Considered one of the most-charted vocalists of all time, Dionne Warwick dominated more than the charts as she holds numerous Grammy Awards and even had three of her songs inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. While an icon in music, it appears that even legends get a little awestruck as the singer recounted the first time she met the King of Rock and Roll Elvis Presley.
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Discussing her life in music with CBS News, Warwick recalled traveling to Las Vegas when her aunt Cissy Houston performed in the backup group for Elvis. Part of the Sweet Inspirations, Cissy was also the mother of Whitney Houston. Besides having an icon as an aunt, Warwick eventually met Elvis. She admitted, “Oh my God, was he pretty!”
[Watch A Glimpse Of History With Dionne Warwick – Tickets On Sale]
Although sharing the same opinion as many women at the time, Elvis proved himself more than just good looks as he helped her career. Warwick explained, “He said, ‘I’m gonna make an announcement tonight at my show that anyone who goes into a record store and they [buy] any Dionne Warwick album, they will find a photograph signed by me.'” The singer added she “sold more albums in Vegas than I have ever sold.”
Dionne Warwick Still Creating Music
Still performing, Warwick is preparing to release a new album in 2024. Titled Songs of Inspirations, the singer shared her reasoning for wanting to make a gospel album. She said, “We need to get back to loving each other again. I don’t know what’s going on in our world right now, so much hatred, obstinance and ugliness. People are basically doing things that they feel they’re entitled to do without any retribution whatsoever.”
Hoping to spread happiness through music, Warwick suggested, “I just feel now, we need to get back to our Bible. We need to get back to the words that are meaningful, words of encouragement, happiness. We’re missing so much that we all should be looking forward to.”
A Warwick gospel album seems full circle for the artist as she received her first “standing ovation” at a church when she was only 6. “After I finished singing, the whole congregation stood and applauded me. That was my first standing ovation.” She claimed, “It was almost like it was preordained, that if you’re in this family, this is what you’re gonna do.”
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(Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images for Bowie State University)
