Jerry Blavat and Dionne Warwick.

On November 14 Dionne Warwick received the Marian Anderson Award, which celebrates critically-acclaimed artists who have used their talents for personal artistic expression and whose body of work has contributed to our society in a singular manner. As you can see from the photo I took above, Dionne and the attendees were all smiles – even before the gala began. It was a memorable night honoring an iconic woman whose music and philanthropic work have made a lasting impact on society and popular culture that will be felt for generations to come.

Following a highly-entertaining and energetic concert featuring musicians that Dionne inspired or is friends with, Clive Davis took to the stage to present her with the Marian Anderson Award. I was fortunate enough to meet Dionne backstage immediately after she received this honor. I showed her my cover story interview with her that was set to run the next day and asked her to autograph it, which she kindly did. Then we posed for the above photo, I congratulated her on receiving the Marian Anderson Award, complimented her on how beautiful she looked, and wished her a good night. It was a wonderful night, and I’m grateful that I had the opportunity to witness it. Dionne is a remarkable musician and person, and this recognition is well-deserved.