Soul singer Dee Dee Warwick dies

Soul singer Dee Dee Warwick, who maintained a solo career while also performing with her older sister Dionne Warwick, has died at the age of 63.

Warwick died Saturday at a New Jersey nursing home, with her elder sister by her side, after having been in poor health for several months, according to a family spokesman.

Born in Newark, N.J., she began her singing career with her sister Dionne in the 1950s as The Gospelaires (as well as with other extended family in the Drinkard Singers). However, Warwick would never truly step out of her sister's shadow.

Early in her career, she was a popular session and backup singer for other artists, eventually beginning to make solo records in the 1960s.

Despite achieving solid R&B hits — including I Want to Be With You, Foolish Fool and I'm Gonna Make You Love Me — Warwick was eclipsed, such as when the latter song shot to the top of the charts when covered by The Supremes.

Her solo efforts were recognized with two Grammy nominations (for Foolish Fool and She Didn't Know).

In the mid-1970s, she returned to providing backup vocals for her sister as well as recording solo work sporadically.

Most recently, she sang backup for Dionne Warwick's one-woman show My Music & Me in Europe, as well as her January 2008 gospel album Why We Sing.