Dionne Warwick has shared warm personal memories of her late cousin Whitney Houston during a news interview in Brazil, recalling middle of the night phone calls and her cousin's silly laugh.
Speaking to CNN Brasil, the 85-year-old American singing legend said the very first thing that comes to mind when thinking about Houston is getting phone calls from her at three o'clock in the morning.
Warwick said Houston would pick up the phone at any hour for any reason, often starting the conversation by telling her aunt that she had a question for her. Warwick recalled asking her cousin if she really had to call at three in the morning and whether the question could wait until five in the afternoon instead.
She added that she deeply misses Houston and misses her silly laugh, but said she takes comfort in feeling that Houston is now in good hands, alongside her late parents, siblings, and other family members who passed away over the years.
Farewell concerts in South America
The veteran artist reflected on her family history as she prepares for the Brazilian leg of her farewell tour, titled Over and Out - A Farewell Tour, which marks her final series of stage performances after decades of touring.
Warwick is scheduled to say goodbye to Brazilian audiences in October with concerts planned across four major cities: São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Porto Alegre, and Curitiba.
A historic career in pop music
Warwick established herself as one of the most successful female vocalists of the 20th century after being discovered in 1961 by the iconic American songwriting duo Burt Bacharach and Hal David.
Following her discovery, she achieved an extraordinary run of 18 consecutive Top 100 single hits on the music charts. Her famous tracks from that era include Don't Make Me Over, I Say a Little Prayer, A House is Not a Home, Alfie, Heartbreaker, and Déjà Vu.
She also achieved massive international popularity with classic songs such as Walk on By and I'll Never Fall in Love Again, building a catalogue that eventually surpassed 75 total chart hits.
Over a career spanning more than six decades, Warwick has sold over 100 million records worldwide and won six Grammy Awards, the premier accolades presented by the Recording Academy of the United States.
When she received her first Grammy Award in 1968 for Do You Know the Way to San Jose?, Warwick became the first African American female solo artist of her generation to win the award for Best Contemporary Female Vocal Performance.
Remembering Whitney Houston
Her cousin Whitney Houston, who passed away in 2012 at the age of 48, was widely regarded as one of the greatest vocalists in pop music history. Houston achieved global superstardom with powerhouse vocal performances on major hit singles including I Will Always Love You and I Have Nothing.
Warwick noted that while her cousin is no longer here, the memories of their close family bond and late night conversations remain vivid as she concludes her international touring career.
