Dionne and Connie Interview

Dionne and Connie Interview Audra Lowe: Our next two guests are two of the music business’ most successful female recording artist best known for hit songs like “That’s What Friends Are For” and “Who’s Sorry Now”. And for the first time ever, the iconic Dionne Warwick and Connie Francis are going to take the stage together performing at the Las Vegas Hilton. They are in our studio now to tell us about it and a whole lot more. Dionne Warwick: Hi Audra, good to see you. Audra Lowe: Good to have you here, ladies and gentlemen. Eric? Connie Francis: Hi! Audra Lowe: Grand divas on stage in Vegas at the end of the month—tell me about it. And Eric, I know you’re the producer of the show, right? Can you tell us about it? Eric Floyd: You know one to put together a show that would redeem the consequent of the country to commercially viable performing recoding artist who have been in the business for 50 years and have been loved by the world and you couldn’t get any better deal with any kind of differences. Audra Lowe: You really can’t because it’s just with your career alone. Forty plus years in the business, amazing sales, and success and you wasn’t the best female recordings artist of the 50’sand the 60’s. Is that right? Dionne Warwick: That’s right. Audra Lowe: I got that right. I know my little information there but you know what a lot of people thro the word around Pop Diva when they talk about you two women. Would you embrace that term or you just— Connie Francis: You know I hate that word. I hate that word. Donnie Warwick: I hate the word “diva”. I was telling her before I have a lot of divas in my family. Not of them are showmen until— Audra Lowe: When it comes to that phrase, what would you say is the biggest difference between women like your self and then artists that are out today? Connie Francis: The word itself has consented for— Donnie Warwick: Dead connotations, right? Connie Francis: —for opera singers and I’m an opera singer and I’m not an opera singer and what do I prefer to be. My cousin happens to be—so she is a diva and that particular praise was given to them and it has been so misused over the years and given to people. There so much yet to learn. Eric Floyd: That’s right! Audra Lowe: Wow! Connie Francis: And I don’t find it a very— Donnie Warwick: Complimentary! Connie Francis: There you go. That’s the word, complimentary. Audra Lowe: Complimentary term. Now I know Connie that you’ve had a lot of success overseas in the U.K. and most your sounds are love songs too. Are you okay with me saying you then divorced was at 4,000. Connie Francis: Four thousand.. I fell in love every time I— Audra Lowe: Every single day? So you’ve been an expert at the love songs? Is that why you chose love songs? Connie Francis: I wish I haven’t followed my own advice to those. It was like you always hurt the one you love and I met a lot of guys like that. Audra Lowe: Very in love and it shouldn’t hurt. Connie Francis: Love should be kind. Audra Lowe: No, not at all. Now you two ladies are both from Jersey, correct? Donnie Warwick: East Orange. Connie Francis: New York and we were both born on the same day. Audra Lowe: And you guys were rival cheerleaders? Donnie Warwick: You know that’s misworded. Where’d that come from? Audra Lowe: That’s what I said. Donnie Warwick: Anyway— Audra Lowe: No, let me tell what I read. This was what I heard. You could tell me if it’s true or not that you guys were rival. Is it junior high school or high school cheerleaders that you guys got into a little tassel and Dionne, that you shoved her into a locker? Dionne Warwick: Not shove. The paparazzi are the worse. Audra Lowe: So none of that is true at all? Donnie Warwick: I went to East Side high school. I was captain of my cheerleading squad. I think she had a thought about a cheerleader. She went to our time which nothing to do with cheerleading. Connie Francis: That’s right and I’m saying the only exercise I ever got was my mood swings. I get towards and say that “Whatsoever if I have mood swing?” Audra Lowe: So we’re going to put that one to bed so that guys know. Connie Francis: Actually our time at North, they didn’t have a football team. It was strictly work—music. That was it. Audra Lowe: And that was it? You guys are going to make sure to find out who started that rumor and let him know because this is not true. Connie Francis: I probably did. Audra Lowe: Yeah, you’ve won. Was it five Grammy’s throughout your career? What has your journey been like from beginning to end? If you sum it all up, what would you say? Donnie Warwick: Well, first of all it hasn’t ended yet, I’m glad to say. It has been a wonderful trip. It really has. It’s been lightening. It has given opportunity to travel. It has given me an opportunity for y children to be exposed to different cultures around the world and to be appreciated is a wonderful thing. I have sung so many incredible songs that were written for men. I seem to have fade off. Audra Lowe: Oh yeah, I think so. I think so and for both of you guys, I know you’ve written an autobiography Connie? Connie Francis: Right, I’m writing another one now. Audra Lowe: Oh you’re really? Okay. Connie Francis: Yeah, all the things I’ve left out in the first place. Audra Lowe: Some added information and then you have the skin care line. How do you ladies plan on juggling all of that plus the new Grand Divas on stage that’s coming up as well? Donnie Warwick: I’m going to find it very easy based on a fact that this thing is not going to last forever and there are other things that I developed over the years that I’m going to start paying to. As you said I have s skin care line. I have a fragrance as I have been into interior design company and so when I’m beginning to stuff. Audra Lowe: Oh right, I didn’t know that. See. I’m going to be talking to you. Yes, yes. I definitely I am. Connie Francis: And I have a very—shop. Audra Lowe: Oh come one over to YouTube because I need to eat. Eat then go to the nice house. Well, congratulations to both of you guys. Eric, thank you so very much. Eric Floyd: Oh, thank you for having us today! Audra Lowe: Best of luck to you guys in the event as well. Connie Francis and Donnie Warwick: Thank you. Dionne Warwick: That’s not when you have it. Audra Lowe: Well, I definitely will. A couple more weeks, here we go and that’s what friends are for. See you guys here. Thank you so much! Dionne Warwick: Thank you! Audra Lowe: Dionne and are going to be performing once again, at the Las Vegas Hilton Hotel and Casino on stage together for the first time in history May 21st through the 23rd dinner. You definitely don’t want to miss this one.