Oral history interview with Dionne Warwick, 2009

Biographical Note

Vocalist, actress; ambassador for United Nations Global Food and Agriculture Organization and US Ambassador of Health

Scope and Contents

Born in 1940. Describes her upbringing, supportive parents with music in the house and how it shaped her relationship to music- "music is healing." Discovered at the Apollo with then-group The Gospelaires. Describes relationship with Burt Bacharach (composer, accompanist on piano) and Hal David (lyricist), noted as setting a new model for collaborations spanning race and bridging R&B, supper-club, and both Black and white pop styles. Brought "uptown" (Apollo) "downtown" (to midtown's Copacabana) and vice versa. Renowned for the depth and range of expressive qualities her voice can convey

Subjects

• African American women singers--Interviews.
• Apollo Theater (New York, N.Y. : 125th Street)
• Rowland, Steve, interviewer.--http://id.loc.gov/vocabulary/relators/ivr
• Warwick, Dionne--Interviews.
• Women singers--United States--Interviews.

Access Conditions

Copyright by the Trustees of Columbia University of the City of New York and the Apollo Theater Foundation, 2009