Gospel singer Cissy Houston, mother of Whitney Houston, dies at 91

A soul and gospel singer, she had recorded hundreds of songs with the biggest stars of her time. She herself had won two Grammy Awards before seeing her daughter shine in the firmament.

American gospel singer Cissy Houston died at the age of 91, her daughter-in-law announced on Monday, October 7. She was the mother of singer Whitney Houston, one of the pop and soul music legends of the 1980s and 1990s.

“It is with a heavy heart that I announce the death of our beloved Queen Cissy Houston today! Please keep the Houston family in your prayers“, wrote Pat Houston on the social network Instagram.

Real name Emily Drinkard, Cissy Houston was a soul and gospel singer. She had a career as a backing singer for Elvis Presley and Aretha Franklin in the group The Sweet Inspirations. She has recorded hundreds of songs, in all genres of music, her voice being found on pieces by Jimi Hendrix and Beyoncé.

During her solo career, she won two Grammys for her albums Face to Face And He Leadeth Me in the late 1990s.

Cissy Houston, extremely demanding, also had a significant role in the musical training of her daughter Whitney by using gospel, but also creating the conditions for development in soul and pop.

Whitney Houston was one of America’s greatest singers. She was particularly known for her hits like I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me) And I Will Always Love You. The star, who had serious addiction problems, was found drowned in her bathtub in 2012, at the age of 48. A rich documentary by Kevin Macdonald, Whitneywas dedicated to him in 2018, in which Cissy Houston is present through numerous interview passages.

Cissy Houston was also the aunt of singers Dionne Warwick and Dee Dee Warwick, and a cousin of opera singer Leontyne Price.