Singer Sheryl Crow has called for artists to be paid when their songs air on U.S. radio following news of Dionne Warwick's bankruptcy.

The veteran R&B star has run up $10.7 million (£6.7 million) in debts, and bankruptcy papers filed in court in New Jersey last week (ends24Mar13) suggest the Walk On By legend is so broke, she has just $10 (£6.30) in disposable cash once her monthly expenses are covered.

Most of Warwick's debt is due to unpaid taxes, but Crow believes singers would be better off if they were paid royalties alongside songwriters when their hits are played on radio in America.

In a series of posts on Twitter.com, she writes, "Dionne Warwick does not get paid for her beautiful recordings when they are played on the radio. She had to file for bankruptcy...

"Sad - Us doesn't pay artist/musicians for their performances on radio. Only writers are paid. We need to change that."