Dionne Warwick on Burt Bacharach’s Passing: “I, Too, Will Miss Him”

Dionne Warwick has shared a message in honor of Burt Bacharach, the composer behind some of her biggest hits, who passed away yesterday (Feb. 8) at the age of 94.

“Burt’s transition is like losing a family member,” the singer said in a quote provided by her publicist. “These words I’ve been asked to write are being written with sadness over the loss of my Dear Friend and my Musical Partner.”

Along with lyricist Hal David, the trio worked closely together on songs that would become some of the singer’s signature hits. They made major successes out of tunes like “I Say a Little Prayer,” “Do You Know the Way to San Jose,” “Promises, Promises,” “Alfie,” and so many more.

“On the lighter side,” she continued in her statement, “we laughed a lot and had our run-ins but always found a way to let each other know our family-like roots were the most important part of our relationship. My heartfelt condolences go out to his family letting them know he is now peacefully resting and I, too, will miss him.”

In conversation with American Songwriter last year, Warwick dissected arguably their biggest hit together, the 1967 Bacharach-David-penned triumph, “I Say a Little Prayer.” The song was written specifically for Warwick and her one-of-a-kind voice.

The subject matter of the song dealt with the ongoing Vietnam War during that time. The lyrics paid tribute to the young men serving overseas. “It was a way of saying how much we missed them, how much we loved them, how much we prayed for them and wanted them to come on home,” she said of the song.

She also asked about her technique for breathing life into a hit. “When a song has been written expressly for me, it’s a very easy thing to do,” she said. “To bring my essence into what the songwriter has to say and what the musician wrote, musically. So, that’s the only way I can explain that.”

Photo by Noam Galai/Getty Images for Stan Ponte