WARREN, Ohio – Dionne Warwick’s return to the Mahoning Valley comes as her career is reaching a chapter that few artists reach.

First and foremost, a film biography that captures her life story is on the way, although a release date has not yet been announced.

The new biopic will follow “Don’t Make Me Over,” a documentary on the artist that premiered in 2023.

The artist is also currently working on an album of duets, to be dubbed “DWuets.” It reportedly will be her final album and will include artists such as  Sweetie, Mya and John Legend singing with Warwick on songs written by Diane Warren.

The legendary diva with a singular voice and scores of timeless hits will squeeze in a show at the Robins Theatre in Warren on March 7. Tickets for the 8 p.m. concert are available at RobinsTheatre.com. 

The Warren appearance was originally scheduled for October 2025, but it was postponed – along with many others – so the 84-year-old could undergo emergency surgery on her leg.

Biographical Film

Having a film made about one’s career is an honor that few artists command. Consequently, it puts a lot of pressure on the actor who plays the title role.

Warwick is thoroughly pleased with having Teyana Taylor playing her in the film.

When asked what advice she gave Taylor on the role, Warwick gave a simple answer.

“I didn’t have to say anything to that young lady,” she said, as reported in an article in Uncut magazine. “She knew more about me than I knew about me.”

Taylor has already starred in several major films, most recently earning an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her role in “One Battle After Another.”

She also plays a detective in the 2026 Netflix film “The Rip.”

Taylor bears a strong physical resemblance to Warwick – and the diva has noticed.

“To look at photographs of me in the early years and her now, the resemblance is frightening,” Warwick said in the magazine article. “I’m so thrilled she has taken my life into her heart and done the kind of research that she’s done. … She’s become the consummate actress, so I know it will be a great film.”

Taylor was selected to present the award when Warwick was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2024. In the moment when the two were at the podium, it looked like Warwick was embracing a younger version of herself.

“When [Taylor] walked out in that green gown … it could have been the gown I wore at Carnegie Hall, the first time,” Warwick said.

Warwick is a New Jersey native – she still lives there – who launched her landmark career in the 1960s. She was part of a songmaking team with Burt Bacharach and Hal Davis, lending her unique voice to songs they wrote exclusively for her.

Her long litany of hits includes “Do You Know the Way to San Jose,” “I Say a Little Prayer,” “Then Came You,” “Walk on By,” “This Girl’s in Love with You,” “Message to Michael,” “I’ll Never Fall in Love Again,” “Anyone Who Had a Heart,” “I’ll Never Love this Way Again” and “That’s What Friends are For.”

In April, Warwick will receive a 2026 American Music Honors award from fellow New Jerseyan Bruce Springsteen at a ceremony in that state. The American Music Honors are presented by the Springsteen Archives and Center for American Music.

Paying Tribute

Despite her legendary career, not many Warwick tribute acts exist. But Deborah Benton of Youngstown is one of them.

The television show host and singer launched her Warwick show a few years ago and has performed it in multiple states. Her most recent local performance was in May 2024 at Ford Family Recital Hall in Youngstown.

Benton has been a huge fan of Warwick’s all of her life and has long practiced her singing style.

The host of “The Deborah Show” had always been told that her voice is reminiscent of Warwick’s. 

“As a young child, I fell in love with the voice, the style and messaging of Dionne Warwick,” she said. “Of course, I loved all the divas – Aretha, Diana, Gladys, Patti. But Dionne’s music, the arrangements, the fluctuating melodies, all of that resonated very deeply with me.”

Benton said she is excited about Warwick’s return to the Valley and will be in the audience at the show.

Pictured at top: Dionne Warwick and Teyana Taylor during Warwick’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction in 2024. (Facebook | Dionne Warwick)