![]() ![]() ![]() It would be certified gold by the RIAA (sales of over one million copies) and would be instrumental in Warwick winning the 1980 Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. “I’ll Never Love This Way Again,” which served as the lead single on her Arista Records debut album in 1979, “Dionne,” brought Warwick much-deserved, renewed popularity, reaching No. It marked an important moment in Warwick’s career and her return to the top of the charts after years of being unable to find the right material. The other song which she keenly placed near the end of her show, “I’ll Never Love This Way Again,” remains at the top of Dionne Warwick hitlist – and has been since I first heard it. Warwick last songs included “We Are the World” – which almost made it feel like we were suddenly the audience at a Diana Ross concert when it’s time for audience participation with “Reach Out and Touch (Somebody’s Hand). The band, which included four musicians on the piano, bass guitar, drums and percussion, was allowed to showcase their skills – and each performed admirably – particularly the pianist/director who moved along the keyboard as if he and the piano were one. Her interpretation of the song, given the way she alternated between singing the notes and speaking them, truly had that kind of “blue lights in the basement” vibe. Slowing down the pace, Warwick’s next selection would be “Alfie,” which almost everyone in the audience apparently knew and which they belted out like a mass choir at a gospel concert. Incidentally, while no one got up to dance, I’ll bet a lot of people thought about it. It was well received by the audience and with its salsa-like flair and rhythm, it transported me back to nearly a decade ago when I wrote the news from the tropical oasis known as Miami. “I wanted to bring the song into the 21st century and so I made some changes, picked up the beat and made it a duet,” she said about the song which counts as one of her more recent recordings. They combined on a duet on an updated version of one of my favorites, “I Say a Little Prayer for You.” And for the record, the brother can sing. She turned up the heat with “Message to Michael” and “This Girl’s In Love With You,”īefore showcasing the vocal artistry of her oldest son, David Elliott, also the drummer in the four-piece ensemble. The electricity in the theater increased as the audience grew more enamored with Warwick and her skillful quartet. Wilson and Warwick both count as two who could do a lot more than just sing – they entertained. Instead, as she displayed on several songs, she has merely transposed them to different keys, as she did on “You’ll Never Get to Heaven (If You Break My Heart)” and “I’ll Never Fall in Love Again.”Īs for her delivery, Warwick delighted the audience, alternating her volume from a hearty “forte” to an almost whisper-like “pianissimo.” Sometimes, she “talked” the lyrics to us in a style reminiscent of other female superstars from Black America’s past – Nancy Wilson immediately comes to mind. ![]() But for a veteran like Dionne Warwick, such changes have not served as a signal for her to call it quits. Vocalists know that with the passage of time and the frequent demands on their “instrument,” the range, texture and power of their voice will undoubtedly change. Warwick, dressed stylishly in a bejeweled, two-piece pantsuit, sat delicately on a stool throughout most of the concert, almost making me believe that we had been transported to a smaller and more intimate venue, like Blues Alley in Georgetown or Baker’s Keyboard Lounge back in my hometown of Detroit.įans fortunate enough to hear Warwick during her four-month tour should not expect every song to sound exactly as they remember from year’s past. Some may recall that Vandross put his own unique spin on the same titled song in 1986 on his album, “Give Me The Reason.” His respect for Warwick could be seen from the start of his career when he chose another standard of hers for his debut album, “A House is Not a Home,” which became his signature piece. in 1964 (as well as in Canada, South Africa, the Netherlands and Australia), I could not help but be reminded, given the wave of emotions that seemed to envelop Warwick as she sang, of Luther Vandross with whom Warwick shared a tremendous friendship. Yes, the Warner Theater was filled because we all wanted to spend an hour or so with Warwick as she took us back in time – helping us reflect upon moments and years gone by which we have never forgotten.Īs she moved to “Anyone Who Had a Heart,” which hit the Top Ten in the U.S. “Feel free to sing along, or get up and dance if you feel the urge,” she added which many fans took to heart almost immediately, singing along with Warwick as she took us down memory lane with her first selection, “Walk On By.” Our House First Time Home Buyer’s Series.Dionne Warwick Takes Fans Down Memory Lane With Cavalcade of Hits - The Washington Informer Close ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |