Dionne Warwick Biography: Tours, Funeral, Songs, Age, Net Worth, Music Group, Albums, Controversy, Awards, Family

Dionne Warwick is a renowned American singer, actress, and television host who gained prominence in the 1960s with a series of hit songs that showcased her soulful voice and emotive delivery.

Her collaborations with songwriters Burt Bacharach and Hal David led to timeless classics such as Walk On By and I Say a Little Prayer, establishing her as a significant figure in popular music. 

Profile

• Full name: Marie Dionne Warrick
• Date of birth: December 12, 1940
• Age: 85 years old
• Gender: Female
• Place of birth: East Orange, New Jersey, USA
• State of origin: New Jersey
• Nationality: American
• Profession: Singer, Actress, Television Host
• Height: 5 feet 7 inches (170 cm)
• Parents: Mancel Warrick (father), Lee Drinkard Warrick (mother)
• Siblings: Delia Juanita “Dee Dee” Warrick (sister), Mancel Warrick Jr. (brother)
• Spouse: William Elliott (m. 1966; div. 1967; m. 1967; div. 1975)
• Children: David Elliott, Damon Elliott
• Relationship status: Single
• Religion: Christian (Baptist)
• Ethnicity: African-American
• Net worth: $500,000 

Early Life and Education

At the age of 85, Dionne Warwick was born on December 12, 1940, in East Orange, New Jersey. She was the eldest of three children in a deeply religious and musical family.

Her father, Mancel Warrick, worked as a Pullman porter, chef, and promoter/distributor of recorded music, while her mother, Lee Drinkard Warrick, managed the Drinkard Singers, a renowned gospel group comprised of Warwick’s aunts and uncles. 

She began singing in the New Hope Baptist Church choir in Newark, New Jersey, at the age of six. During her teenage years, she formed the Gospelaires with her sister Dee Dee and aunt Cissy Houston.

Warwick attended East Orange High School, graduating in 1959. She then pursued higher education at the Hartt School of Music in West Hartford, Connecticut, where she majored in music education. Her time at Hartt provided a solid foundation for her future career in music.

Personal Life

Dionne Warwick married actor and drummer William Elliott in 1966, but the couple divorced in May 1967. They reconciled and remarried in August 1967, but the marriage ended in divorce again in 1975.

Together, they had two sons: David Elliott, born in 1969, and Damon Elliott, born in 1973. Both sons have pursued careers in music, with David working as a vocalist and drummer, and Damon as a successful music producer.

Career

Dionne Warwick‘s career began in the early 1960s when she was discovered by songwriting duo Burt Bacharach and Hal David. Her distinctive voice and ability to convey deep emotion made her the perfect interpreter of their compositions. Her debut single, Don’t Make Me Over, released in 1962, became a hit and marked the beginning of a series of successful recordings.

Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, Warwick released numerous chart-topping singles, including Anyone Who Had a Heart, Alfie, and Do You Know the Way to San Jose? Her collaboration with Bacharach and David resulted in a unique sound that blended pop, soul, and R&B, earning her international acclaim.

In the 1980s, Warwick’s career experienced a resurgence with hits like Heartbreaker, written by the Bee Gees, and That’s What Friends Are For, a collaboration with Elton John, Gladys Knight, and Stevie Wonder, which raised funds for AIDS research. She also ventured into television, hosting the music show Solid Gold from 1980 to 1981.

Awards

Throughout her career, Dionne Warwick has received numerous awards and accolades, including:

• Six Grammy Awards, with her first Grammy in 1968 for Do You Know the Way to San Jose?
• Induction into the Hollywood Walk of Fame
• Induction into the Grammy Hall of Fame
• Induction into the National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame
• Induction into the Apollo Theater Walk of Fame
• Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019
• Induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2024

Net Worth

Dionne Warwick‘s estimated net worth is approximately $500,000. This figure reflects her earnings from a career spanning over six decades, including record sales, concert performances, and television appearances. 

Controversy

Dionne Warwick has encountered several controversies and challenges that have attracted public attention. One notable incident occurred in 2002 when she was arrested at Miami International Airport for marijuana possession. Security personnel discovered 11 suspected marijuana cigarettes concealed within her lipstick container. 

Warwick was charged with possessing less than five grams of marijuana. She pleaded not guilty, and the charges were eventually dismissed after she agreed to participate in a drug treatment program. This incident surprised many fans, as Warwick had maintained a relatively clean public image throughout her career.

Financial difficulties have also been a significant aspect of Warwick’s life. In 2013, she filed for bankruptcy in New Jersey, citing debts that included unpaid taxes dating back to the 1990s. Warwick listed liabilities totaling nearly $10 million but assets of only $25,500. 

Her publicist stated that these financial issues stemmed from “negligent and gross financial mismanagement” in the late 1980s through the mid-1990s. Despite these setbacks, Warwick continued to perform and remained active in her career, working diligently to resolve her financial obligations.

Social Media

• Instagram: @therealdionnew
• Twitter: @dionnewarwick

Filmography

• Slaves (1969)
• The Love Machine (1971)

Discography

• Presenting Dionne Warwick (1963)
• Anyone Who Had a Heart (1964)
• Make Way for Dionne Warwick (1964)
• The Sensitive Sound of Dionne Warwick (1965)
• Here I Am (1965)
• Dionne Warwick in Paris (1966)
• Here Where There Is Love (1966)
• On Stage and in the Movies (1967)
• The Windows of the World (1967)
• Dionne Warwick in Valley of the Dolls (1968)
• Promises, Promises (1968)
• Soulful (1969)
• I’ll Never Fall in Love Again (1970)
• Very Dionne (1970)
• Dionne (1972)
• Just Being Myself (1973)
• Then Came You (1975)
• Track of the Cat (1975)
• Love at First Sight (1977)
• Dionne (1979)
• No Night So Long (1980)
• Friends in Love (1982)
• Heartbreaker (1982)
• How Many Times Can We Say Goodbye (1983)
• Finder of Lost Loves (1985)
• Friends (1985)
• Reservations for Two (1987)
• Dionne Warwick Sings Cole Porter (1990)
• Friends Can Be Lovers (1993)
• Aquarela do Brasil (1994)
• Dionne Sings Dionne (1998)
• My Favorite Time of the Year (2004)
• Why We Sing (2008)
• Only Trust Your Heart (2011)
• Now (2012)
• Feels So Good (2014)
• She’s Back (2019)

Books

• My Life, As I See It: An Autobiography (2010)

Note: As of March 19, 2025, Dionne Warwick is alive.