From the age of 14, she became a regular performer with the family gospel group, which had originally been formed in Savannah, Georgia around 1938, and which also at times included Lee Warrick's sister, Emily (later known as Cissy Houston), and daughters Dionne and Delia (later better known as Dionne and Dee Dee Warwick).
Od 14 let začala pravidelně vystupovat s rodinnou gospelovou skupinou, která se původně vytvořila v Savannah v Georgii kolem roku 1938 a která občas zahrnovala i sestru Lee Warrickové, Emily (později známou jako Cissy Houston) a dcery Dionne a Delia (později lépe známé jako Dionne a Dee Dee Warwick).