Houston, Whitney (1963-2012), was an American singer and motion-picture actress. She became one of the most successful singers in popular music history. Houston won six Grammy Awards for her music.
Whitney Elizabeth Houston was born on Aug. 9, 1963, in Newark, New Jersey. She was the daughter of the American gospel and rhythm-and-blues singer Cissy Houston. Whitney Houston’s father was John Russell Houston, Jr., an entertainment executive. Whitney Houston sang in her church’s junior gospel choir as a child. She worked briefly as a model in the early 1980’s.
Houston’s first album, Whitney Houston, was released in 1985. The album featured the hits “Saving All My Love For You,” “How Will I Know,” “You Give Good Love,” and “The Greatest Love of All.” Houston’s second album, Whitney (1987), included the number-one hits “I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me),” “Didn’t We Almost Have It All,” “So Emotional,” and “Where Do Broken Hearts Go.”
In 1992, Houston starred in the romantic drama The Bodyguard. The film’s sound track album became one of the best-selling albums of all time. Houston’s recording of “I Will Always Love You” and “I’m Every Woman” were worldwide hits from the album. Houston also starred in the 1996 romantic drama, The Preacher’s Wife. The film’s sound track featured the hit songs “I Believe in You and Me” and “Step by Step” performed by Houston. It became the best-selling gospel album of all time. Houston’s other films include Waiting to Exhale (1995) and the musical drama Sparkle (2012), released after death.
Houston’s other hits include “One Moment in Time” (1988) and “I’m Your Baby Tonight” and “All the Man That I Need” (both 1990). The recording of her acclaimed performance of “The Star-Spangled Banner” at the 1991 Super Bowl became a national hit. It became a hit again following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in the United States.
Houston attracted publicity for her struggles with alcohol and drug addiction and for her stormy marriage from 1992 to 2007 to the American singer Bobby Brown. She drowned in a hotel room in Beverly Hills, California, on Feb. 11, 2012. Heart disease and drug use were contributing factors in Houston’s death. Houston was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2020.
