Dionne Warwick is one of the most popular vocalists of all-time, ranking #34. She was also the 23rd most successful chart artist of the 60s. Her long-running chart career spans 4 decades and began when "Don't Make Me Over" peaked at #21 in 1963. The song has since earned an entry into the Grammy Hall of Fame. Warwick herself was awarded the Grammy for Lifetime Achievement in 2019. Dionne Warwick is the older sister of Dee Dee Warwick and Whitney Houston's cousin. The bulk of her extensive catalogue was written by the epic songwriting duo of Burt Bacharach and Hal David. The biggest hits Warwick had each decade include "(Theme From) Valley Of The Dolls" (#2 in 1968), "Then Came You" (#1 in 1974, a team effort with The Spinners), and "That's What Friends Are For" (#1 for four weeks in 1986, a group effort with Elton John, Stevie Wonder, and Gladys Knight). Warwick scored one lone chart appearance in the 90s when a new superstar version of "What The World Needs Now Is Love" crawled up to #87 in 1998. Going all the way back to the beginnings of her stellar career, Warwick was churning out so many great tunes that the chart couldn't hold them all. "Get Rid Of Him" from 1964 is a fine example.
Kenny Loggins is best known as king of 80s film soundtracks. They helped earn him a #1 hit for 3 weeks in 1984 with "Footloose," but also gave him "I'm Alright" (#7, theme from Caddyshack), "I'm Free" (#22, another one from Footloose), "Danger Zone" (#2) and "Playing With The Boys" (#60, both from Top Gun), "Double Or Nothing" (a duet with Gladys Knight from Rocky IV), "Meet Me Half Way" (#11, from Over The Top), and "Nobody's Fool" (#8, from Caddyshack II). Loggins would have one more soundtrack hit in 1997 from the movie One Fine Day with "For The First Time," which reached #60, was nominated for an Oscar, and became his last chart appearance to date. But films are not the only reason why Loggins is ranked the 30th most successful artist of the 80s. Loggins has an amazing voice with stunning range. He is a diverse singer/songwriter, writing songs for Nitty Gritty Dirt Band (including "House At Pooh Corner," #53 in 1971) and earning more chart achievements as Loggins and Messina in the early 70s. Through the years, Loggins has done everything from rock, pop, adult contemporary, blue-eyed soul, country, children's music, holiday music, and more. Several of his songs were written for his children. After going solo, he made a habit of working with lots of different people. His first big solo hit was actually a duet with Stevie Nicks: "Whenever I Call You Friend," co-written with Melissa Manchester, hit #5 in 1978. His longtime collaborator, Michael McDonald, co-wrote the song "This Is It," which went to #11 and earned Loggins a Grammy for Pop Male Vocal. Eddie Money contributed backing vocals on "I'm Alright" and Mickey Thomas did so for his 1988 ballad, "I'm Gonna Miss You," which stalled at #82. Richard Marx and Glen Phillips (Toad The Wet Sprocket) co-wrote and sang tunes on his 2003 release, "It's About Time." Finally, there is the famous anthem "Don't Fight It," his 1982 duet with Journey's Steve Perry, which hit #17. With his 13th album in 2007, Loggins seemed poised for a comeback. The title track to this excellent record, "How About Now" should have restored his presence on the charts, but it fell on deaf ears. Maybe if it were featured on a soundtrack...
