Earlier this year, iconic R&B/soul singer Dionne Warwick’s 1964 song “Walk On By” was sampled by Doja Cat on her recent smash hit “Paint the Town Red.” Doja’s track peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for a few weeks, giving Warwick her first contribution to a No. 1 song since 1986. However, this was not the most notable achievement of Warwick’s from this year.
Videos by American Songwriter
On January 1, Dionne Warwick: Don’t Make Me Over, a documentary about the singer’s life and accomplishments, aired nationwide on CNN. Directed by David Heilbroner, famed for other docs like The Newburgh Sting (2014) and Stonewall Uprising (2010), the film includes appearances and interviews from Snoop Dogg, Burt Bacharach, Elton John, Quincy Jones, Bill Clinton, Smokey Robinson, and more. Its title derives from Warwick’s 1962 hit of the same name.
How to Watch
Though the documentary originally aired via CNN and ran on cable television for the first few months of the year, it is now only available on streaming services. Dionne Warwick: Don’t Make Me Over can be found on both Amazon Prime Video and Max (formerly HBO Max), and can be watched with subscriptions to either platform.
[RELATED: Top 10 Songs by Dionne Warwick]
What Has She Said About the Film?
When speaking on the documentary in a July 2022 interview with The Oakland Press, Warwick could hardly contain her excitement. Explaining why it’s important for fans to watch Dionne Warwick: Don’t Make Me Over, which debuted at film festivals in late 2021, the now-82-year-old insisted that there is more to learn about her than what is just presented by the media.
“We did quite a few festivals, and the reception was phenomenal if I must say so myself,” she told TOP. “People seemed to want to see it and get to know me. This gave them the opportunity. A lot of people know a lot about me already, and then there are some things they don’t (know) and wish they did. I think (the film) gives them an insight on that. It’s something I’m very proud of.”
Photo by David Redfern/Redferns
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