive catalogue of chart topping hits like “Anyone Who Had a Heart” and “I’ll Never Fall in Love Again”, a hit that landed her a second Grammy Award in 1970. Today the soulful crooner will continue to serenade us onstage with some of those old school favorites, but her show will also include songs from her new album, aptly titled “Now.” The cd, which literally mixes some of the old with the new, features remakes of such classics as “I Say A Little Prayer for You”, but also showcases some of her newer material, including “It Was Almost Like A Song” and “Make It Easy on Yourself.”
“It [performing] has been absolutely wonderful,” exclaims Warwick. We’ve done 3 continents so far, and we have 3 more to go.”
Clearly, “Now” is the time to check out a Dionne Warwick concert. This year the legendary songstress has decided to put a new spin on her show. Whereas previously she has chosen the songs she wants to perform ahead of time, for this tour she is taking a more interactive approach to the stage. In an effort to ensure that she gives the fans exactly what they want, she has polled her colleagues, peers, and fans to learn exactly what they want to hear, and has customized her show based upon the responses.
She will also perform new material by her long time friend and Grammy Award winning producer Burt Bacharach, whose tunes have been performed by superstars the likes of Aretha Franklin, Luther Vandross, and Isaac Hayes. It was Bacharach and his partner Hal David who helped to propel Warwick into stardom by producing 30 hit singles and close to 20 best-selling albums during the amazing first decade of her career.
“I was blessed to be able to work with a multitude of songwriters,” Warwick muses. “I’ve worked with Barry Manilow, I’ve worked with the Bee Gees, I’ve worked with Burt Bacharach and Hal David. With them time did not stand still, which is a good thing.”
…and neither is Dionne, which is also a good thing. Although she has been performing primarily overseas, she will be bringing her show back home as early as next month. While a specific date for her Los Angeles show is still pending, more information can be obtained at www.dionnewarwick.info.
