The legendary Whitney Houston was born 61 years ago
One of music’s greatest voices of all time gone too soon
The legendary Whitney Houston was born 61 years ago
Whitney Houston, singer, actress, producer, and model was considered in 2009 by the Guinness World Records cited her as the most awarded female act of all time with 200 million records sold worldwide. She released seven studio albums and two soundtrack albums, all of which have diamond, multi-platinum, platinum, or gold certification. Houston’s crossover appeal on the popular music charts, as well as her prominence on MTV, starting with her video for “How Will I Know”. She is the only artist to chart seven consecutive No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 songs, and the second artist behind Elton John and the only woman to have two number one Billboard 200 Album awards on the Billboard magazine year-end charts.
Whitney Elizabeth Houston was born on August 9, 1963, in Newark, New Jersey. She was born into a musical family; her mother, Cissy Houston, was a renowned gospel singer, and her cousin was the legendary singer Dionne Warwick. Aretha Franklin, a close family friend, was also a significant influence on her musical upbringing. Growing up, Whitney was surrounded by music and began singing in her church’s choir at a young age, showing early signs of her incredible vocal talent.
Houston’s professional career began as a teenager when she started modeling and appeared in magazines such as Seventeen. However, it was her singing that would ultimately make her a star. She began working as a backup vocalist for artists like Chaka Khan and Lou Rawls while still in her teens. At just 19, she caught the attention of Clive Davis, the head of Arista Records, who signed her to a record deal in 1983.
Her self-titled debut album, Whitney Houston, was released in 1985 and was an instant success. The album produced several hit singles, including “Saving All My Love for You,” “How Will I Know,” and “Greatest Love of All.” It went on to become one of the best-selling debut albums by a solo artist, earning Houston her first Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.
Whitney Houston’s second album, Whitney (1987), solidified her status as a global superstar. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart, making her the first woman to achieve this feat. It featured hit singles like “I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)” and “Didn’t We Almost Have It All.” Houston’s powerful voice and crossover appeal made her one of the most successful artists of the 1980s.
In 1992, Houston starred in her first film, The Bodyguard, alongside Kevin Costner. The film was a massive box-office success, and its soundtrack became one of the best-selling soundtracks of all time. The lead single, Houston’s rendition of Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You,” became her signature song and one of the best-selling singles in music history. The song earned her another Grammy Award and further cemented her place in pop culture.
Throughout the 1990s, Houston continued to release successful albums, including My Love Is Your Love (1998), and starred in other films like Waiting to Exhale (1995) and The Preacher’s Wife (1996), the latter of which featured the best-selling gospel album of all time.
Despite her immense success, Houston’s later career was marked by struggles in her personal life. In 1992, she married singer Bobby Brown, and their tumultuous relationship was widely covered by the media. The couple had a daughter, Bobbi Kristina Brown, born in 1993. However, Houston’s marriage to Brown became increasingly troubled, with reports of domestic violence and drug abuse overshadowing her career.
Houston’s battles with addiction began to take a toll on her voice and career in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Despite attempts at a comeback, including the release of her album Just Whitney (2002) and several publicized interviews, her struggles with substance abuse persisted. In 2009, she released her final studio album, I Look to You, which received mixed reviews but debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart.
On February 11, 2012, Whitney Houston was found dead in a Beverly Hills hotel bathtub, just hours before she was scheduled to perform at a pre-Grammy party. She was 48 years old. The cause of death was later determined to be accidental drowning, with heart disease and cocaine use listed as contributing factors. Her death shocked the world and marked the tragic end of a remarkable career.
Today, Whitney Houston’s legacy as one of the greatest vocalists in music history remains intact. She is remembered for her incredible vocal range, emotional delivery, and ability to cross musical genres, from pop and R&B to gospel. Houston won numerous awards throughout her career, including six Grammy Awards, 22 American Music Awards, and two Emmy Awards. We remember one of the most famous voices of all time at her best, Live in Japan, 1990.
Remember the talent of Whitney Houston, watching her concert Live in Japan 1990
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