The Burt Bacharach Discussion Forum

I'm glad you think my idea has some merit. I just get the feeling listening to it that Dionne was enjoying herself and that she had a big hand in how it all came together, and that's probably why I enjoy listening to it so much. I don't get the same good feeling from other projects like Friends Can ...

Let me get straight to the question: Is Dionne Sings Dionne (DSD) the most personal album that Dionne has ever recorded? In light of the news that her next project is more of the same, I've been thinking about her first project of this nature. After listening to it again, I've begun to appreciate DS...

In her book, Cissy Houston lists the names of the Gospelaires as follows: Dee Dee, Sylvia Shemwell, Carol Harding, and Myrna Smith (p. 147). Notice that she uses alternate (married?) last names for two of the ladies and drops Myrna's brother, John.

According to Dionne's autobiography,"The Gospelaires did the background vocals on all of my recordings and continued to do this when I left the group to go solo. Dee Dee took over my position as the contractor for the sessions, and Cissy became a member of the group. Working with family in my c...

I have run across the names of Dionne's usual background singers several times, either in Dionne's book, Cissy's book, Burt's book, or online. I'll see if I can dig them up and get back to you. I do know that Cissy and Dee Dee were regulars, but there are some other names that escape me at the moment.

It looks like Dionne has joined her friend Stevie Wonder in refusing to perform in any state that has "Stand Your Ground" or similar laws in the wake of the George Zimmerman verdict. I think it's a lovely symbolic gesture, especially coming on the heels of her bankruptcy filing. However, l...

I have it on hold at Barnes & Noble, and I will grab it tomorrow (hopefully). Can't wait to read it. As far as Dionne never saying "don't make me over," I think I read somewhere a long time ago that she actually said "don't f*ck me over." So.... I can see why they might have ...

So, I listened to Here I Am and The Windows of the World (and Anyone Who Had a Heart, just for the heck of it) again this evening, just to remind myself. There's no question now that Here I Am is the superior album. All three (BB/HD/DW) were at the top of their game. So many fantastic songs in one p...

What's the diva worship part about? I'm saying: "Let her live her life now!" She has given most of what she had to give. Apparently now is the time for her to let the hair grow grey, put on the baseball caps and jeans a lot of the times and be sometimes grumpy. Perfection and constant div...

With Dionne being in the news so much these days, I have been revisiting her early work just to remind myself of how she made her mark in the first place. Since this forum has spent so much energy lately fleshing out her failings, I thought it would be fun to dedicate this thread to fleshing out Dio...

According to Dionne's Facebook page, American Idol will feature the music of Bacharach/David this upcoming Wednesday (April 10). Dionne will be featured as a mentor to the contestants. Be sure to tune in!

I maintain that there are facts here that we do not know. My common sense tells me that there is no way that Dionne only brings in an average of $3750 per month from her performances. She is on the road constantly. At 72 years of age, would she still be putting herself through the rigors of constant...

I posted this in the other thread, but it makes more sense here: Ugh, I'm so sad for her. I couldn't imagine working as hard as she has for all these years only to end up in this place. If she truly had such bad management, and their advice was the cause of this mess, then I wonder if there is some ...

Ugh, I'm so sad for her. I couldn't imagine working as hard as she has for all these years only to end up in this place. If she truly had such bad management, and their advice was the cause of this mess, then I wonder if there is some way that they can be held liable for malpractice. Every dollar wo...

Stormy and volatile, indeed. Sometimes the people who love the hardest also fight the hardest, huh? Dionne strikes me as a woman of enormous passions, both good and bad. She has often referred to herself as "crazy," and stories like this and others (for example, abandoning her new house an...