HughE Dillon One-Shot: Dionne Warwick at Annenberg Center

International music legend and five-time Grammy-winning vocalist Dionne Warwick performed in a charity concert last night for St. Ignatius Nursing Home (which cares for the underserved and poor) in Philadelphia, at Annenberg Center. Singing some of her biggest hits, including “Walk On By,” “Anyone Who Had A Heart,” “Alfi,” and “What the World Needs Now,” Dionne captured the audience from the moment she stepped on stage. A lover of Brazil, Dionne sang the title song from one of her CDs, “Aquarela do Brasil,” and said if you’re not toe-tapping or moving during this song, then you must be dead. At one point, she had to coax the audience to applaud when she introduced her band, telling them that her friend Sammy Davis, Jr. told her that once in a while, she would have to educate the audience by telling them that applause feeds the performers’ souls. Interestingly, I noticed there was a deck of cards and a rock placed on the piano on stage. Perhaps good luck charms? As you may recall, Dionne spent a few years as the spokeswoman for the Psychic Network. Seeing Dionne Warwick in concert was on my bucket list; I can now check that off, although I would have loved it even more if she sang one of my favorite songs, “Theme for the Valley of the Dolls.” It didn’t matter; the night was one big thrill for me, and supporting St. Ignatius Nursing Home feeds my soul as it would yours.