American gospel singer Cissy Houston has died at the age of 91, as announced by her daughter-in-law. She was the mother of Whitney Houston, a pop and soul icon in the 1980s and 1990s.
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“It is with great sadness that I inform you of the passing of our beloved Queen Cissy Houston today. Please keep the Houston family in your prayers,” Pat Houston wrote on Instagram. Born as Emily Drinkard, Cissy Houston had a successful career as a gospel and soul singer. She distinguished herself as a backing vocalist for Elvis Presley and Aretha Franklin with the group The Sweet Inspirations.
Over the course of her career, she has lent her voice to hundreds of songs, whether for Jimi Hendrix or Beyoncé. As a solo artist, she won two Grammy Awards in the 1990s for her albums Face to Face and He Leadeth Me. Cissy Houston, known for her high standards, also played a key role in the musical training of her daughter Whitney, in framing with gospel while promoting its development in soul and pop.
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Whitney Houston, considered one of the greatest American singers, left her mark with titles such as I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me) and I Will Always Love You. Unfortunately, struggling with addiction problems, she was found dead, drowned in her bathtub in 2012, at the age of 48. A documentary directed by Kevin Macdonald in 2018, entitled Whitney, paid tribute to her, with numerous interventions by Cissy Houston. Additionally, Cissy Houston was the aunt of singers Dionne Warwick and Dee Dee Warwick, as well as the cousin of singer Leontyne Price.
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