The Sweet Inspirations are an American R&B girl group from Newark, New Jersey , founded by Cissy Houston , mostly known for their work as backup singers on studio recordings for other R&B and rock artists but also a Grammy -nominated recording act in their own right.
103-579: The group's origins went back to the late 1950s when the Gospelaires, a group which included siblings and future soul stars Dionne Warwick and sister Dee Dee Warwick as well as Sylvia Shemwell and another future soul star Doris Troy and was an offshoot of the Drinkard Singers , began a professional career as session vocalists . Cissy Houston later replaced Dionne in 1961 with Troy later being replaced by Myrna Smith in 1962 while Dee Dee
206-466: A stroke in 2001, which forced her into early retirement. They also recorded choir backing for The Killers ' 2004 recording, Hot Fuss , on songs "Andy, You're a Star" and " All These Things That I've Done ". Shemwell died on February 13, 2010. In March 2010, while on a European tour for Elvis: The Concert , Smith developed pneumonia . Once back in the U.S., her condition continued to deteriorate, as she suffered kidney failure , further complicated by
309-464: 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
412-531: A Little Prayer ". In a recording session on March 28, 1967, the group provided the backup vocals for Van Morrison on his classic hit " Brown Eyed Girl ". It was released in June 1967 and rose to No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. In October 2007, Morrison was awarded a Million-Air certificate by BMI for 8 million air plays of "Brown Eyed Girl". Shortly afterwards, the group, who were now known under
515-657: A UK ITV1 special show that also featured Rihanna , Leona Lewis , the Sugababes , Pink , Gabriella Climi and Anastacia . Don%27t Make Me Over (song) " Don't Make Me Over " is a song written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David , originally recorded by American singer Dionne Warwick in August 1962 and released in October 1962 as her lead solo single from her debut album, Presenting Dionne Warwick (1963), issued under Sceptor Records. The song reached number 21 on
618-626: A brother, Mancel Jr., who was killed in an accident in 1968 at the age of 21. Her parents were both African-American , and she also has Native American and Dutch ancestry. Warwick was raised in East Orange, New Jersey , and was a Girl Scout for a time. She began singing gospel as a child at the New Hope Baptist Church in Newark , New Jersey. After finishing East Orange High School in 1959, Warwick pursued her passion at
721-572: A duo and other times as a trio. On October 7, 2024, group founder Cissy Houston died in her sleep from complications of Alzheimer's disease at the age of 91 in her home of Newark, New Jersey, leaving Estelle Brown as the only surviving member of the original group. In 2014, Houston and Brown accepted the Sweet Inspirations' induction into the National Rhythm and Blues Hall of Fame , the same night Houston's daughter, Whitney ,
824-607: A family gospel group and RCA recording artists who frequently performed throughout the New York metropolitan area. The original group, known as the Drinkard Jubilairs, consisted of Cissy, Anne, Larry, and Nicky, and later included Warwick's grandparents, Nicholas and Delia Drinkard, and their children: William, Lee (Warwick's mother) and Hansom. When the Drinkard Singers performed on TV Gospel Time , Dionne Warwick had her television performance debut. Marie instructed
927-530: A fan of Warwick's, and Davis arranged for Warwick and the Bee Gees to discuss a project. Warwick and the Gibb brothers obviously hit it off as both the album and the title single were released in October 1982 to massive success. Warwick later stated to Wesley Hyatt in his Billboard Book of Number One Adult Contemporary Hits that she was not initially fond of "Heartbreaker" but recorded the tune because she trusted
1030-825: A gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). This version also became a UK hit, peaking at number 19 on the UK Singles Chart . Bill Coleman from Billboard described Sybil's cover as a "spirited Soul II Soul -ish rendition of the Dionne Warwick classic [that] has smash written all over it". In a retrospective review, Pop Rescue stated that it has a beat that musically reminds of "a hybrid" of Soul II Soul's " Keep On Movin' " and Take That 's " Pray ", calling it "mellow and soulful". Miranda Sawyer from Smash Hits noted "the swoony dance wisples" of
1133-463: A major component of the film score. The Ultimate Edition DVD of Thunderball has the Warwick song playing over the titles on one of the commentary track extras, and the song was released on the 30th anniversary CD of Bond songs. The mid-1960s to early 1970s were a 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 ",
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#17327761653601236-552: 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 15-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 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 No. 66 on
1339-451: A modest chart success; Just Being Myself (1973), produced by Holland-Dozier-Holland; Then Came You (1975), produced by Jerry Ragovoy ; Track of the Cat (1975), produced by Thom Bell ; and Love at First Sight (1977), produced by Steve Barri and Michael Omartian . Her five-year contract with Warners expired in 1977, and with that, she ended her stay at the label. Warwick's dry spell on
1442-653: A severe stroke . By October 2010, she was a patient at the Canyon Oaks Nursing & Rehabilitation Center in Canoga Park, California . She died on December 24, 2010. Ann Williams died on October 1, 2013. Smith was replaced with Los Angeles–based singer Kelly Jones; as of March 2011, the Sweet Inspirations are continuing to perform backup vocals with Elvis: The Concert and continue to do many concerts worldwide with Elvis Presley Enterprises' first ever "Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist", Shawn Klush, sometimes as
1545-621: A top-5 U.S. R&B hit. Warrick's name was misspelled on the single's label, and she began using the new spelling, "Warwick", both professionally and personally. After "Don't Make Me Over" hit in 1962, she answered the call of her manager, 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 . The two immediate follow-ups to "Don't Make Me Over" – "This Empty Place" (with "B" side " Wishin' and Hopin' " later recorded by Dusty Springfield ) and "Make The Music Play" – charted briefly in
1648-533: A triple No. 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. "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
1751-510: 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 Warwick, 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. Also in 1971, Warwick had her name changed to "Warwicke" per
1854-466: Is a former Goodwill Ambassador for the UN 's Food and Agriculture Organization . Marie Dionne Warrick, later Warwick, was born to Arthur Lee Drinkard and Mancel Warrick. Her mother was manager of the Drinkard Singers , and her father was a Pullman porter , chef, record promoter, and CPA . Dionne was named after her aunt on her mother's side. She had a sister, Delia ("Dee Dee") , who died in 2008, and
1957-484: Is the second-most charted female vocalist during the rock era (1955–1999). She is also one of the most-charted vocalists of all time, with 56 of her singles making the Hot 100 between 1962 and 1998 (12 of them Top Ten), and 80 singles in total – either solo or collaboratively – making the Hot 100, R&B , or adult contemporary charts. Warwick ranks number 74 on the Billboard Hot 100's "Greatest Artists of all time". She
2060-485: The Billboard Hot 100 Album Chart. In 1972, Burt Bacharach and Hal David scored and wrote the tunes for the motion picture Lost Horizon . However, the film was panned by the critics, and in the fallout, the songwriting duo decided to terminate their working relationship. The break-up left Warwick devoid of their services as her producers and songwriters. She was contractually obligated to fulfill her contract with Warners without Bacharach and David, and she would team with
2163-479: The 1969 ceremony . The group joined Martha and the Vandellas and The Supremes as the only other all-female vocal group in history to earn a Grammy nomination. The b-side of "Sweet Inspiration", a funky cover of The Ikettes ' " I'm Blue ", gained notoriety more than a quarter century later when it was sampled by hip-hop group Salt-N-Pepa 's 1993 smash hit, " Shoop ". In 1967, the group did backing vocals for
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#17327761653602266-494: 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 1984 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
2369-665: The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). In 2004, Warwick's first Christmas album was released. Entitled My Favorite Time of the Year , the CD featured jazzy interpretations of many holiday classics. In 2007, Rhino Records re-released the CD with new cover art. In 2005, Warwick was honored by Oprah Winfrey at her Legends Ball. She appeared on the May 24, 2006, fifth-season finale of American Idol . Warwick sang
2472-601: The Hartt College of Music in West Hartford, Connecticut . She landed some work with her group singing backing vocals for recording sessions in New York City. During one session, Warwick met Burt Bacharach , who hired her to record demos featuring songs written by him and lyricist Hal David . She later landed her own record deal. Many members of Warwick's family were members of the Drinkard Singers ,
2575-700: The Jimi Hendrix single " Burning of the Midnight Lamp " which was later featured on the album Electric Ladyland in 1968. They also backed Dusty Springfield on her album Dusty in Memphis . Shortly after cutting the gospel set, the Sweet Inspirations were back in Atlantic's studios to record their third album, What the World Needs Now is Love , recorded at Muscle Shoals, Alabama with
2678-706: The Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section . The late April 1968 session produced a version of The Bee Gees ' "To Love Somebody", which became the group's fourth R&B chart hit, and a version of The Righteous Brothers ' "Unchained Melody," which gave the group a charted, though minor hit. In 1969, the group recorded their fourth album, Sweets for my Sweet . The Sweet Inspirations also began recording and touring with Elvis Presley as both background singers and his warm-up act, as well as doing occasional live dates with Aretha Franklin. The association with Presley became well-publicized as he routinely introduced
2781-807: The Solid Gold theme, composed by Miller (with lyrics by Dean Pitchford ). 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 project came about when Clive Davis was attending his aunt's wedding in Orlando, Florida in early 1982 and spoke with Barry Gibb. Gibb mentioned that he had always been
2884-583: The Top R&;B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. The album was produced by her son, Damon Elliott . A follow-up 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 album chart at number 27 on February 16, 2008. Warwick's second gospel album, Why We Sing ,
2987-576: The subway to the recording studios in Manhattan , perform their background vocal work, and still be back at home in East Orange with time to do their school homework. Warwick's music work would continue while she pursued her studies at Hartt. While she was performing background on the Drifters' recording of their 1962 release " Mexican Divorce ", Warwick's voice and star presence were noticed by
3090-574: 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 Time ' s cover article of May 21, 1965, entitled "Rock 'n' Roll: The Sound of the Sixties", Warwick's sound was described as: Swinging World. Scholarly articles probe
3193-422: The 1970s, when Warwick felt abandoned by Bacharach and Hal David dissolving their partnership. Warwick said of their reconciliation: We realized we were more than just friends. We were family. Time has a way of giving people the opportunity to grow and understand ... Working with Burt is not a bit different from how it used to be. He expects me to deliver and I can. He knows what I'm going to do before I do it, and
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3296-487: The American charts ended with her signing to Arista Records in 1979, where she began a second highly successful run of hit records and albums well into the late 1980s. With the move to Arista Records and the release of her RIAA-certified million seller " I'll Never Love This Way Again " in 1979, Warwick was again enjoying top success on the charts. The song was produced by Barry Manilow . The accompanying album, Dionne ,
3399-521: 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 chance encounter led to the group being asked to provide background vocals at recording sessions around New York. Soon,
3502-489: The Apollo, a record label scout approached them backstage looking for background singers for a session for a musician named Sam "The Man" Taylor to which the Gospelaires agreed to sing on. Following that session and another with The Drifters , the group became professional session vocalists . By September 1961, John Houston Jr. convinced Cissy to join a session for Ronnie Hawkins after Dionne began working with Burt Bacharach , which led to Cissy Drinkard, who would later go by
3605-505: The Bee Gees' judgment that it would be a hit. The song did become one of Warwick's biggest international hits, returning her to the Top 10 of Billboard's Hot 100 as well as No. 1 Adult Contemporary and No. 2 in both the UK and Australia. The tune was also a Top-10 hit throughout continental Europe, Japan, South Africa, Canada and Asia. The album ended up selling 3 million copies internationally and earned Warwick an RIAA Gold record award in
3708-617: The Dolls , released in early 1968 and containing the re-recorded version of the movie theme (No. 2 for three weeks), " Do You Know the Way to San Jose ?" and several new Bacharach-David compositions, hit the No. 6 position on the Billboard 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
3811-998: 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 No. 79. More hits followed into 1971, including "Who Is Gonna Love Me" (No. 32, 1968) with "B" side, " (There's) Always Something There to Remind Me " becoming another double-sided hit; "Promises, Promises" (No. 19, 1968); " This Girl's in Love with You " (No. 7, 1969); "The April Fools" (No. 37, 1969); " You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' " (No. 15, 1969); " I'll Never Fall in Love Again " (No. 6 Pop, No. 1 AC, 1969); " Make It Easy on Yourself " (No. 37 Pop, No. 10 AC, 1970); "Let Me Go to Him" (No. 32 Pop, No. 4 AC, 1970); and "Paper Mache" (No. 43 Pop, No. 3 AC), 1970). Warwick's final Bacharach/David penned single on
3914-441: 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 with her label would not allow the Warwick version from the film to be included on the 20th Century Fox soundtrack LP, and reverse legal restrictions would not allow the film version to be used anyplace else in a commercial LP. The LP Dionne Warwick in Valley of
4017-523: The Drinkard Singers . Both Judy and Sylvia had been adopted by Cissy's sister Lee, another member of the Drinkard Singers and mother of Dionne and Dee Dee. By 1958, Dionne, Dee Dee, Sylvia Shemwell and Doris Troy agreed to form the group the Gospelaires and eventually opened for the Drinkard Singers, finding success at the Apollo Theater in 1959 and were at this point being managed by Cissy's then-boyfriend John Russell Houston Jr. That year, while at
4120-881: The Grammy Hall of Fame, the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Apollo Theater Walk of Fame. In 2019, Warwick won the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. Three of her songs (" Walk On By ", " Alfie ", and " Don't Make Me Over ") have been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame . Warwick ranks among the 40 biggest U.S. hit makers between 1955 and 1999, based on her chart history on Billboard ' s Hot 100 pop singles chart. She
4223-461: The President of Scepter Records , Florence Greenberg , who, 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
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4326-687: The Scepter label was March 1971's "Who Gets the Guy" (No. 52 Pop, No. 6 AC), 1971), and her final "official" Scepter single release was "He's Moving On" b/w "Amanda", (No. 83 Pop, No. 12 AC) 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 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
4429-469: The Sweet Inspirations (along with the TCB Band members, the J. D. Sumner & Stamps Quartet , and Kathy Westmoreland) on his telecast concerts and live recordings. The Sweet Inspirations worked with Presley until his death in 1977. Houston's last recording session with The Sweet Inspirations was in October 1969, since she wanted to pursue a solo career and concentrate on her family. The session produced
4532-459: The Sweet Inspirations started at the New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, New Jersey during the 1950s where Emily "Cissy" Drinkard was the Minister of Music leading several youth choirs. Among the young singers she mentored were her preteen nieces Dionne , Dee Dee , Judy Guoins and Sylvia Shemwell and their friend Doris Troy . By 1954, Judy had joined Cissy Drinkard's sibling gospel group
4635-529: The UK. This upset Warwick, who described feeling insulted when told that in the UK, record company executives wanted her songs recorded by someone else. Warwick met Cilla Black while on tour in Britain. 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
4738-563: The US Billboard Hot 100 and number five on the Billboard Hot R&;B Singles chart. Warwick recorded "Don't Make Me Over" in August 1962, a song that was later chosen as the lead single for her debut album Presenting Dionne Warwick . In October 1962, Scepter Records released the track as her first solo single. Initially, Warwick had found out that " Make It Easy on Yourself "—a song on which she had recorded
4841-542: The US. In Britain, the disc was certified Platinum . In 1983, Warwick 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 No. 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 No. 57 on
4944-470: The Warwick sisters and Troy, backing Dionne on her debut hit, " Don't Make Me Over " and on Troy's only hit, " Just One Look " as well as Solomon Burke 's " Cry to Me ", and Garnet Mimms ' " Cry Baby " and eventually began a long tenure backing Aretha Franklin , later singing background on Franklin's hits such as " Chain of Fools ", " (You Make Me Feel Like A) Natural Woman ", " (Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You've Been Gone ", " Ain't No Way ", " Think " and " I Say
5047-478: The World ", along with vocalists like Michael Jackson , Diana Ross , and Ray Charles . The song spent four consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It was the year's biggest hit – certified four times Platinum in the United States alone. In 1985, Warwick and Bacharach once again collaborated on the song " That's What Friends are For ". This period was the first time they had worked together since
5150-506: The actual recording. They group broke up shortly thereafter. In 1978, the group sang backing vocals on Frankie Valli 's No.1 hit "Grease" from the film of the same name. In 1979, the group toured with The Bee Gees during their U.S. Spirits Having Flown Tour singing backup. The Sweet Inspirations (Estelle Brown, Smith, and Shemwell) got back together again in 1994, with new member Portia Griffin. They performed at Elvis Presley tribute shows, and released new material in 2005. Shemwell suffered
5253-439: The advice of Linda Goodman , an astrologer friend, who believed it would bring greater success. A few years later, she reverted to the old spelling after a string of disappointments and an absence from the Billboard top 40. Without the guidance and songwriting that Bacharach/David had provided, Warwick's career stalled in the early 1970s although she remained a top concert draw throughout the world. There were no big hits during
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#17327761653605356-528: The album cut early in 1967. "Alfie" was released as the "B" side of a Bacharach/David ballad, "The Beginning of Loneliness", 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 Warwick to sing the tune, but the British producers wanted a British subject to cut
5459-503: The black-tie gatherings often adjourn to a discothèque . In 1965, Eon Productions intended to use Warwick's song titled "Mr. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang" as the theme song of the James Bond film Thunderball , until Albert R. Broccoli insisted that the theme song include the film's title. A new song was composed and recorded at the eleventh hour titled "Thunderball", performed by Tom Jones . The melody of "Mr. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang" remains
5562-491: 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 Warwick's debut Scepter album, Presenting Dionne Warwick , which was released in early 1963. In November 1962, Scepter Records released her first solo single, " Don't Make Me Over ",
5665-527: 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, Warwick 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 Dionne (not to be confused with her later Arista debut album) in January 1972. The album peaked at No. 57 on
5768-490: The devastation that it causes is so painful to see. I was so hurt to see my friend die with such agony", Warwick told The Washington Post in 1988. "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
5871-508: The early and mid part of 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
5974-462: The end of 1971, Warwick had sold an estimated 35 million singles and albums internationally in less than nine years and more than 16 million singles in the U.S. alone. Exact figures of her 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. Warwick became the first Scepter artist to request RIAA audits of her recordings in 1967 with
6077-418: 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
6180-461: The first two singles released by Atlantic, a version of "Why (Am I Treated So Bad)," a song previously recorded by The Staple Singers and a soulful version of "Let It Be Me", a French song which had been a pop and R&B hit for Betty Everett and Jerry Butler in 1964. Though their first singles were only minor hits with "Let It Be Me" peaking inside the R&;B top twenty, Atlantic was committed to
6283-525: The group (now a trio with Brown, Smith, and Shemwell) its last two singles for the label; "This World" (from the musical The Me Nobody Knows ), and "Evidence". In 1973, Brown, Smith, and Shemwell recorded an album for Stax Records . By 1979, Estelle Brown had quit the group and was replaced by Gloria Brown, who toured with them but did not sing on the Sweet Inspirations’ last LP, Hot Butterfly , on RSO Records , with singer Pat Terry featured on
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#17327761653606386-547: The group after achieving solo success), The Gospelaires became the recording group The Sweet Inspirations , and had some chart success, but were much sought-after as studio background singers. The Gospelaires, and later The Sweet Inspirations, performed on many records cut in New York City for artists such as Garnet Mimms , The Drifters , Jerry Butler , Solomon Burke and, later, Warwick's solo recordings, Aretha Franklin and Elvis Presley . Warwick recalled, in 2002's Biography , that "a man came running frantically backstage at
6489-400: The group scored their first and only top forty hit on the Billboard Hot 100 with the song " Sweet Inspiration " on Atlantic Records. The record was on the chart for ten weeks and peaked at number 18. The song earned the group a Grammy Award nomination for Best Rhythm & Blues Performance by a Duo or Group, Vocal or Instrumental , eventually losing to The Temptations ' " Cloud Nine " at
6592-562: The group was in-demand for their harmonies among New York musicians and producers, after hearing their work with The Drifters, Ben E. King , Chuck Jackson , Dinah Washington , Ronnie "the Hawk" Hawkins , and Solomon Burke, among many others. In the same aforementioned Biography interview, Warwick recalled that, on weekdays after school, the girls would catch a bus from East Orange to the Port Authority Terminal , then take
6695-568: The group's biggest R&B hit in some time. A Gamble & Huff composition, "Gotta Find Me A Brand New Lover" appeared on the group's fifth album Sweet Sweet Soul . The remainder of the album was recorded in November 1970, with Shemwell, Brown, Smith, and new member Ann Williams, a friend of Brown's who stayed for what turned out to be the group's last full Atlantic album. Also included from that set are "That’s The Way My Baby Is", and "Flash In The Pan". A final Atlantic session in June 1970 brought
6798-458: The group, and an August session in Memphis yielded the bulk of songs used for the group's self-titled debut album , released in the late fall of 1967. Within a month of their chart climb, the group began work on their second album – a gospel record entitled Songs Of Faith & Inspiration . It was released in 1968 under the name "Cissy Drinkard & The Sweet Inspirations." On March 30, 1968,
6901-632: The group, and they were managed by Lee. As they became more successful, Lee and Marie began performing with the group, and they were augmented by pop/R&B singer Judy Clay , whom Lee had unofficially adopted. Elvis Presley eventually expressed an interest in having them join his touring entourage. Other talented singers joined The Gospelaires from time-to-time, including Judy Clay , Cissy Houston (mother of Whitney Houston ) and Doris "Rikii" Troy , whose chart selection " Just One Look " (when she recorded it in 1963) featured backing vocals from The Gospelaires. After personnel changes (Dionne and Doris left
7004-663: The most popular song of 1986. With this single Warwick also released her most successful album of the 1980s, titled Friends , which reached No. 12 on Billboard's album chart. In 1987, Dionne Warwick won the Special Recognition Award at the American Music Awards for "That's What Friends Are For". In 1987, Warwick scored another hit with " Love Power ". Her eighth career No. 1 Adult Contemporary hit, it also reached No. 5 in R&B and No. 12 on Billboard's Hot 100. A duet with Jeffrey Osborne , it
7107-415: The name of Cissy Houston, officially joining the group. Within a couple of years, Dee Dee and Troy all left the group. Houston eventually replaced them with Myrna Smith , a New Hope choir member, and 17-year-old Estelle Brown, which formed the nucleus of the Sweet Inspirations. The group was in high demand among producers, publishers, artists, and songwriters in the early 1960s and backed recordings made by
7210-479: The nickname "The Group", was approached by Jerry Wexler to sign a recording deal with Atlantic Records , the parent label of Morrison's Bang label under the condition they sign as The Inspirations. After discovering that another group went by that name, Wexler added "Sweet" in front of the name. The Sweet Inspirations recorded by themselves for the first time in April 1967 for Atlantic Records . That session produced
7313-664: The organization as "America's Ambassador of Health". The network news magazine story, "That's What Friends Are For", reported that the Warwick Foundation was operating at more than 90% administrative cost, donating only about 3% of the money it raised to AIDS groups. Several AIDS groups and nonprofit experts criticized her foundation, including an AIDS group in the Virgin Islands that claimed she nearly bankrupted them after extravagant expenses left nothing for local charities. ABC reported that Warwick flew first class and
7416-618: The original demo and had wanted to be her first single release—had been given to another artist, Jerry Butler. From the catchy contemporary phrase, "Don't make me over", Burt Bacharach and Hal David wrote and produced their first US top 40 pop hit (No. 21) and US R&B hit (No. 5). It was also a top-forty hit in Canada, at number 38. The background vocals in the song were from the Gospelaires, which featured sister Dee Dee , Sylvia Shemwell and aunt Cissy Houston . In 2000, Dionne Warwick's 1962 version of "Don't Make Me Over" on Scepter Records
7519-401: The pop and R&B charts. Their biggest hit was aptly titled " Sweet Inspiration ", which reached the top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100 and later earned them a Grammy Award nomination, notably making them just the third all female vocal group in history to earn a Grammy nomination. They were also known for their rendition of " I'm Blue ", which was the b-side of "Sweet Inspiration" and later
7622-698: 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,
7725-410: The release of "I Say a Little Prayer". On September 17, 1969, CBS Television aired Warwick's first television special, entitled The Dionne Warwick Chevy Special . Warwick's guests were Burt Bacharach, George Kirby , Glen Campbell , and Creedence Clearwater Revival . In 1970, Warwick formed her own label, Sonday Records, of which she was president. Sonday was distributed by Scepter. In 1970, she
7828-469: The same with me. That's how intertwined we've been. Warwick recorded "That's What Friends are For" as a benefit single for the American Foundation for AIDS Research (AmFAR) alongside Gladys Knight , Elton John and Stevie Wonder in 1985. The single, credited to "Dionne and Friends", was released in October and eventually raised more than three million dollars for that cause. The tune was
7931-496: The same year. Her second Arista album, 1980's No Night So Long sold 500,000 U.S. copies and featured the title track which became a major success – hitting No. 1 Adult Contemporary and No. 23 on Billboard ' s Hot 100 – and the album peaked at No. 23 on the Billboard Albums Chart. In January 1980, while under contract to Arista Records, Warwick hosted a two-hour TV special called Solid Gold '79 . This
8034-462: The session, Bacharach asked Warwick if she would be interested in recording demonstration recordings of his compositions to pitch the tunes to record labels, paying her $ 12.50 per demo recording session (equivalent to $ 130 in 2023). One such demo, "It's Love That Really Counts" – destined to be recorded by Scepter-signed act the Shirelles – caught the attention of
8137-588: The song " It's All Over " with former member of Modern Talking Dieter Bohlen ( Blue System ). The single peaked at No. 60 (No. 33 airplay) on the German pop charts and it was covered on Blue System's album Déjà 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, and particularly Warwick's charity concert performances organized to benefit
8240-470: 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 in 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!" During
8343-437: The title of which Warwick supplied herself when she snapped the phrase at producers Burt Bacharach and Hal David in anger. Warwick had found out that " 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 "don't make me over", Bacharach and David created their first top-40 pop hit (No. 21) and
8446-433: The top 100. Her fourth single, " Anyone Who Had a Heart ", released in November 1963, was Warwick's first top 10 pop hit (No. 8) in the U.S. and an international million seller. This was followed by " Walk On By " in April 1964, another major international hit and million seller that solidified her career. For the rest of the 1960s, Warwick was a fixture on the U.S. and Canadian charts, and much of her output from 1962 to 1971
8549-431: The tune. Cilla Black was selected to record the song, and her version peaked at No. 95 upon its release in the US. A cover version by Cher used in the American prints of the film peaked at No. 33. In the UK and Australia, Black's version was a Top-10 hit. 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
8652-558: Was certified Platinum in the United States for sales exceeding one million units. The album peaked at No. 12 on the Billboard Album Chart and made the Top 10 of the Billboard R&;B Albums Chart. Warwick had been personally signed and guided by the label's founder Clive Davis , who told her, "You may be ready to give the business up, but the business is not ready to give you up." Warwick's next single release
8755-495: Was a performer on the prestigious Royal Variety Performance at the London Palladium , singing The Look of Love, What the World Needs Now and Come Together . In 1971, Warwick left the family atmosphere of Scepter Records for Warner Bros. Records , for a $ 5 million contract, the most lucrative recording contract given to a female vocalist up to that time, according to Variety . Warwick's last LP for Scepter
8858-401: Was accommodated at first-class hotels for charity concerts and events in which she participated for the Warwick Foundation, managed by her close confident, Guy Draper, a former chief of protocol for former Washington DC Mayor Marion Barry, and who had a history of bankruptcies. Warwick alleged that the ABC report was racially motivated and threatened to sue ABC News for defamation, although a suit
8961-464: 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 that "when Dionne
9064-406: Was adapted into the weekly one-hour show Solid Gold , which she hosted throughout 1980 and 1981 and again in 1985–86. Major highlights of each show were the duets she performed with her co-hosts, which often included some of Warwick's hits and her co-hosts' hits, intermingled and arranged by Solid Gold musical director Michael Miller. Another highlight in each show was Warwick's vocal rendition of
9167-526: Was also written by Burt Bacharach and Carole Bayer Sager , and it was 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 June Pointer . During the 1990s, Warwick hosted infomercials for the Psychic Friends Network , which featured self-described psychic Linda Georgian. The 900 number psychic service
9270-631: Was an apology on it." It was her first U.S. No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. Other than this success, Warwick's five years on Warner Bros. Records produced no other major hits, but "Then Came You" was issued by co-owned Atlantic Records , the Spinners' label. Two notable songs recorded during this period were "His House and Me" and "Once You Hit The Road" (No. 79 pop, No. 5 R&B, No. 22 Adult Contemporary), both of which were produced in 1975 by Thom Bell . Warwick recorded five albums with Warners: Dionne (1972), produced by Bacharach and David and
9373-420: Was another major hit. " Deja Vu " was co-written by Isaac Hayes and hit No. 1 Adult Contemporary as well as No. 15 on Billboard ' s Hot 100. In 1980, Warwick won two Grammy Awards for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female for " I'll Never Love This Way Again " and Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female for "Déjà Vu". She became the first female artist in the history of the awards to win in both categories
9476-486: Was eventually replaced by Estelle Brown in 1963. From 1963 until 1967, the group, known informally as "The Group", would back up several important artists in the soul , pop and rock genres, most prominently Aretha Franklin , Solomon Burke , Otis Redding , Jimi Hendrix , Van Morrison , Dusty Springfield and Elvis Presley . In February 1967, they formally renamed themselves the Sweet Inspirations and signed with Atlantic Records , achieving minor and major success on
9579-409: 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
9682-637: Was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. In July 1989, American singer Sybil released a dance cover of the song as the second single from her second album, Sybil (1989). Her version, released by Next Plateau Records Inc., became a number-one hit in New Zealand for four weeks, reached number 20 on the US Billboard Hot 100 , and peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot Black Singles chart, eventually receiving
9785-407: Was never filed. The Internal Revenue Service began an investigation of the Warwick Foundation after other complaints were filed, and the Warwick Foundation was later dissolved. ABC's story was nominated for a national Emmy award in 1994 and won a prestigious Investigative Reporters and Editors national television award in 1993. On October 16, 2002, Warwick was nominated to be Goodwill Ambassador of
9888-557: Was no imagination in her recording." Warwick later covered two of Cilla's songs – "You're My World" appeared on Dionne Warwick in Valley of the Dolls , released in 1968 and on the soundtrack to Alfie . Warwick was named the Bestselling Female Vocalist in the Cash Box Magazine poll in 1964, with six chart hits in that year. Cash Box named her the Top Female Vocalist in 1969, 1970 and 1971. In
9991-482: Was posthumously inducted. Current members Former members With Yusef Lateef Dionne Warwick Marie Dionne Warwick ( / d i ˈ ɒ n ˈ w ɔːr w ɪ k / dee- ON WOR -wik ; born Warrick ) is an American singer, actress, and television host. During her career, Warwick has won many awards, including six Grammy Awards . She has been inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame,
10094-530: Was released on February 26, 2008, in the United Kingdom and on April 1, 2008, in the United States. The album features guest spots by her sister Dee Dee Warwick and BeBe Winans . On October 18, 2008, Warwick's sister Dee Dee died in a nursing home in Essex County , New Jersey. She had been in failing health for several months. On November 24, 2008, Warwick was the star performer on Divas II ,
10197-477: Was sampled famously by Salt-N-Pepa 's hit " Shoop ". Following their first couple of months performing with Presley in Las Vegas, Houston left the group to raise her family and forge a successful solo career while the rest of the group carried on with Presley and as a recording act. The Sweet Inspirations were inducted into the second class of the National Rhythm and Blues Hall of Fame in 2014. The history of
10300-401: Was the "B" side of her "I Say a Little Prayer" single, and it was a song that she almost did not 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 André and Dory Previn . The song was to be recorded by Judy Garland , who was subsequently fired from
10403-489: 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 United States, and was heavily promoted by Arista , but failed to chart. A follow-up "Where My Lips Have Been" peaked at No. 95 on the Hot R&;B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks . The 1994 Aquarela Do Brasil album marked the end of Warwick's contract with Arista Records. In 1990, Warwick recorded
10506-469: Was the 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
10609-555: Was written and produced by the Bacharach/David team. Warwick weathered the British Invasion better than most American artists. Her biggest UK hits were " Walk On By " and " Do You Know the Way to San Jose ?" In the UK, a number of Bacharach-David-Warwick songs were recorded by British singers Cilla Black , Sandie Shaw and Dusty Springfield , most notably Black's " Anyone Who Had a Heart " which went to No. 1 in
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