On Nov. 19, Nashville will host an evening of music as R&B icon and six-time Grammy Award winner Dionne Warwick takes the stage for her debut at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center. Known for her discovery by the legendary songwriting duo Burt Bacharach and Hal David, Warwick boasts a remarkable career spanning more than six decades. Her achievements include more than 75 charted hit songs, sales exceeding 100 million records, and an impressive streak of 18 consecutive Top 100 singles. Attendees will be treated to a nostalgic experience as Warwick performs her timeless classics such as “Don’t Make Me Over,” “Walk on By,” “Say a Little Prayer,” “Alfie,” “Heartbreaker,” “Déjà Vu,” “That’s What Friends Are For” and more.
This year’s been another remarkable year for this music icon. She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, a street in her hometown (East Orange, NJ) was named in her honor, and the grammar school she attended was also renamed after her. Looking ahead, 2025 promises to bring even more achievements for Warwick’s illustrious career. In a recent interview, she shared insights about some of her upcoming projects, her concert in Nashville, and how she celebrates the holiday season.
TRIBUNE: You’re coming to Nashville for a big concert with the Nashville Symphony this month. Have you performed in Nashville a lot in your career?
WARWICK: Yes, I have. It’s always been a wonderful time for me. I believe I’ve done a couple concerts with the symphony on a couple of occasions in the past.
TRIBUNE: Have you ever recorded any country western music or had an interest in doing so?
WARWICK: No, I haven’t recorded any, but as long as the songs are of positive thought, and that seems to be what a lot of country music is about. These days, what is considered to be categorized as country music has now become almost as popular as pop music.
TRIBUNE: I saw the news where a street was recently renamed in your hometown. The street, North Arlington Way, is now Dionne Warwick Way.
WARWICK: The street renaming was probably one of the second most exciting things that’s happened to me in my hometown. The first being the grammar school that I attended was renamed after me too. It’s now known as the Dionne World Institute. Plus, now I have a whole street named after me. What makes it even more wonderful is because the street is right outside of City Hall.
TRIBUNE: I understand that you are working on a new music project with Earth, Wind and Fire.
WARWICK: Yes, I’m as excited about this project as the fans are. We have yet to get together to go over exactly what we want to do, but this music project will definitely happen sometime next year.
TRIBUNE: We are seeing the headlines with a lot of ugly revelations being revealed within the music industry. Where do you see or what do you think the music scene will be like once everything is said and done?
WARWICK: I think it’s going to be better. I also think people are now paying attention to what is being said to them. You know, we are definitely messengers and the messages that we carry have a lot of effect on people’s lives. So, you know, I think it’s all kind of getting to the point where they want to hear something that’s going to uplift them and give them hope and joy and happiness.
TRIBUNE: Here we are in the holiday season. What is Thanksgiving Day like with you? Do you still have time to go into the kitchen and do all the baking and the cooking or what is that like at your house?
WARWICK: Oh, yeah. We definitely look at Thanksgiving as a day of thanks. And that’s a family event where we gather around the table to give thanks for being, first of all together and being allowed to be together, best friends, without giving thanks. And let me move right on into my favorite holiday, which is Christmas…And yes, I still love getting into the holiday shopping, and gift wrapping the presents. I love that part.
TRIBUNE: Do you have any upcoming acting projects for next year?
WARWICK: Actually, what’s being prepared now is a film based on my life story. The very talented Teyana Taylor. She’s absolutely just wonderful… Her amount of research shows that this is something that she really wants to do. I’m so thrilled pleased with the amount of research that she’s done. She knows more about me than I know about myself! (LoL).
