DIONNE Warwick has been a musical and cultural icon for decades, and the singer isn’t ready to slow down.
A journey in the American singer’s life and career is available to watch in a 90-minute bit on HBO Max in a new documentary titled, Dionne Warwick: Don’t Make Me Over.
Who is Dionne Warwick and how old is she?
Dionne Warwick was born on December 12, 1940, in Orange, New Jersey.
She’s not only a legendary singer but also an actress, a television personality, and, most recently, a social media star.
Dionne is from a musical family – she began singing gospel as a child at The New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, New Jersey.
She is also the cousin of the late singer Whitney Houston; her aunt is gospel vocalist Cissy Houston, Whitney Houston’s mother.
Dionne is best known for challenging the racial barriers between African-American women and pop music.
Before her, black women were known for singing R&B and gospel music, but that changed forever when she won a Grammy Award in the Best Pop Music category in 1968.
She also is known for her work as an activist.
She was the former United Nations Global Ambassador for the Food and Agriculture Organization and the US Ambassador of Health.
She was outspoken about the HIV and AIDS crisis and donated millions of dollars to research by donating all of the money earned from her song, That’s What Friends Are For.
Dionne’s most famous hits include: Walk On By, Alfie, That’s What Friends Are For, Don’t Make Me Over, I’ll Never Love This Way Again, and Do You Know the Way to San Jose.
Has Dionne won any Grammy Awards?
Dionne is a five-time Grammy Award-winning recording artist.
She released two albums in 2019 and won a lifetime-achievement Grammy.
Dionne is currently in the midst of her One Last Time tour, although she hasn’t announced whether it will be her last.
In an interview with The New York Times, Dionne said she’d move to Brazil when she is ready to retire – but clearly, that’s not today.
She said the name for her documentary came from her very first recording, a song called, Don’t Make Me Over.
She also said that’s one of the first things she recalls saying to her songwriting and production duo, Burt Bacharach and Hal David.
She said that she told them: “That was something that they could never, ever do. Don’t even try to change me or make me over.”
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How can I watch Dionne Warwick: Don’t Make Me Over?
The documentary features interviews with Snoop Dogg, Bill Clinton, Stevie Wonder, and Alicia Keys, among other stars whom the songstress has touched.
The film shows the beginning of Dionne’s career in the Baptist church and chronicles more than 60 years of her achievements.
Dionne has hopes for the documentary, too.
“I’m hoping that people will finally get to know me, and not think they know me. They’ll get to know Dionne,” she said.
“I’m as human as everybody else.”
The documentary aired first on CNN and is now available on HBO Max and Amazon Prime Video.