dionne in news; question about net worth

[Steve Schenck]

Lately, I've read online about some dispute between Dionne and Cathy Hughes, the owner/CEO of RadioOne, a network of stations catering to African American demographics in a number of cities. Apparently, because Dionne has been vocal about the new legislation proposed to give artists royalty payments for the playing of their songs on radio, there has been tension with Cathy Hughes. In more than one of the articles, Cathy Hughes is reported to have said something to the effect of, "When Dionne was in need, I helped her with money." I thought Dionne was more than secure, with her record royalties, concerts, the psychic network profits from years ago, and her other beauty-aids line materials. Does anyone know more of this? Any estimates of her net worth?

[BachtoBacharach]

Steve, Dionne has made many, many millions throughout the years. I don't believe Cathy Hughes has any direct knowledge of Dionne's net worth but those close to DIonne know that she has been very generous with family and friends throughout the years; by many accounts much, much too generous. Dionne owes a couple of million in back state and federal taxes going back to 1996 and is working to pay off the debt. Dionne has been "taken to the cleaners" on at least two occasions by her business managers. She is not an astute financial manager and has fallen victim on many occasions to bad advice given her by Guy Draper, who was instrumental in helping her form her own production company in the late 60s. Draper was a former executive at Scepter Records. Draper was Warwick's advisor for the disastrous Warwick Foundation in the late 80s. Warwick publically critized Draper in 1993 when ABC broke a story about her failed foundation and her alleged extravagence, stating that had she any idea that Mr. Draper had a history of bankruptcies and failed financial ventures she would not have done business with him. Warwick was very familiar with his history back to the early 70s. Warwick's most recent involvement with Draper was the failed American Music Ball she, Draper and a couple of others organized for Obama's inaugration; those who paid hundreds were left holding the bag when the ball was cancelled the day before and refunds were slow to come if at all. Warwick is blindly loyal to Draper it seems. Her association with him and others as well as her involvement with the Psychic Friends Network has cost her many dollars in the long run as well as hurt her reputation as a humanitarian. I believe her intentions are good, but she has associated herself with some folks whose intentions are not as noble as hers. As late as 2004 she was traveling around the world with not only her key band people but with an entourage of at least 10 to 20 comprised of friends and family. She has poured her own money into many failed business ventures, most not involving her singing career. Warwick purchased a Beverly Hills mansion in late 1968 from Johnny Mathis; the home was once the estate of Max Factor. She purchased luxury automobiles for her spouse (Rolls Royce, Mercedes Benz) etc. and was known to present gifts of diamond jewelery to Florence Greenberg and the staff at Scepter. She purchased a home for her parents in Maplewood, New Jersey. In the late 70s, Warwick was barely able to maintain her lifestyle. Once she hit a comeback at Arista Records, her financial fortunes improved. Warwick is almost 70 years old and is touring to meet her obligations. She has net worth in the form of non-cash assets but there are few royalties and income other than from touring. She was awarded a 5 million dollar settlemet from Bacharach-David in 1979 for breach of contract. Bacharach/David paid part of that to her in the form of their royalties/rights to all Dionne Warwick sound recordings that they held the rights to. Warwick sold those off in 1991 to Warner Music Group for an undisclosed sum. Those would have provided a nice income for her in her later years but is is speculated that she was in financial difficulties when she sold the rights. Singers who don't sing their own material don't often see much income from that material. Warwick was in the position to see some substantial income from those rights but alas, she sold them.

[Steve Schenck]

Thanks so much for that helpful and enlightening information. It's so sad when people who have done so much and done so well, can't seem to be able to enjoy the fruits of their labors. Though, as you note, she has perhaps been more than a bit too generous with others, and not provided enough for her own long-term needs.

[BachtoBacharach]

A very generous to a fault and well intentioned woman who seems to trust blindly and loyally. I would say that Warwick should have been very financially flush at this point in her life if she had questioned the intent of many of the "hangers-on" she has attracted throughout the years who have been so willing to take from her what she has worked so hard to achieve. She is an extravagent person with lavish tastes and although generous of her money, time and talent with humanitarian purposes, she always travels in a first class manner along with her entourage, and this has cost her, along with the Psychic Friends Network, a trememdous amount of credibility after the scandal broke regarding the Warwick Foundation. She seems to have squandered a great deal of the good fortune that has come her way along with her creibility as a serious artist. She never seemed to care about the value of her good name early on...witness the change of her surname in 1971 from Warwick to Warwicke due to the advice of Linda Goodman, an astrologer. Even her best friend Leslie Uggams was incredulous at the name change that Goodman recommended and that Warwick stupidly adopted by her own admission; adding a small e, mind you, not a large E, because the last name needed that slight "vibratory boost from a small e" and it recognized the last name of the husband "Elliott" as well; this would assure continued success for her and added success for the husband as well. How silly can you get is how many folks looked at it. WARWICKe. Lot's of raised eyebrows even in 1971 when astrology was all the rage. When you have nothing else you have your good name as oldtimers say but that meant little to her, it seems. Her career tanked after that and she would only have one top 10 hit (Then Came You hit #1 in October 1974) until she had the comeback in 1979. Bill Elliott was just beginning to become recognized as an actor with a prominent role on the CBS series Bridget loves Bernie in 1972 but the series was cancelled after one season not due to low ratings; it was a huge hit, but because it depicted a marriage between an Irish Catholic and a Jew it was deemed too controversial at the time. She seems to be burned frequently with these types of flaky things and slow to learn from the fire; not that these things wouldn't have happened anyway...it's that she believed that the small e would make such a difference! She tells the story of having a number 1 hit after dropping the "e" but everone knows that she was billed as Dionne Warwicke and Spinners on that tune and she didn't drop that e until 1975, well after that...goodness I could go on and on. She has lent her name to things like the American Music Ball and some other less than successful ventures so much so now that her name has little ability to raise awareness or funds for many causes...her good name has become essentially valueless, a far cry from the halcion days of 1986 when she could fill an arena for a charitable purpose and attract other celebrities to a cause...something she can no longer do. Harsh assessment, yes, but made with sadness. She admits that she has made mistakes over and over but still isn't as careful as she should be. She could have retired with many millions as Tina Turner has done while occasionally appearing at selected venues and for selected causes and maintained her status and the power of her name in the entertainment industry, but alas no longer. She has lost so much of the respect she accrued; dare I say squandered it? Although I cringe whenever I hear artists like Jimmy Buffett (who should damn well know better) make the stale and unfunny joke from the stage that he should have called Dionne Warwick for some psychic advice recently...it is something that now seems to be part of the culture in the USA. Who would have ever believed that Dionne Warwick would be known more for the Psychc Friends Network, 12 years after its failure, than for the unparalled body of work with Bacharach/David and her influence on a whole bevy of artists for the past 5 decades? It is sad. My hope is that one day before she leaves this earth that she is finally given the recognition and regains the respect she once had and that she so well deserves for her tremendous talent and contribution. And, she DID make a difference with her humanitarian efforts with AIDS awareness and her work for AMFAR among others although few acknowledge it these days.

[An Enormous BB Fan]

BachtoBacharach, I love your posts. You're a font of great information.

I remember when Dionne added the "e" and I remember thinking, "how strange?!" As if adding an "e" to your name can change your life in any way.

But I what I really wanted to say is that, while it's a disgrace that she isn't fabulously wealthy, it's very common. Barry Manilow, for instance, had no money whatsoever after years and years of hit songs and concerts. The blame falls with his advisors and managers. Manilow talks about it freely on TV. They took him to the cleaners. But for Dionne to actually have to work now to earn a living is very sad for a star of her great stature.

[BachtoBacharach]

It happens frequently but Manilow finally learned who his friends were and who they weren't. It's hard for me to fathom how someone like Guy Draper could hold sway over someone like Warwick...how she has been burned over and over by him. She should kick him and others like him to the curb but she doesn't. They are loyal to her only as long as she writes checks. The other difference is that Manilow has been selective about what he lent his name to. In the past 20 years, it seems Warwick has lent her name to some things that have cost her good name and her reputation dearly.

[BachtoBacharach]

Dionne is not alone in being taken to the cleaners!


Ken Starr Accountant to the Stars

Uma Thurman helps catch accountant to the stars who stole $30m from clients
By Daniel Bates
Last updated at 1:51 AM on 29th May 2010


A £20million fraud which allegedly duped dozens of Hollywood stars was uncovered by Uma Thurman.

The Kill Bill actress stormed into the office of accountant Kenneth Starr to confront him over the loss of £700,000 of her money.

Although he paid her back in full, as news spread to his other high-profile clients, Starr's Ponzi-style scheme collapsed and the FBI was informed.

When agents raided his Manhattan flat they found him 'cowering' behind coats in a wardrobe.


The 66-year-old has since appeared in court accused of running the fraud to fund a life of luxury.

Thurman, 40, was one of several big Hollywood names - believed to include actors Al Pacino, Sylvester Stallone and Wesley Snipes - to have used Starr as an adviser to pay bills, fill in tax returns and look after investments. It is not clear if the fraud charges relate to these stars.

Starr is said to have told clients he would invest their money in safe deals, while allegedly funnelling it to himself, his former stripper wife Diane Passage, 34, or associates.

The arrangement worked by paying clients back with money taken directly from others, it is claimed.


The accountant used the cash to apparently fund a lifestyle of excess including a £5million flat in the affluent Upper East Side of New York.


The flat boasted a 32ft swimming pool in its basement and sprawling garden

As well as the criminal proceedings, Starr faces a separate civil action filed by U.S. financial watchdogs.


The case has rocked Hollywood and dozens of well-known names fear they could have been conned.

Director Martin Scorcese and photographer Annie Leibovitz both got out before things turned sour.

Starr's 'extravagant' spending also included a $150,000 summer rental house, prosecutors said.


His biggest alleged victim was celebrity jeweller Jacob 'Jacob the Jeweler' Arabov and his wife, who allegedly were conned out of $14million.



Fraud charges: Kenneth Starr allegedly stole $30million from high-profile clients

Miss Thurman confronted Starr on April 26th and was paid back the day after.

Several clients heard about this and asked for their money to be repaid but only got half - one got $250,000 instead of $500,000.

Mr Stallone had earlier dropped Starr and sued him saying the accountant advised him to keep his investment in the Planet Hollywood chain whilst advising others it was going bankrupt.

Miss Leibovitz also parted ways with him before his arrest. She said yesterday: 'News of Ken Starr's arrest does not come as a complete surprise to me, and I will follow this story with great interest.'


At a bail hearing the court heard that when federal investigators showed up at Starr's home, his wife pointed upstairs and whispered: 'He's upstairs.'


Agents started looking in wardrobes and spotted his two shoes sticking out from under a some coats that were hanging up.

Starr's office, which is over the road from the building where Bernard Madoff engineered his $60billion Ponzi scheme, has been searched and 60 boxes of documents have been removed from it.

In addition to the criminal proceedings, Star also faces a separate civil action has also been filed by the Securities and Exchanges Commission.

[Nikray]

I think it is unclear how much money Dionne actually has at this point. I don't for a second believe that Dionne still only tours because of the money she makes alone. Yes it could be financial decisions but the truth is Dionne appears to love to being on the run, moving from one project to another. Dionne has throughout her entire career toured almost year round. And according to Dionne herself her sons have asked her to please slow down and stay home more often, and she keeps saying soon.

Word is some years ago that Dionne was offered tons of money to write her 'autobiography' she turned down several publishers, there has been some blind items on several internet sites a few years asking why Dionne would not simply write a book and take the money. And it's clear that Dionne was paid millions for the PFN infomericals many years ago there were figures mentioned from 3 to 8 million a year. Who knows for sure, but it's clear some of that tax problems is from that era, and for her to owe almost 3 millions in taxes I can only assume what her income was at that time...note at 38 percent tax rate and she owes nearly 3 million dollars you do the math.

Over all I tend not to worry about someone like Dionne as Darlene Love stated in her own autobiography, that Dionne was one the most generous persons she ever worked for and that Dionne has this wonderful special constellation around her that keeps her out trouble, Dionne always appears to land on her feet. And bottomline I don't think for a second that Whitney who just made tens of millions on the road doing her world tour would ever allow Dionne to be impoverished.

Only can add that Cathy Hughes is trying to protect her own assets, and has drawn bitter lines in the sand against everything Dionne.

[BachtoBacharach]

Dionne did write a book published by a publisher in Europe about 5 years ago called "My Point of View" which she offered her "wisdom" on a variety of subjects based upon her hit tune titles. Dionne has stated in many interviews in the past few years that she wants to slow down and stop touring. Her publicity firm stated recently that she is working "to pay off her tax debt" accrued over a period of several years not in a short period of time. The back taxes also relate to the sale of her home in Beverly Hills and the capital gain from the sale which she owed state and federal taxes on. This is not the first time she has had debt problems, unfortunately. And, unfortunately, there are many individuals who have taken full advantage of her generousity throughout the years. Darlene Love, Cissy Houston, and Leslie Uggams have commented on that publicly. The "constellation" Darlene referred to was her ability to attract stars as in her being an "entertainer's entertainers; I think Dionne would do anything rather than depend upon her friends to provide for her financially. I wonder if its feasable for her to depend on the generousity of her "constellation" for financial security in the future and is that a strategy to get out of debt? We see what has happened to her "constellation" as well...many have died off. As for depending on Whitney Houston, Whitney's financial health is not what it was. At some point, even celebrities have to scale back when the income won't continue to support a lavish lifestyle. Whitney lost homes in New Jersey and Georgia in the past three years for back taxes and failure to honor mortgages. As far as her income from the Psychic Friends Network, I never heard any reports that she commanded 8 million per year. It is my understanding that she was earning about 3 million per year from about 1993 to 1998 from that venture and less than that for the first two years from 1991 to 1993 until the PFN got off the ground. Even so, that's a staggering sum. As Henry Carr, her road manager and dear friend stated, "Dionne worked too hard to be known now as the psychic lady." He stated she regrets at this point her association with the Psychic Friends Network. She's very aware of the damage it caused her credibility and her stature in the industry. Dionne pre Psychic Friends Network was respected, after that and other scandals, even she acknowledges that she is responsible for much of that loss of respect. I admire her for being more self-aware than many celebrities are. She doesn't sugar-coat much nor see things through rose-colored glasses these days and she will work until her debt is paid off and not depend upon others to do so.

[maestrofan]

As a self proclaimed woman of faith, Ms. Warwick is all to familiar with the biblical phrase "We reap what we sow". Although she may regret her decision to be the host and spokesperson for the Psychic Friends Network she will always have to live with that and forever remain the brunt of those unending jokes. In recent years when asked about her association with the PFN she justified it as something that netted her lots of money and was just something that participants pursued for fun and entertainment at $3.99 per minute ($240.00 per hour). I have vague recollections of audience members interviewed by Ms. Warwick testifying to things like finally getting a job, winning contests, family problems resolved etc after spending time on the phone with a "psychic". To me this was the saddest part of her involvement as most of these individuals appeared pitiful and many were minorities and could not afford $240.00 an hour to be entertained on the telephone. Recently saw a taped interview in South America where Ms. Warwick was once again asked about her involvement with the PFN. Her terse response was something to the effect that "that was 30 years ago" (not quite - more like 15). I'm convinced that she truly regrets that decision and I applaud her for moving forward and continuing to do what she does best!

[An Enormous BB Fan]

....To me this was the saddest part of her involvement as most of these individuals appeared pitiful and many were minorities and could not afford $240.00 an hour to be entertained on the telephone...

This is the exact reason why I was very disappointed with Dionne. I felt that a) she could easily earn money in her own profession and b) she was hurting people horribly -- hurting people who looked up to her and trusted her. Because, as you know, horoscope reading is one of the biggest scams and frauds going. Dionne was reaping millions hawking a product that was scamming people out of their money--people who could not afford to to make these phone calls. I just felt sad that she would lend her name to such a fradulent business.

And if Dionne was herself scammed out of money, then one could say "what goes around comes around".

The only thing that lessens Dionne guilt in this matter is the fact that Dionne believed in psychic readings. So, maybe, from her point of view, she really wasn't hurting people. Nancy Reagan certainly believed in it. And Dionne did add the "e" to her last name based on a reading. But still!

And, by the way, I feel this way about any big name star who trades their name for scamming people.

[BachtoBacharach]

I am a little less charitible toward those folks who paid good money to talk to psychics...they're idiots! And most knew what they were getting in to. They were not swindled out of that money...they willingly called that hotline...I am not one of those folks who believe everyone is a victim, especially those who willingly call a psychic hotline. Now I am not charitible toward Dionne Warwick's involvement in such a carnival sideshow either...that money she took to front the Psychic Friends Network has cost her dearly, hasn't it? How one of the classiest entertainers to ever grace a stage sunk to that depth to sell her name and reputation for such a sham is beyond me. But, her involvement in psychic stuff goes back decades, so she obviously believed in that crap so maybe she never thought about what ridicule it would lead to. Sad!

[jmac123]

Dionne did write a book published by a publisher in Europe about 5 years ago called "My Point of View" which she offered her "wisdom" on a variety of subjects based upon her hit tune titles. Dionne has stated in many interviews in the past few years that she wants to slow down and stop touring. Her publicity firm stated recently that she is working "to pay off her tax debt" accrued over a period of several years not in a short period of time. The back taxes also relate to the sale of her home in Beverly Hills and the capital gain from the sale which she owed state and federal taxes on. This is not the first time she has had debt problems, unfortunately. And, unfortunately, there are many individuals who have taken full advantage of her generousity throughout the years. Darlene Love, Cissy Houston, and Leslie Uggams have commented on that publically. The "constellation" Darlene referred to was her ability to attract stars as in her being an "entertainer's entertainers; I think Dionne would do anything rather than depend upon her friends to provide for her financially. I wonder if its feasable for her to depend on the generousity of her "constellation" for financial security in the future and is that a strategy to get out of debt? We see what has happened to her "constellation" as well...many have died off. As for depending on Whitney Houston, Whitney's financial health is not what it was. At some point, even celebrities have to scale back when the income won't continue to support a lavish lifestyle. Whitney lost homes in New Jersey and Georgia in the past three years for back taxes and failure to honor mortgages. As far as her income from the Psychic Friends Network, I never heard any reports that she commanded 8 million per year. It is my understanding that she was earning about 3 million per year from about 1993 to 1998 from that venture and less than that for the first two years from 1991 to 1993 until the PFN got off the ground. Even so, that's a staggering sum. As Henry Carr, her road manager and dear friend stated, "Dionne worked too hard to be known now as the psychic lady." He stated she regrets at this point her association with the Psychic Friends Network. She's very aware of the damage it caused her credibility and her stature in the industry. Dionne pre Psychic Friends Network was respected, after that and other scandals, even she acknowledges that she is responsible for much of that loss of respect. I admire her for being more self-aware than many celebrities are. She doesn't sugar-coat much nor see things through rose-colored glasses these days and she will work until her debt is paid off and not depend upon others to do so.

thats not really true. Whitney still owns those homes in NJ, Georgia and LA to my knowledge... could be more. Whitney was smart, she did something quite backhanded to ensure that Bobby brown wouldn't see a penny of her wealth so she flat out didn't pay her taxes. Whitney earns alot for her concert dates compared to Dionne.. from 2005-2010 she's did a few private shows and music festivals and earns like 500,000 to 2 million just for those appearances.. I think she's did atleast 5 in the past few years. Now she justs came off a successful tour where its estimated she earned 15-25 million, selling out venues across europe, asia and australia.

[BachtoBacharach]

Whitney is that you? LOL!

[jmac123]

no, just a Dionne fan who loves Whitney as well. She still owns all her homes and her tour earnings were based on her ticket sales and how well her merchandise were selling at the concerts. She did over 40 shows and with atleast 5,000 seats sold per concert and high tickey prices, well over a hundred dollars... she made alot of bank this tour. PLUs, it was reported she was paid about a million dollars to perform a private gig in france earlier this year.

so, I dont this Whitney has any money woes