Dionne Warwick (fourth from left) posed with Charlotte Brookson Academy students in the lobby of Simpson Bay Resort ahead of her benefit concert on Saturday. (Robert Luckock photo)
SIMPSON BAY--Legendary Grammy award-winning American singer Dionne Warwick arrived on island Monday ahead of her Gala Benefit Concert in aid of the Bridge 2 Bold St. Maarten Foundation this Saturday, December 14, at the Casino Royale Theatre. Her band arrives a few days later.
Warwick spent a few minutes chatting with the media in the lobby of the Simpson Bay Resort and with students and management of the Charlotte Brookson Academy of Performing Arts (CBA). Students from the academy sang and performed a dance to welcome her.
With a singing career spanning 64 years, Warwick, who turns 84 on December 12, said education of kids is close to her heart. It’s not the first time she has visited St. Maarten.
“Every child needs an education and because of my association with Bowie State University, we wanted to come down here and see if kids wanted to visit Bowie. My secondary mission in life is to educate all kids,” she said. “We want everyone to come out and support this worthy cause on Saturday.”
Proceeds from the concert go towards scholarships and the Bowie State University summer camps.
It was in November 2022 that the link with CBA and Bowie State University resulted in a signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) facilitated by Guy Draper who was working in the entertainment industry. The first scholarship was awarded last year to CBA graduate Keon Blair and he is currently in his second semester at Bowie State University.
Chair of the Bridge 2 Bold Sint Maarten Foundation, Rita Gumbs, and Vice-President Angelique Roumou, said some students will be meeting today with Dionne Warwick for a master class at 9:00am in the Belair Convention Centre.
“The students are very excited. They will benefit from Miss Warwick’s wealth of knowledge, experience and advice from her illustrious singing and recording career,” said Roumou. “It is something youngsters need to know, how to stay relevant in the music and entertainment industry.
“New artists tend to crop up and disappear a year later, so who better to give advice on longevity and perseverance and what it takes to make it in the industry.”
Added Gumbs: “What I want students to take away from the masterclass, is that becoming a performer takes hard work, dedication, and lots of sacrifice.”
She emphasised that it is not just CBA students benefiting from the education initiative, but all students in St. Maarten.
