In lieu of flowers, please forward all donations to:
THE WHITNEY E. HOUSTON
Academy of Creative and Performing Arts
P. O. BOX 835
South Plainfield, New Jersey 07080
Whitney Houston died at the age of 48. Best known for hits “I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)” and “So Emotional,” Houston is the only artist to consecutively chart seven No. 1 hits. During her illustrious career she earned 415 awards, making her the most-awarded female music artist of all time. Whitney paved the way for female vocalists and will endure as one of music’s most beloved voices.
Whitney Houston was born in what was then a middle-income neighborhood in Newark, New Jersey, the third and youngest child of Army serviceman and entertainment executive John Russell Houston, Jr. (September 13, 1920 – February 2, 2003), and gospel singer Cissy Houston (née Emily Drinkard).She was of African American, Native American and Dutch descent. Her mother, along with cousins Dionne Warwick and Dee Dee Warwick and godmother Aretha Franklin were all notable figures in the gospel, rhythm and blues, pop, and soul genres. Whitney was raised a Baptist, but was also exposed to the Pentecostal church. After the 1967 Newark riots, the family moved to a middle class area in East Orange, New Jersey when she was four.
At the age of 11, Whitney began to follow in her mother’s footsteps and started performing as a soloist in the junior gospel choir at the New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, where she also learned to play the piano. Her first solo performance in the church was “Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah”.
When Whitney was a teenager, she attended Mount Saint Dominic Academy, a Catholic girls high school in Caldwell, New Jersey, where she met her best friend Robyn Crawford, whom she described as the “sister she never had”. While Whitney was still in school, her mother continued to teach her how to sing. In addition to her mother, Franklin, and Warwick, Whitney was also exposed to the music of Chaka Khan, Gladys Knight, and Roberta Flack, most of whom would have an impact on her as a singer and performer.
In 1978, at age 15, Whitney sang background vocals on Chaka Khan’s hit single “I’m Every Woman”, a song she would later turn into a larger hit for herself on her monster-selling The Bodyguard soundtrack album. She also sang back-up on albums by Lou Rawls and Jermaine Jackson.
In the early 1980s, Whitney started working as a fashion model after a photographer saw her at Carnegie Hall singing with her mother. She appeared in Seventeen and became one of the first women of color to grace the cover of the magazine. She was also featured in layouts in the pages of Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Young Miss, and appeared in a Canada Dry soft drink TV commercial. Her striking looks and girl-next-door charm made her one of the most sought after teen models of that time. While modeling, she continued her burgeoning recording career by working with producers Michael Beinhorn, Bill Laswell and Martin Bisi on an album they were spearheading called One Down, which was credited to the group Material. For that project, Whitney contributed the ballad “Memories”, a cover of a song by Hugh Hopper of Soft Machine. Robert Christgau of The Village Voice called her contribution “one of the most gorgeous ballads you’ve ever heard”. She also appeared as a lead vocalist on one track on a Paul Jabara album, entitled Paul Jabara and Friends, released by Columbia Records in 1983.
Whitney had previously been offered several recording agencies (Michael Zager in 1980, and Elektra Records in 1981).[citation needed] In 1983, Gerry Griffith, an A&R representative from Arista Records saw her performing with her mother in a New York City nightclub and was impressed. He convinced Arista’s head Clive Davis to make time to see Whitney perform. Davis too was impressed and offered a worldwide recording contract which Whitney signed. Later that year, she made her national televised debut alongside Davis on The Merv Griffin Show.
Whitney signed with Arista in 1983 but did not begin work on her album immediately. The label wanted to make sure no other label signed the singer away. Davis wanted to ensure he had the right material and producers for Whitney’s debut album. Some producers had to pass on the project due to prior commitments. Whitney first recorded a duet with Teddy Pendergrass entitled “Hold Me” which appeared on his album, Love Language. The single was released in 1984 and gave Whitney her first taste of success, becoming a Top 5 R&B hit. It would also appear on her debut album in 1985.
Over the following 25 years, Whitney’s music career flourished with many chart-topping hit songs and setting numerous records in the recording industry.
During that time, Whitney had two tremendously standout performances, her singing of “The Star Spangled Banner” at Super Bowl XXV at Tampa Stadium on January 27, 1991, and in 1992, her singing of “The Bodyguard” soundtrack’s lead single “I Will Always Love You”, written and originally recorded by Dolly Parton in 1974. Whitney’s versions won critical acclaim.
Throughout the 80s and 90s, Whitney was an unstoppable force in pop music. With sales estimated to have exceeded 200 million records, she is one of the biggest-selling female singers ever.
On February 11, 2012, Whitney went home to be with the Lord. She leaves to cherish her memory, her daughter Bobbi Kristina Brown, her mother Dr. Emily Cissy Houston, her brothers Gary (Pat) Houston and Michael (Donna) Houston; her cousin Dionne Warwick; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, relatives, friends, church family, and fans world-wide. She was pre-deceased by her father, the late John R. Houston.
Around 8:30PM PST, Sharon Osbourne announced on the popular website Twitter that In Touch magazine is about to publish a fabricated story that will, “affect the credibility and dignity” of her son, Jack, and daughter, Kelly.
Jack and Kelly Osbourne also commented about the article. Jack angrily stated, “…In Touch … better get their checkbooks ready, ’cause I’m goin’ to town!” While Kelly seemed genuinely hurt, stating,”In shock… Can’t believe it.. We have both worked too hard on ourselves for this b.s.”
Sharon fired a warning shot over the bow with a battle cry of, “See you in court!” Go Mamma!
It’s one thing after another for TV actor, Jeremy London; first the alleged kidnapping on earlier this month, then the domestic violence call on the morning of June 22. Now, GAS has learned that London is facing a misdemeanor for a charge of knowingly driving on a suspended license filed on January 27, 2010 in Indio, California. He failed to appear in court or pay his fines by the March 11 deadline, so the presiding judge issued a bench warrant. His private attorney appeared in court without him on June 21 and entered a plea of not guilty. The judge lifted the warrant and released London on his own recognizance. He must appear in all further proceedings and is due back in court on July 22, 2010.
The LDS boys have hopped off their 10-speeds long enough to give us a heads up on the blackballed (pun totally indented) Shannon Price.
Once a devout Mormon, now Pawn Shop extraordinaire Shannon Price who was once married to America’s favorite lil’ guy Gary Colman. The Mormon community now shuns the fame seeking whore for the right price, once upon a time a little red headed girl believed in a Celestial marriage within the mystic walls of heaven.
According to The Church of Jesus Christ of Later-day Saints:
“The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believes in the sanctity of human life, and is therefore opposed to euthanasia. Euthanasia is defined as deliberately putting to death a person who is suffering from an incurable condition or disease. Such a deliberate act ends life immediately through, for example, so-called assisted suicide. Ending a life in such a manner is a violation of the commandments of God.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints does not believe that allowing a person to die from natural causes by removing a patient from artificial means of life support, as in the case of a long-term illness, falls within the definition of euthanasia. When dying from such an illness or an accident becomes inevitable, it should be seen as a blessing and a purposeful part of eternal existence. Members should not feel obligated to extend mortal life by means that are unreasonable. These judgments are best made by family members after receiving wise and competent medical advice and seeking divine guidance through fasting and prayer.”
Well Shannon if you’re reading this, I have some solid advice for you that perhaps will help in your time of need… GET A JOB BIOTCH!
Local Wal-Mart’s love people like you, and have dental plans to boot!
In a police press release received from Palm Springs Police Dept to Gossip Ain’t Sweet, Brandon Adams, 26 was arrested in Palm Springs, on Friday on suspicion of kidnapping, auto theft and possessing stolen property and said he was being held in a Riverside County jail in Banning. Adams was arraigned on June 15th and is currently chill’n the poky.
According to reports, the Party of Five star was allegedly kidnapped & held at gun point in Palm Springs last week, London was forced to drive around in his own car while being literally f***’ed with, and made a pit stop at the local mini mart to buy booze?
First off, WTF would make a white man stop to change a tire i the North End ?
Gangs such as “Gateway Posse”
have been terrorizing individuals for over 20 years there. Now, if one is looking to hook up the crack pipe ya might cruise the hood. The average citizen would NOT!
Obviously we were not in the car with Jeremy when he did not get a flat tire nor during this horrifying ordeal, so perhaps this was as far as his car would go.
AAA apparently doesn’t hang in da hood, this defiantly ain’t sweet…
In today’s society we are forced, yet entertained by the mass of “celebrity” coverage. From mug shots of our favorite entertainers, to their personal darkest secrets in the bedroom, waxing their pub’s seems to be highlights of the grocers check out lines.
A billion dollar a year industry, that we all take part it. But where is the line drawn? The invisible line that is crossed over time and time again. When do we pull the plug?
Perhaps the editors along with the producers forgot that if it wasn’t for the performers, entertainers, and musicians they would have a job in the first place. Why not treat them with the same sensitivity that they would their neighbor?
The truth is anyone can be considered a “celebrity” these days. To the morons hanging out on the Jersey Shore, I’m sure there mothers are proud of their drunken televised display in the hot tub! Fame whores, who just feel that because they ended up on the cover an entertainment weekly ONCE in the midst of a scandal are suddenly “celebrities”, WTF!
Clearly the days of Greta Garbo, Humphrey Bogart are long gone. Families on twitter spewing their verbal diarrhea back and forth for all to read. When did it become cool to sleep with someone’s husband and tell the world. Back in the day if you were a “mistress” you were considered a whore or a slut.
Red carpets filled with glitz and glamour, replaced with drunken rappers and nipples voluntarily popping out from the seems. Now is just a glamorous yesterday…Hollywood is just Hollyweird!
The infamous combination of Journalist’s Kate Major, Jessica Finn, Kali Bowyer, Loni Brock and Hailey Glassman are bringing to you 24-7 entertainment news coverage! The inside stories, red carpet events, breaking news, and all the gossip to fill your morning cup!
Whitney Houston died at the age of 48. Best known for hits “I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)” and “So Emotional,” Houston is the only artist to consecutively chart seven No. 1 hits. During her illustrious career she earned 415 awards, making her the most-awarded female music artist of all time. Whitney paved the way for female vocalists and will endure as one of music’s most beloved voices.
