Kelsey Heatley/assistant managing editor
Del Mar College presents their “Coming Home to Del Mar” fundraiser on October first with music legend Dionne Warwick at Richardson Performance hall.
Dionne noticed her love for music during her childhood in New Jersey. She grew up singing in the church as a soloist and sang in a group called the Drinkard Singers, a group that consisted of her mother, aunts and uncles.
“I come from a musical family and Whitney Houston is a cousin of mine. There are a few people in my family who are involved in music,” Warwick said.
Warwick attended The Hartt College Of Music In Hardford and made trips to New York where she worked with artists like Solomon Burke, Brooke Benton, Denah Washington, and Chuck Jackson.
Warwick has chart topping hit songs such as “Do You Know the Way to San Jose”, “Walk by the way” and “Say a Little Prayer.
“The lyrics I sing were written by Hal David and many other composers,” Warwick said.
Warwick was the first African American female of her generation to win the Best Contemporary Female Vocal Performance award.
In 1968 Warwick received her first Grammy for her “Do You Know the Way to San Jose”.
Dionne received other Grammys for her singles “That’s What Friends are for,” “I’ll Never Fall In Love Again,” and “Déjà Vu.”
Warwick also co hosted “The Soul Train Music Awards” and performed in her own show “Dionne And Friends,”
“It’s always been easy to perform me it comes natural, I’ve never had stage fright,” Warwick said.
Warwick spends her time equally between the Untied States and Brazil and is building a home.
“I have a lot of favorite songs but for the most part majority of them are Brazilian,” Warwick said.
In 1994 her album Aquarela Do Brazil (Watercolor of Brazil) was an album that showed her passion towards her passion for the music and the community of Brazil.
The “Come Home to Del Mar” fundraiser will be the fourth benefit hosted at Del Mar.
The proceeds for the performance will go toward students who need scholarship funds to have an educational opportunity at Del Mar. Tickets can be purchased online at www.delmar.edu/richardson or the box office. For ticket information sales contact 698-2226.
