Producing live tour starring kids latest project for busy Warwick
With a stunning musical career already spanning decades, Dionne Warwick couldn’t be blamed for slowing down a bit at age 82. But that is nowhere near happening.
The Grammy-winning, multimillion-selling singer has an upcoming duet with Dolly Parton and a new biographical documentary now streaming on HBO Max. And that’s not all.
Her latest project with music producer son Damon Elliott and others is a 50-city live touring show, “Hits! The Musical,” with performers ranging in age from 10 to 22.
At a rehearsal space in Clearwater, Florida, it was time recently to hear the 29-member cast sing and dance, the first chance for Warwick to see “Hits!” in person. It is set to begin performances Feb. 23 in North Carolina and end May 8 in San Francisco.
The show comes to Harrison Opera House in Norfolk on March 25.
In an interview, Warwick said she did not hesitate when the opportunity arose to be an executive producer of the show.
“Anything that deals with children is an automatic yes for me,” Warwick said. “These babies are amazing. They’ve proven what music can do, bring joy, happiness, inspiration, ability — just life, you know?”
Warwick said she had “an amazing experience” after watching the group run through high-energy medleys of everything from Ricky Martin’s “Livin’ La Vida Loca” to “Where is the Love?” by the Black-Eyed Peas to a mashup of Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep” and “Uptown Funk” by Bruno Mars.
“I’m really at a loss for words, and I’m never at a loss for words,” Warwick said, “to see this kind of brilliance.”
Much credit goes to Warwick’s son, Damon Elliott.
“Mom and I, we don’t take on anything, we don’t endorse pretty much anything,” Elliott said in an interview about the show. “But when it involves kids, as long as they are truly up to par and they work hard and bring that energy, I’ll be behind it.”
Warwick’s rehearsal show capped a week in which she attended the Grammys, performed at a MusiCares dinner honoring Motown greats Berry Gordy and Smokey Robinson and then flew to Nashville, Tennessee, to shoot a video with Parton for their new tune.
That song, “Peace Like a River,” is set for release Feb. 24. Warwick said she has known Parton for years, but they’ve never recorded together.
“She sent me a song and decided she wanted me to sing with her,” Warwick said, noting she plans to record a gospel/inspirational album herself in the coming months. “It’s so timely. This song fits completely inside what
I’m getting ready to do.”
Those projects will only add to the estimated 100 million records Warwick has sold since her
1960s partnership with composer Burt Bacharach and lyricist Hal David yielded such hits as “Walk On By,” “Do You Know the Way To San Jose?” “Alfie” and “I’ll Never Fall in Love Again.” She has had 56 singles make the charts.
All of this ground is covered in the new documentary, “Dionne Warwick: Don’t Make Me Over,” on HBO Max. It is chock full of music titans discussing Warwick’s life and career. A key section covers the rise to superstardom and death in
2012 of Whitney Houston, Warwick’s cousin and a huge part of the family’s impressive musical heritage.
Back in Florida, the “Hits!” troupe gathered onstage at the end of the recent rehearsal to sing an a cappella version of “That’s What Friends Are For,” the song Warwick cut in 1986 to boost AIDS research along with Elton John, Stevie Wonder and Gladys Knight.
Warwick said she’s not ready at all to rest on all those accomplishments.
“My voice is fine. I don’t take care of it, God does,” she said. “I’ll keep going as long as the people want me to be there, and they fill the seats. That’s all I can tell you.”