Whitney Houston was a fashion model before becoming a singer, and as a teen appeared on the cover of Glamour. Houston had seven consecutive #1 hit singles, and has had 23 songs reach the Top Ten. Her 1993 cover of Dolly Parton's "I Will Always Love You" is one of the best-selling songs of all time.
Houston's mother, noted R&B singer Cissy Houston, recorded "Midnight Train to Georgia" years before Gladys Knight & the Pips. Cissy's group the Sweet Inspirations also sang back-up on many Aretha Franklin and Elvis Presley hits. Dionne and Dee Dee Warwick are Houston's cousins. Her parents divorced when Whitney was in kindergarten, but her father acted as her business manager through Houston's rise. He later sued to receive millions in past due compensation. He died in 2003, and his suit was dismissed in 2004.
For years there have been perpetual whispers of an eating disorder or, more commonly and obviously, drug addiction. She has been in and out of rehab repeatedly, to overcome reported addictions to cocaine, marijuana, and assorted pills. In January 2000, Houston was arrested at an airport checkpoint after two plastic baggies of marijuana and three partially smoked joints were found in her luggage. She eventually reached a plea bargain, and despite missing the court's deadline to submit proof of passing a substance-abuse evaluation, her record was wiped clean five months later. Once literally "movie star beautiful" in films like The Bodyguard and Waiting to Exhale, rare photos of the present-day Houston are shocking -- in her increasingly rare public appearances, she is frequently referred as "frightfully emaciated," "skeletal and frail" "scarily skinny," etc.
In 2002, she told Diane Sawyer, "First of all, let's get one thing straight. Crack is cheap. I make too much for me to ever smoke crack. Let's get that straight, okay? We don't do crack. We don't do that. Crack is wack." In 2003, her husband, singer Bobby Brown, was charged with battery after an argument with Houston left her with facial injuries. In 2005, she was hospitalized with what was called food poisoning.
Houston and Brown separated in October 2006, and their Georgia mansion and numerous possessions were subsequently sold to settle long-overdue mortgage payments and other debts.
Father: John Houston (entertainment executive, b. 13-Sep-1920, d. 2-Feb-2003 heart disease)
Mother: Emily Drinkard ("Cissy Houston", singer)
Brother: Michael Houston (musician)
Brother: Gary Garland (stepbrother)
Brother: John Russell Houston III (stepbrother)
Mother: Peggy Houston (stepmother, m. John Houston)
Sister: Alana Houston (stepsister, born to John and Peggy Houston)
Husband: Bobby Brown (musician, m. 18-Jul-1992, sep. Oct-2006, div. 24-Apr-2007, one child)
Daughter: Bobbi Kristina (b. 4-Mar-1993, with Brown)
Whitney Houston was born in a rough neighborhood in the projects of Newark, New Jersey. She is the third and youngest child of John and gospel singer Cissy Houston.[12] Her mother, along with cousin Dionne Warwick and Godmother Aretha Franklin are all notable figures in the gospel, rhythm and blues, and soul genres. Houston was raised a Baptist, but was also exposed to the Pentecostal church. After the 1967 Newark riots, the family moved to a middle class area in East Orange, New Jersey when she was four.[12] While her mother was away touring with Elvis Presley and Aretha Franklin as a backup singer, her father would spend most of the time raising the children. Houston did not have many friends and she was picked on because her face was too light or her hair was too long compared to the other black girls.[citation needed] At the age of eleven, Houston began to follow in her mothers footsteps and started performing as a soloist in the junior gospel choir at the New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, where she also learned to play the piano.[13] Her first solo performance in the church was "Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah". When Houston was a teenager, her parents divorced and she continued to live with her mother. She attended a Roman Catholic single-sex high school, Mount Saint Dominic Academy, where she met her best friend Robyn Crawford, whom she describes as the "sister she never had." Crawford would later become Houston's personal assistant and the two of them would eventually be constantly subjected to lesbian rumors.[citation needed] While Houston was still in school, her mother continued to teach her how to sing.[1] In addition to her mother, Franklin, and Warwick, Houston was also exposed to the music of Chaka Khan, Gladys Knight, and Roberta Flack, most of which would have an impact on her as a singer and performer.[14]
Houston spent much of her teenage years touring night clubs with her mother. In 1977, at fourteen years of age, Houston was featured as the lead singer on the Michael Zager Band's single "Life's a Party". Zager subsequently offered to help obtain a recording contract for the young singer, but Cissy declined, wanting her daughter to finish school first. Then in 1979, at age sixteen, Houston sang background vocals on Chaka Khan's hit single "I'm Every Woman", a song she would later turn into a bigger hit in 1992. In the early 1980s, Houston worked as a fashion model after a photographer saw her at Carnegie Hall singing with her mother. She appeared in Vogue Magazine[15] and became one of the first women of color to grace the cover of Seventeen magazine[16] She also appeared in a Canada Dry soft drink commercial. While modeling and touring nightclubs with her mother, she continued her recording career, working with producers Michael Bienhorn, Bill Laswell and Martin Bisi on an album they were spearheading called One Down, which was credited to the group Material. For that project, Houston contributed the ballad "Memories", which Robert Christgau of the The Village Voice called "one of the most gorgeous ballads you've ever heard".[17]
Houston had previously been offered several recording contracts (Michael Zager in 1980 and Elektra Records in 1981). In 1983, Gerry Griffith, an A&R representative from Arista Records, saw her performing with her mother in a New York City night club and was impressed. He convinced Clive Davis, Arista's label head, to take time to see Houston perform at the nightclub. Davis too was impressed after the performance and offered her a worldwide recording contract, which Houston signed. Later in the year, she made her national televised debut alongside Davis on the The Merv Griffin Show.
Houston signed with Arista in 1983 but did not began work on her album immediately. Arista put forth the deal to make sure no other label signed the singer from under them. At first, Davis had a hard time finding material for Houston to record. Many major producers passed on her.[18] Houston first recorded a duet with Teddy Pendergrass entitled "Hold Me", which appeared on his album, Love Language. The single became a Top 5 R&B hit, and would also appear on her debut album.
With the success of her first two albums, Houston was a crossover superstar. However, many black critics complained that her music was "too White" and that she was selling out.[6] Some noted that her singing on record lacked the soul that was present in her concerts.[15] At the 1989 Soul Train Music Awards, when Houston's name was called out for a nomination, the audience booed her.[33] Houston spoke of the criticism and said "If you're gonna have a long career, there's a certain way to do it, and I did it that way. I'm not ashamed of it."
Last edited by gemini072 on Mon 10 Aug 2009 15:55; edited 4 times in total
Whitney Houston's Father, John Houston, Funeral
An unidentified mourner holds a portrait of John Houston, the father of pop singer Whitney Houston, at the end of funeral services outside St. James AME Church February 7, 2002 in Newark, New Jersey. Houston, 82-years-old, died February 2, 2003 in New York City of cardiac arrest due to a multiple organ shutdown. Houston suffered from diabetes and heart disease. (Photo by Keith Bedford/Getty Images)
Whitney's father is biracial I've heard 2 different stories over time. That he is 1/2Italian or 1/2Native American
Posted: Thu 05 Jun 2008 05:46 Post subject: oh whitney
have mercy none of our generation of singers could hold a candle to whitney. knowing this i find myself asking quite often how this prodegy of a singer could allow her life to turn out the way it did. now, because of constant drug use, her voice is not what it used to be; she's broke; and is in the middle of a bitter divorce. i mean, what gives?
Posted: Thu 05 Jun 2008 12:33 Post subject: Re: oh whitney
jagirl32 wrote:
have mercy none of our generation of singers could hold a candle to whitney. knowing this i find myself asking quite often how this prodegy of a singer could allow her life to turn out the way it did. now, because of constant drug use, her voice is not what it used to be; she's broke; and is in the middle of a bitter divorce. i mean, what gives?
Welcome to Hollywood!!
I honestly believe the ridicule of not being black enough & the lesbian rumors lead her to Bobby Brown.
I think Clive & her cousin stepped in before she really finally went down.
Posted: Thu 05 Jun 2008 13:13 Post subject: Re: oh whitney
gemini072 wrote:
I honestly believe the ridicule of not being black enough & the lesbian rumors lead her to Bobby Brown.
Houston was booed on stage and vilified in public for singing "too white." As Harvard law professor Randall Kennedy points out in Sellout: The Politics of Racial Betrayal, this phenomenon is very common. Most individuals who are seen as Black and and who also achieve success in the mainstream ("accepted by Whites" as Kennedy puts it) are similarly attacked. This includes Kennedy himself. Kennedy explains the historical roots of this crabs-in-a-bucket tradition. What Kennedy does not stress sufficiently, in my view, is the psychological pressure that it puts on talented, bright, or hard-working people. Many (like Kennedy himself) can shrug it off. But others, who crave love and approval, can be devastated by anxiety. They cannot suddenly become untalented, so it is hard for them to lose their popularity among Whites. Trapped, with no way out, they sometimes engage in self-destructive behavior. For insight into the phenomenon that mere success in mainstream society suffices to draw accusations of "selling out," I recommend Kennedy's book.
Posted: Thu 05 Jun 2008 13:59 Post subject: Re: oh whitney
fwsweet wrote:
gemini072 wrote:
I honestly believe the ridicule of not being black enough & the lesbian rumors lead her to Bobby Brown.
Houston was booed on stage and vilified in public for singing "too white." As Harvard law professor Randall Kennedy points out in Sellout: The Politics of Racial Betrayal, this phenomenon is very common. Most individuals who are seen as Black and and who also achieve success in the mainstream ("accepted by Whites" as Kennedy puts it) are similarly attacked. This includes Kennedy himself. Kennedy explains the historical roots of this crabs-in-a-bucket tradition. What Kennedy does not stress sufficiently, in my view, is the psychological pressure that it puts on talented, bright, or hard-working people. Many (like Kennedy himself) can shrug it off. But others, who crave love and approval, can be devastated by anxiety. They cannot suddenly become untalented, so it is hard for them to lose their popularity among Whites. Trapped, with no way out, they sometimes engage in self-destructive behavior. For insight into the phenomenon that mere success in mainstream society suffices to draw accusations of "selling out," I recommend Kennedy's book.
Thanks for the book information, I read a lot situations like this in the music industry. Whitney was Americas Sweetheart probably still is to a degree.
It's a catch 22, because so many in the AA community loved Whitney Houston. She was played right along with Anita Baker, Sade, Luther Vandrose.
Get before the wrong audience and you never know what the response is.
Prince sorta went through something like that. I remember a 1985 interview he did with MTV and the VJ mentioned the music he started making wasn't funky any more and ostrasized his black fans. Yeah the music of Purple Rain and Around the World in a Day was not the rock funk of the previous albums, but he definately didn't 'loose his black fans' the heavy rock feel of Purple Rain was greedily accepted by black radio.
Joined: 03 Jun 2005 {Posts: 274 } Location: California
Posted: Thu 05 Jun 2008 20:59 Post subject: Re: oh whitney
fwsweet wrote:
gemini072 wrote:
I honestly believe the ridicule of not being black enough & the lesbian rumors lead her to Bobby Brown.
Houston was booed on stage and vilified in public for singing "too white." As Harvard law professor Randall Kennedy points out in Sellout: The Politics of Racial Betrayal, this phenomenon is very common. Most individuals who are seen as Black and and who also achieve success in the mainstream ("accepted by Whites" as Kennedy puts it) are similarly attacked. This includes Kennedy himself. Kennedy explains the historical roots of this crabs-in-a-bucket tradition. What Kennedy does not stress sufficiently, in my view, is the psychological pressure that it puts on talented, bright, or hard-working people. Many (like Kennedy himself) can shrug it off. But others, who crave love and approval, can be devastated by anxiety. They cannot suddenly become untalented, so it is hard for them to lose their popularity among Whites. Trapped, with no way out, they sometimes engage in self-destructive behavior. For insight into the phenomenon that mere success in mainstream society suffices to draw accusations of "selling out," I recommend Kennedy's book.
Very interesting. Thanks for the book recommendation.
Posted: Fri 06 Jun 2008 00:54 Post subject: Re: oh whitney
fwsweet wrote:
gemini072 wrote:
I honestly believe the ridicule of not being black enough & the lesbian rumors lead her to Bobby Brown.
Houston was booed on stage and vilified in public for singing "too white."
But that is sometimes what singers have to go through, part of the price they have to pay, their trial by fire so to speak. Generally singers that perform for African American audiences have to be "more soulful" in order to be fully accepted - AA don't really care for "bland" sound and that has nothing to do with the singer's "race". Take Justin Timberlake for example. He was the lead singer for the boy band N Sync, a group that few would disagree with labeling as bubblegum. Their fan base was for the most part young white kids. But when he decided to go solo, his music changed and his sound became more "soulful". African American audiences embraced him as one of their own. And he is very popular.
When Whitney came out, most of her songs were bubblegum type of pop and packaged to appeal to America's Top 40 but that type of music really did not appeal to many African Americans. Additionally I would venture to guess that Whitney was scrutinized even more due to her lineage (her mother Cissy & Dionne Warwick). When she played for AA audiences her repertoire never changed. Her problem was that her people did not adapt her sound for her audience. If you notice that has changed and she does not do Oh-I-Wanna-Dance-With-Somebody type of music anymore.
I don't think Whitney getting boo'd was a case of crabs-in-the-basket. It was a case of not knowing and playing to your audience.
Last edited by anonymouse on Fri 06 Jun 2008 12:42; edited 1 time in total
Posted: Fri 06 Jun 2008 02:57 Post subject: Re: oh whitney
So can we say that the AA community distroyed her?
gemini072 wrote:
jagirl32 wrote:
have mercy none of our generation of singers could hold a candle to whitney. knowing this i find myself asking quite often how this prodegy of a singer could allow her life to turn out the way it did. now, because of constant drug use, her voice is not what it used to be; she's broke; and is in the middle of a bitter divorce. i mean, what gives?
Welcome to Hollywood!!
I honestly believe the ridicule of not being black enough & the lesbian rumors lead her to Bobby Brown.
I think Clive & her cousin stepped in before she really finally went down.
Posted: Fri 06 Jun 2008 04:13 Post subject: Re: oh whitney
jagirl32 wrote:
So can we say that the AA community distroyed her?
No, not at all, what AA community?
And she isn't destroyed, she has and is recovering, she is out of the mess of that marriage and the drug use. She's getting her wits about her again.
Whitney marrying the wrong man over your father and mothers approval, messed her up. Whitney had crossover appeal AA's love her, White's loved her, hispanics loved her. She became Americas sweatheart when the Bodyguard hit and then the Preachers Wife, Waiting 2 Exhale? She had mass appeal,
Like I said Whitney got constant radio play in the 80's on the 'black music' station right along with Anita Baker, Luther Vandrose & Sade.
gemini072 wrote:
jagirl32 wrote:
have mercy none of our generation of singers could hold a candle to whitney. knowing this i find myself asking quite often how this prodegy of a singer could allow her life to turn out the way it did. now, because of constant drug use, her voice is not what it used to be; she's broke; and is in the middle of a bitter divorce. i mean, what gives?
Welcome to Hollywood!!
I honestly believe the ridicule of not being black enough & the lesbian rumors lead her to Bobby Brown.
I think Clive & her cousin stepped in before she really finally went down.
Posted: Sat 07 Jun 2008 22:45 Post subject: Re: oh whitney
i hope everything works for her. however i have heard a few of her recent songs and she doesn't sound that great. But all and all, i am SO happy she left that piece of nothing bobby brown.
gemini072 wrote:
jagirl32 wrote:
So can we say that the AA community distroyed her?
No, not at all, what AA community?
And she isn't destroyed, she has and is recovering, she is out of the mess of that marriage and the drug use. She's getting her wits about her again.
Whitney marrying the wrong man over your father and mothers approval, messed her up. Whitney had crossover appeal AA's love her, White's loved her, hispanics loved her. She became Americas sweatheart when the Bodyguard hit and then the Preachers Wife, Waiting 2 Exhale? She had mass appeal,
Like I said Whitney got constant radio play in the 80's on the 'black music' station right along with Anita Baker, Luther Vandrose & Sade.
gemini072 wrote:
jagirl32 wrote:
have mercy none of our generation of singers could hold a candle to whitney. knowing this i find myself asking quite often how this prodegy of a singer could allow her life to turn out the way it did. now, because of constant drug use, her voice is not what it used to be; she's broke; and is in the middle of a bitter divorce. i mean, what gives?
Welcome to Hollywood!!
I honestly believe the ridicule of not being black enough & the lesbian rumors lead her to Bobby Brown.
I think Clive & her cousin stepped in before she really finally went down.
Posted: Sun 08 Jun 2008 00:40 Post subject: Re: oh whitney
anonymouse wrote:
fwsweet wrote:
gemini072 wrote:
I honestly believe the ridicule of not being black enough & the lesbian rumors lead her to Bobby Brown.
Houston was booed on stage and vilified in public for singing "too white."
But that is sometimes what singers have to go through, part of the price they have to pay, their trial by fire so to speak. Generally singers that perform for African American audiences have to be "more soulful" in order to be fully accepted - AA don't really care for "bland" sound and that has nothing to do with the singer's "race". Take Justin Timberlake for example. He was the lead singer for the boy band N Sync, a group that few would disagree with labeling as bubblegum. Their fan base was for the most part young white kids. But when he decided to go solo, his music changed and his sound became more "soulful". African American audiences embraced him as one of their own. And he is very popular.
N Sync's sound, though bubblegum pop, had a black feel, or at least some of their tunes were blackish sounding.
Posted: Sun 08 Jun 2008 02:13 Post subject: Re: oh whitney
G-Man wrote:
anonymouse wrote:
fwsweet wrote:
gemini072 wrote:
I honestly believe the ridicule of not being black enough & the lesbian rumors lead her to Bobby Brown.
Houston was booed on stage and vilified in public for singing "too white."
But that is sometimes what singers have to go through, part of the price they have to pay, their trial by fire so to speak. Generally singers that perform for African American audiences have to be "more soulful" in order to be fully accepted - AA don't really care for "bland" sound and that has nothing to do with the singer's "race". Take Justin Timberlake for example. He was the lead singer for the boy band N Sync, a group that few would disagree with labeling as bubblegum. Their fan base was for the most part young white kids. But when he decided to go solo, his music changed and his sound became more "soulful". African American audiences embraced him as one of their own. And he is very popular.
N Sync's sound, though bubblegum pop, had a black feel, or at least some of their tunes were blackish sounding.
Johnny Wright is the manager for Britney Spears, I think Christina A, NSync, Backstreet Boys, New Kids on the Block even Janet Jackson
I believe Danity Kane (PDiddy's girl group) as well.
So this guy has his team of dance choreographers , vocal coaches etc etc most whom are AA
Posted: Mon 10 Aug 2009 15:44 Post subject: Million Dollar Bill
A new track leaks from Whitney Houston's upcoming and much-anticipated I Look To You. "Million Dollar Bill" was written by Alicia Keys and produced by Swizz Beatz.
Whitney Houston Debuts I Look To You.. “Love Me Like I Never Left”
Last night, there was sort of a big deal going on at New York City’s Lincoln Center. After years of speculation, rumors, and unfinished leaked songs, Whitney Houston, Clive Davis, and her fam were on hand to debut Whitney Houston’s new album I Look To You, due September 1.
The album took three years of tweaking to perfection. Clive Davis explained the delay as a simple case of artistic muse: “You have to wait for great songs to show up.”
Those lucky enough to have heard the album say it proves beyond a doubt that Whitney Houston is back.
One of the biggest crowd pleasers at last night’s event was a song called “Million Dollar Bill,” written and produced by Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz. If you’re thinking that can’t be classic Whitney Houston, you would be right. Via Rolling Stone.. “Million Dollar Bill” is a clattering, uptempo hip-hop-inspired number. It may be the fastest ever for Houston, who keeps up nicely, even if it occasionally sounds like the balladeer is doing some stretching...
Additional writers on the album? R. Kelly wrote two songs, Johnta Austin lent a hand, Akon, and other names that won’t mean much to folks around here. Let’s just say, Whitney Houston isn’t trying to recreate the past. She’s aiming for younger ears, without selling her soul. The writers took note of that by infusing the songs with a tone of perseverance and redemption over her personal struggles.
As the last song played, Whitney Houston made a brief appearance, blowing kisses and thanking everyone for coming. Taking the mic, she talked about Clive Davis and her mother Cissy Houston encouraging her to get back in the studio to refresh her career.
Did anyone see it?
Pitiful.
I do not know if this was such a good idea to put herself out there.
Everyone knew of the problems. Telling it was worst.
She blames Baw-bay Bobby Brown for much of her down fall. Yeah,he was a problem, but she married this loser. She did what she did. Her lifestyle was not his fault. They were equal partners and in self-destruction.
I bet her new cd will do well with Black Americans.
She'll do well in Las Vegas at hotel shows and that is big money for a few months of dates. Her good songs are all from The Bodyguard time back to the 1980's. To me, she has lost her voice....her looks.
Time has moved on.
Last edited by Creole GAL on Sun 27 Sep 2009 01:41; edited 1 time in total
Did anyone see it?
Pitiful.
I do not know if this was such a good idea to put herself out there.
Everyone knew ofhte problmes. Telling it was worst.
She blames Baw-bay Bobby Brown for much of her down fall. Yeah,he was a problem, but she married this loser. She did what she did. her lifestyle was not his fault. They were equal partners and in self-destruction.
I bet her new cd will do well with Black Americans.
She'll do well in Las Vegas at hotel shows and that is big money for a few months of dates. Her songs are all from The Bodyguard time back to the 1980's. To me, she has lost her voice....her looks.
Time has moved on.
Whitney married Bobby out of 2 possible pressures: the lesbian rumors and/or to prove her blackness.
I don't understand your thinking
"Her new cd will do well with Black Americans"?
Don't you even realize how integrated a lot of music is?
in the last 5 years Mary J Blige gained a large white following especially women. And you think only black americans will listen to Whitney?
Whitney has been crossover since the 80's
I've heard a lot of the album, and it has a very mature feel to it.
the song Alicia Keys wrote for her reminds me of disco music
From the time Clive Davis and her cousin pulled her out of the house, she has had large support from black & white fans
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