Stony Brook, NY - June 23, 2016 - Singer Dionne Warwick will Tom Needham’s special guest on the Sounds of Film Radio Show this Thursday at 6 P.M. on WUSB. She will be discussing her involvement in an upcoming benefit concert for the victims of the Orlando nightclub tragedy, her upcoming tour, and her much-anticipated new film about her life.
Ms. Warwick is both an international performer and a humanitarian activist. She is the second most-charted female vocalist of all time, with 69 of Warwick's singles making the Billboard Hot 100. Her renowned advocacy has led to her appointment as a United Nations Global Ambassador for the Food and Agriculture Organization, and a United States Ambassador of Health—these in addition to her pioneering efforts with the AIDS awareness movement.
Meanwhile, her advocacy has never been too many steps behind her music, such as with one of the biggest hits of her career—"That's What Friends Are For," with Stevie Wonder, Elton John and Gladys Knight (also being contacted for the benefit to join). The AIDS charity song served as a massive wakeup call being the first recording dedicated to raising awareness and major funds for AIDS in support of AMFAR. In keeping with her longstanding advocacy on behalf of the cause, the renowned singer recently joined an array of acclaimed artists on Friday, June 10, 2016, at the 2016 Red Ribbon Celebration Concert in Vienna, Austria. The event was in association with the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), a global health organization founded by U.S. president Bill Clinton in 2002, aiming to establish integrated health systems in developing countries and to create access to care and treatment of HIV/AIDS.
Tom Needham stated,” Dionne Warwick’s never-ending commitment to the arts and various causes in truly inspiring. I am proud to have her on the program to promote her upcoming concert for the Orlando victims.”
The event is being organized by Dionne Warwick’s media representative, Angelo Ellerbee, who is the CEO and founder of DoubleXXposure Media Relations, Inc. and is an outspoken activist in the fight against AIDS.
In an issued statement this week, Mr. Ellerbee emphasized a direct call for support, “As an openly gay, African American man, I am a part of a community that has long been in the crosshairs of misunderstanding and violence. I remain behind the fight against those forces that would deny us our right to be free. My heart goes out to those who have suffered at the hands such evil. I can’t just sit still however and offer condolences anymore. As an advocate, I am raising my voice yet again and calling upon major artists to join in a concert to raise funds for those lives affected in Orlando...”
About the Sounds of Film
The Sounds of Film is the nation’s longest-running film-themed radio show. For over 28 years, the program has delivered a popular mix of interviews and music to listeners all over Long Island, parts of Connecticut and streaming live on the Internet. Recent guests include Marilyn McCoo, Rev. Jesse Jackson, Congressman Steve Israel, Wallace Shawn, Vince Giordano, Carter Burwell, Michael Moore, and director Ric Burns.