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Dionne Warwick opens a month’s worth of shows at Bally’s this week.
Tuesday, April 2, 2019 | 2 a.m.
It’s been a while since the iconic voice and style of Dionne Warwick graced the stage on the Las Vegas Strip; she performed at the MGM Grand and the then-Las Vegas Hilton in 2010.
But with a new album and a big honor coming up this spring, it’s the perfect time for the 78-year-old singer to return to a place where she’s had so many memorable appearances.
“The very first place I ever worked in Las Vegas was back in the late ’60s at the Sands Hotel, which in my opinion was the best place to have a career in Las Vegas,” says Warwick. “Of course I played the Riviera and the Dunes and Caesars Palace. I have many wonderful, fond memories of Las Vegas. Hopefully there are still people there that want to come out and enjoy a good show.”
Warwick will sing at Bally’s Las Vegas Thursday through Saturday all month long, and she’s bringing more than just her classic pop hits like “I’ll Never Fall in Love Again,” “Walk On By” and “I Say a Little Prayer.” Her first new album in five years, “She’s Back,” will be released on May 10 and is loaded with remakes and new songs, including duets with Kenny Lattimore, Musiq Soulchild and Krayzie Bone.
“I’m very excited about it and I think it’s some of my best work, and I’m thrilled that it was produced by my son Damon Elliott,” she says. “It was my son who convinced me to do it. He called and said, ‘Listen, it’s time to get back in the studio and get some good music back into people’s ears,’ and I agreed.”
“She’s Back” is Warwick’s 36th studio album and first dedicated R&B and soul record since 1969. The lead single will be an updated version of “What the World Needs Now is Love,” a timeless track she believes is just as powerful today as ever.
“Unfortunately those words ring true to this very day. We’re living in such a chaotic time now, not only in the United States but especially in the United States. I have no desire to be politically involved with anything, but I feel that at these times people have to express their opinions generally about what’s going on. The words of this song have been around for 50 years and I hope now they will sit on people’s minds and hearts and help bring about some sort of solution to the madness.”
Also in May, Warwick will receive the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in Los Angeles. She’s no stranger to such an incredible honor, but Warwick says it’s still a special occasion.
“I don’t call them awards any longer, I call them rewards,” she says. “I’m being recognized for my body of work and rewarded for giving what they feel is just worth saying, ‘Hey, you’ve done good.’”
Dionne Warwick performs at 7:30 p.m. April 3-6, 11-13, 18-20 and 25-27 at the Jubilee Theater at Bally’s (3645 Las Vegas Blvd. South, 702-777-2782) and more information can be found at caesars.com.
