Dionne Warwick Essentials

Many vocalists can project power; Dionne Warwick knows how to project strength. On 1964's "Walk On By"—written by her frequent collaborators Burt Bacharach and Hal David—the singer describes a moment of total grief yet wrestles a kernel of self-determination out of the tears, her resolve buoyed by soulful strings and perky trumpet. By 1982's "Heartbreaker", post-disco synths supplemented the string section but Warwick remained as tough as ever, building up the courage to admit her vulnerability. She triumphs with a fitting revelation: "Love should be everything or not at all."