Dionne talking about retirement, the new album and...tennis.

[GehVorbei]

The new album is entitled "Now" and it is coming out in the UK on October 22nd. She mentions "Are You There With Another Girl" as one of the tracks. Now that's a choice I really like.

[gillanddon]

Yes me to .. I love that song .. that opening line to Say A Little Prayer sounds good too .... can't wait.

[BachtoBacharach]

Dionne, as Pearl Bailey segueing into an impersonation of Marlene Dietrich, in a 1968 performance at the Copa...

Dionne (as Pearl) sings "Won't You Come Home Bill Bailey" and as she is ending that tune she begins chastising the drummer..."You up there, slammin' and bammin' and crammin' on them drums like you ain't got no sense? What is your problem tonight, darlin', just what is it? (Dionne speaks to audience) Ya'll know Pearlie's tired...I mean tired. You know I've been in this business a looooong time, don't cha? Don't cha? (audience responds Yeah) Ummmm, that's what I thought. But there's an old dame who's been in the business a little longer than Pearlie has.....and maybe, just maybe she'll come out here and do a coupla of numbers for ya" and Dionne breaks out into Marlene Dietrich singing "Boys In the Backroom"...

Well, according to this interview, Dionne is tired....and I mean tired...and she's been in the business a long time...and she's going to retire. You believe that, don't cha? Don't cha? Ummmm, that's what I thought.

[gillanddon]

Dear B to B .. How rude! Where is your class? Well of course we know Dionne is going to retire at some stage soonish ... arn't we all? Will miss her a lot. I don't think she should retire at all .. Compared to most people her age she is doing extraordinary things .. you seem to be unaware of the global impact she has on audiences etc You seem to be viewing iy purely from an insular American point of view? She was FABULOUS at the Royal Albert Hall in London in April .. just fabulous, sang well for nearly 3 hours and looked stunning .. left all the other high profile guest artists in the shade! They would be the first to say the same. I can only think you wrote this in a fit of pique and by now you are back to your normal objective self. Perhaps you should retire dear as I think youv'e lost the plot and appear to be very bitter about the fact that Dionne most certainly hasn't. Her audiences are just enjoying what she's doing NOW! No big deal in that. She's still a lot better than most of them out there and she tours on a huge international scale, more than all her peers and younger groups and singers who expect instant fame. As she walks on stage with her brilliant band plus Joe sheconnects with her audiences in the most extraordinary way, often unique and stunning venues, whether huge concert halls or small clubs. In concert most of her energy is directed toward the Burt Bacharach/Hal David song book as her mission is to keep these glorios sond alive and a lot of younf people are clicking onto them. Sadly you seem judge her and everything she's done purely on her early Bacharach years and havn't grown with her.. well get over it, she gone far beyond that. Voices change and thank God they do. I loved the early Bacharachs but love her husky tones even more!

[BachtoBacharach]

You assume so much! The previous post was meant to be tongue-in-cheek as Dionne has been talking about retirement for the past 10 years or so. I don't believe for a minute she will. As for my "insular American point of view", interesting perception on your part but no basis for that. And, I think Dionne needs to fire her press agent and hire you! It was, indeed, thrilling to see Dionne in such fine form at Royal Albert Hall and receiving such accolades from both fans and her peers. However, she is often not in fine form and for her sake and the sake of her voice, I would love to see her slow down. And by the way, she is 71 and not 70. She has some health issues which are related to her age. I know personally that Dionne has worn herself out mainly to support some of her family and her friends and to pay off debts her generosity has generated...she has neglected herself and her health and has run around the world at the pace a person much younger person couldn't sustain. She IS TIRED but the demands some of her family, friends and yes, fans put on her, keep her from taking care of herself...when she says, as she said in the interview, that she doesn't know herself, she means it. She is a most unselfish person, a good person, and can't say no to anyone...friends, family, and fans...and she will be the first to tell you she is used up. But, out of loyalty to those folks, she will go until she drops. You have no idea, none whatsoever so please don't presume to lecture me. There are two people we are talking about here. There is Marie Dionne Elliott the mother, sister, daughter, aunt, grandmother, best friend, confidante and there is the singer Dionne Warwick you idolize. Dionne Warwick is wearing Marie Dionne Elliott out and hell yes, I have every right to resent that.

[gillanddon]

Thank you for your prompt reply. I hear what you say. I wouldn't know about the finances .. sad if it's true after such a career. Sad if she's been used by so many people. Money apart, she seems to have a genuine joy of travelling with her loyal band, like a family, and that way of life. In the interview she was a bit lost to provide an answer for a replacement retirement activity ... no gardening! So I don't think she really wants to stop ... the buzz of racing for flights to foreign destinations plus the team and a whole lot of fun doing so. It's like a family. I once saw them all arriving at Pinewood Studios in London and the team had 5 hours to record the show then get back to Heathrow to fly back to the States and it was all hyper activity and buzz. They moan about it and love it ..,. the glamour. TV appearances, press usually at their own time pace etc So I don't quite get the financial hardship or tiredness in the same way you do. The contrast between that and gardening is well .. a no brainer! I remember Whitney saying before her last recording that it was either opening a shop on a beach in the Caribbean or going back to the studio.But my case rests as you seem to have insider knowledge! All I know is let's keep Dionne singing croak or no croak .. I've always said this ... I may be wrong but I can't see this next recording being her last either!! She said she would like to do a country album ... let's hope.

[Martin Johnson]

This has been posted on this forum before but to lighten the mood a little here's the afore-mentioned Pearl Bailey performing 'Wives and Lovers' on a TV special from '69. What extraordinary wit and timing she had and it's uncanny how she never loses her place in the song despite all the banter with the audience.

[BachtoBacharach]

Pearl Bailey was a class act from top to bottom! She just galvanized her audiences and created an immediate and amazing sense of intimacy not matter how large or small the venue. She was performing for you and you only. I have never seen such a performer before or since. I miss her greatly. There are no performers these days who can hold a candle to the likes of Pearl, Lena Horne, and yes Dionne who is probably the last of these entertainers. Pearl was much more than a singer.

[pljms]

I couldn't agree more with the comments re Pearl Bailey and that wonderful video footage of her performing 'Wives and Lovers' shows the unique way she could interact with an audience. My parents were big fans and had many of her LPs and I remember as a child one night in the 60s them coming home elated after seeing her perform in London. Since then I've taken up the baton and have several of her albums on CD. She was obviously a fan of Bacharach's going by her comments at the after show party on the opening night of 'Promises, Promises' in December '68, something that was captured for posterity on a radio documentary about the show and which I have on CD.

Here she is putting her inimitable stamp on an old warhorse:

[gillanddon]

I think Pearl Bailey is great but she is nowhere near Dionne Warwick's subtlety in stage presence and sophistication, sexyness and unique deliverly .. the sublime holding back of gesture and timing. Sorry take another look at it. I thought Pearl's version of Wives and Lovers missed the mark in terms of the message of the song. I have to say I hate (and cringe) at that degree of audience participation .. poor girl pinned to the seat about her boyfriend .. thereby completely detracting from what she was doing vocally! Dionne even had control over her backing singers not to detract from the force of the vocal .. the aim being to get the message of the masters and lyricists over .. not to vamp it into music hall to one's own advangage. Lovely lady but no comaprisons to Dionne please!

[BachtoBacharach]

Gill, In going back and reading this thread, seems the only poster comparing Pearl to Dionne was you. LOL!

[gillanddon]

Yes .. sorry about that! Lost the plot a bit late one night!? Very strong in my defence of Dionne!!!!