Soul Divas...

[From Pollstar]

Soul Divas

Updated 01:02 PDT Thu, May 20 2004

Erratic career? Sordid past? Personal problems? Who cares!?

Natalie Cole, Whitney Houston, and Dionne Warwick are poised to tour Europe and possibly beyond in what could be a real treat for fans.

Three July shows in Germany are on sale and a source involved with the tour told Pollstar that additional European dates for the "Soul Divas" package are almost certain.

While the three women offer very different vocal styles, they share interconnected lives.

Cole told a television talk show that one reason she decided to do the tour is her close relationship with Houston.
"I said ‘yes' because that's my buddy," Cole said. "I've always thought of Whitney as my little sister. I've known her since she was 19."

Warwick and Houston, of course, are cousins.

The tour marks Houston's return to the road after an all-too-well-documented spate of drug and legal problems. She has performed at special events but hasn't toured since 1999.

Cole and Warwick already had dates on the books when the Soul Divas routing started to fall into place. Cole starts a monthlong tour of Japan May 30th and has U.S. dates in July and August.

Warwick is scheduled to perform scattered shows around Europe into the fall.

Even so, if the initial Soul Divas dates are hot enough, you can bet there will be more to come.

NEWSFILE: 20 MAY 2004