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Lindakron
Sweet Inspiration
Canada
2700 Posts |
 Posted - 30/03/2007 : 16:51:03
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Yesterday I was watching a documentary about Dionne Warwick, and she was saying that after she performed the song "People" for a primarily white audience in the mid-1960's, she became known as "the little black girl who brought downtown uptown". Basically she was a black recording artist who captured a white audience. In fact, she was emerging at the same time that Aretha Franklin's career was escalating, the black R&B/soul listeners began to scoff at Dionne for sounding 'too white', skirting around both R&B and pop, but not really being labeled as either. Cissy Houston was quoted as saying, "How black does black have to be?". 
I think it's interesting that Aretha has been labeled as a black singer who sounds black, Dionne is a black singer who sounds white, and Dusty is a white singer who sounded black.
Although Dusty was never mentioned in the documentary, I think it's quite interesting to consider Dionne and Dusty as juxtaposed opposite each other as recording and stage artists.
Dusty - white / Dionne - black
Dusty - styled after black artists / Dionne - styled 'white'
Dusty - huge stage presence / Dionne - almost timid on stage
Dusty - UK / Dionne - USA
And yet, they sang some of the same songs, like "Anyone Who Had a Heart". I think I read somewhere that Dusty kept Dionne supressed in the UK charts, while Dionne kept Dusty suppressed in the American charts.
Interesting to consider, anyhow. I don't really understand the need to pigeon-hole artists. Dionne and Dusty are clear examples that you can't fit a round hole into a square peg. Or is it a square hole and a round peg? 
~Linda~
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Carole R.
Higher and Higher
United Kingdom
13644 Posts |
Posted - 30/03/2007 : 21:49:37
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Its a square peg into a round hole..
You make some very good points there, Linda.
I loved Dusty and admired Dionne.. but I didn't really match all those coincidences to them.
I'm gonna have a think about this, and get back to ya..
Cxx |
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David
Wishing And Hoping
USA
698 Posts |
Posted - 30/03/2007 : 22:26:41
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I've never thought Dusty sounded like she was black. I know I'm in the minority on this.
Dustily yours, Astro |
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Lindakron
Sweet Inspiration
Canada
2700 Posts |
Posted - 30/03/2007 : 22:47:03
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quote:
Originally posted by David
I've never thought Dusty sounded like she was black. I know I'm in the minority on this.
I think her style sounded black, not necessarily her voice. Her style had me fooled before I knew who she was.
I think the general idea is that white ladies from the UK weren't recording music in soul, and black ladies weren't recording pop records for mainstream white listeners. Until Dusty and Dionne. Since then, others have done it.
~Linda~ |
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TMAK
Wasn't Born To Follow
USA
5152 Posts |
Posted - 30/03/2007 : 23:26:29
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quote:
Originally posted by David
I've never thought Dusty sounded like she was black. I know I'm in the minority on this.
Dustily yours, Astro
I agree with you, Astro.
T |
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Sara
Higher and Higher
United Kingdom
9288 Posts |
Posted - 30/03/2007 : 23:58:11
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I think she sounded more "black" than Dionne, definitely, her style the way she sang, the songs she chose..
Dionne Warwick is in the 'Soul' section in HMV, and I always wondered why that was when her style was less soul than Dusty. Hmm..
Sara x |
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Lindakron
Sweet Inspiration
Canada
2700 Posts |
Posted - 31/03/2007 : 00:30:33
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quote:
Originally posted by Sara
Dionne Warwick is in the 'Soul' section in HMV, and I always wondered why that was when her style was less soul than Dusty. Hmm..
Sara x
That's kind of why I was confused and amused. They sounded a lot alike in many respects, but because of their colour, they were heard differently, and by different audiences. I'm sure a lot of the public's opinion was formed by the critics and not by the listeners' ears.
I never know where to find Dionne in a record store, but I can find her much quicker and in greater quantity than I can find Dusty. I think it's a North American phenomenon. Or rather, a problem.
~Linda~ |
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furtivenudist
Wishing And Hoping
182 Posts |
Posted - 01/04/2007 : 08:55:58
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Vocalists who don't write their own material have to compete for songs. Dionne was lucky she had Bachrach & David who primarily wrote for her. After that relationship ended, do did Dionne's career.
Dionne was a pop singer, Dusty was a pop, soul and rock singer. I don't think colour comes into it. Does Whitney Houston sound black?
Dusty's singing style was formed when the Springfields performed with all those Motown acts in Brooklyn - that really was a lucky stroke. If you sing backup for Marvin Gaye with the Vandellas, something's going to rub off. If not for those early forays to America, we could've had another Shirley Bassey (just kidding).
Dusty was a great rock singer - her interpretion of the Beatles on the Burt Bachrach show was amazing and she was great with the Echoes. I sometimes wish she'd taken the rock route. |
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Pablito
Wishing And Hoping
Ireland
465 Posts |
Posted - 01/04/2007 : 12:18:40
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I think Dionne and Dusty are both soulful singers who sing many different styles of music (especially in Dusty's case).
I think that many of the most successful black-American singers in the 60's were pushed towards 'white' night-club audiences as their careers progressed, for example, Dionne and the Supremes. You can notice a difference between Dionne's songs from the beginning of the 60's to the end - say.."Anyone Who Had A Heart" - to "Do You Know The Way To San Jose".
But if you have a soulful voice like Dusty or Dionne - then you can sing ANYTHING and the soul will shine through.
Paul |
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