

The Drinkards relocated from Blakely, Georgia to Newark, New Jersey in 1923. Warwick's mother, aunts and uncles were members of the Drinkard Singers, a renowned family gospel group and RCA recording artists that frequently performed throughout the New York metropolitan area. Her parents were both African American, and she also has Native American, Brazilian, and Dutch ancestry. Dionne has a sister Delia ("Dee Dee") and a brother, Mancel Jr., who was killed in an accident in 1968 at the age of 21.

Marie Dionne Warrick (she would later change the spelling of her surname) was born on Decemin East Orange, New Jersey, to Lee (née Drinkard 1920–2005) and Mancel Warrick (1911–1977), the former who was manager of The Drinkard Singers (see below), and the latter who began his career as a Pullman porter and subsequently became a chef, a gospel record promoter for Chess Records, and, finally, a CPA. Marie Dionne Warrick (Dionne Warwick) was born to Lee Drinkard and Mancel Warrick. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Dionne Warwick is second only to Aretha Franklin as the most-charted female vocalist of all time, with 69 of Warwick's singles making the Billboard Hot 100 between 19.Ĥ Career 4.1 Early career, The GospelairesĮarly life and family This section needs additional citations for verification.

Having been in a partnership with songwriters Burt Bacharach and Hal David, Warwick ranks among the 40 biggest hit makers of the entire rock era, based on the Billboard Hot 100 Pop Singles Charts. Marie Dionne Warrick, known as Dionne Warwick (/ˈdiːɒn ˈwɔːrwɪk/ born December 12, 1940), is an American singer, actress and TV-show host, who became a United Nations Global Ambassador for the Food and Agriculture Organization, and a United States Ambassador of Health.
