Must Haves. Music Edition. Whitney Houston.

BACKGROUND HISTORY

Whitney Elizabeth Houston was born on August 9, 1963 in Newark, NJ. Her mother was gospel / R & B singer Cissy Houston and her cousin was Dionne Warwick. When she was 11, Houston played as a soloist in the Junior Gospel Choir of the Baptist Church. As a teenager, she began to accompany her mother at concerts (and the 1978 album Think It Over), and she later supported artists such as Lou Rawls and Chaka Khan. Houston also pursued modeling and acting and starred in Sitcom's Gimme a Break and Silver Spoons. Somewhat strangely, Houston's first recording as a singer used Bill Laswell's experimental jazz-funk ensemble material. The group's 1982 album One Down's ballad "Memories" featured Houston with Archie Shepp. The following year, Arista's president, Clive Davis, heard Houston singing at a nightclub and offered her a recording deal. Her first single performance was a duet with Teddy Pendergrass "Hold Me", who reached No. 5 on the R & B chart in 1984.

Active1970s - 2000s

BornAugust 9, 1963 in Newark, NJ

DiedFebruary 11, 2012 in Beverly Hills, CA

Genre

R&B

Styles

Adult Contemporary

Contemporary R&B

Dance-Pop

Adult Contemporary R&B

Pop

Quiet Storm

ALBUM HIGHLIGHTS

The bodyguard, i look at you, just whitney, my love is your love, whitney, whitney houston

HITS

I will always love you, how will i know, i wanna dance with somebody, im every woman,etc

CULTURAL IMPACT

Whitney Houston was inarguably one of the biggest pop stars of all time. Her accomplishments as a hitmaker were extraordinary. Just to scratch the surface, the mezzosoprano powerhouse became the first artist to have seven consecutive singles hit number one, from "Saving All My Love for You" (1985) through "Where Do Broken Hearts Go" (1988). Her version of Dolly Parton`s "I Will Always Love You" (1992) became nothing less than the biggest hit single in rock history. Whitney Houston and Whitney, her first two albums, each went diamond platinum, followed by a string of additional multiplatinum LPs including the likewise diamondearning soundtrack for The Bodyguard. Houston was able to handle large adult contemporary ballads, hilarious and stylish dance pop, and sophisticated contemporary R & B with equal dexterity. The result was an unparalleled general appeal to several artists of the time, making him one of the first black artists to succeed on MTV in the wake of Michael Jackson. Like many original soul singers, Houston was trained in gospel before turning to secular music. Over time, she developed a singing style of masters indulging in fascinating, flashy, melodic prosperity. The shadow of her amazing Houston technique still lingers in almost every pop and R & B diva following her. Six-time Grammy-winning Houston was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2020, eight years after its tragic death.