Dionne Warwick Net Worth (Money & Salary)

Dionne Warwick’s Net Worth: How Much Is It?

The net worth of American singer, actress, and television host Dionne Warwick stands at $300,000. Additionally, she formerly served as the United Nations Global Ambassador for the Food and Agriculture Organization, as well as the United States Ambassador of Health.

At one point, Dionne’s net worth was considerably higher, yet she faced a negative net worth of $10 million in the past. Financial hardships have occurred intermittently over recent years for her. In 2013, she filed for personal bankruptcy, informing the court of possessing assets under $25,000 and debts exceeding $10 million. Among her renowned hits are “Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head” and “Do You Know the Way to San Jose.”

Early Life

Born on December 12, 1940, in Orange, New Jersey, Marie Dionne Warrick (she later changed it to Warwick) came into the world to parents Mancel Warrick and Lee Drinkard. Coming from a musical lineage, Dionne’s mother managed the famous gospel group the Drinkard Sisters, with several of her family members also partaking in the ensemble. Her father was involved in various jobs, including that of a record promoter, railroad porter, chef, and CPA. Dionne had siblings, a sister named Delia and a brother named Mancel Jr. Her early years included being a Girl Scout, and she began her singing journey in gospel music at New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, New Jersey. After graduating from East Orange High School in 1959, she attended Hartt College of Music in West Hartford, Connecticut, where she met Burt Bacharach during a recording session. He invited her to record demos for the songs he composed alongside Hal David.

Her maternal aunt, Cissy Houston, is the mother of the late Whitney Houston.

Career

While performing background vocals for the Drifters’ track “Mexican Divorce,” Dionne’s voice caught the attention of Burt Bacharach. She was signed by the production team of Bacharach and Hal David, which was connected to Scepter Records, thanks to the label’s president, Florence Greenberg, in 1962. That November, Scepter Records launched her debut solo single, “Don’t Make Me Over.” An error on the single’s label misrepresented her name, leading Dionne to adopt the spelling “Warwick.” Following this, she released “The Empty Place,” the B-side featuring what would turn out to be one of her greatest hits, “Wishing and Hopin’.” Warwick’s first entry into the top 10 came with the song “Anyone Who Had a Heart.” In April 1964, she produced “Walk On By,” which became a substantial international success.

From the mid-1960s to the early 1970s, Warwick achieved a series of hit songs: “Do You Know the Way To San Jose,” “Message to Michael,” “Alfie,” “Trains and Boats and Planes,” and “I Just Don’t Know What to Do with Myself.” The track “Do You Know the Way to San Jose?” reached the Top 10 in multiple countries, such as the UK, Canada, Australia, South Africa, Japan, and Mexico. Following this success, more hits came forth, including “Who Is Gonna Love Me,” “(There’s) Always Something There to Remind Me,” “Promises, Promises,” “This Girl’s in Love with You,” “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’,” “I’ll Never Fall in Love Again,” “Make It Easy on Yourself,” “Let Me Go to Him,” and “Paper Mache.”

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In 1971, a move was made by Warwick from Scepter Records to Warner Bros. Records, signing a $5 million contract, marking it as the most lucrative recording deal ever awarded to a female artist at that time. Except for “Then Came You” in 1974, the early and mid-decade didn’t yield major hits. Five albums were recorded by Warwick with Warner before she transitioned to Arista Records in 1979, starting a successful second phase of hit albums and singles that continued into the late 1980s, featuring songs like “I’ll Never Love This Way Again,” “How Many Times Can We Say Goodbye,” and the 1985 AmFAR benefit single “That’s What Friends Are For,” performed alongside Gladys Knight, Elton John, and Stevie Wonder.

Throughout the 1990s, Warwick served as a host for infomercials promoting the Psychic Friends Network, which included the self-proclaimed psychic Linda Georgian. The psychic service operating under 900 numbers was available from 1991 to 1998. Press statements from that decade claimed that the program was the most successful infomercial for multiple years, with Warwick earning over three million dollars annually as the network’s spokesperson.

Personal Life