Gospel music legend and Whitney Houston‘s mother Cissy has died at the age of 91.
Houston died on Monday (October 7) while under hospice care for Alzheimer’s disease, her daughter-in-law Pat Houston confirmed in a statement. “Our hearts are filled with pain and sadness. We loss the matriarch of our family,” Pat said to PEOPLE.
“Mother Cissy has been a strong and towering figure in our lives. A woman of deep faith and conviction, who cared greatly about family, ministry, and community. Her more than seven-decade career in music and entertainment will remain at the forefront of our hearts.”
Whitney and Cissy Houston. Credit: Larry Busacca/WireImage
Pat continued: “Her contributions to popular music and culture are unparalleled. We are blessed and grateful that God allowed her to spend so many years with us and we are thankful for all the many valuable life lessons that she taught us. May she rest in peace, alongside her daughter, Whitney and granddaughter Bobbi Kristina and other cherished family members.”
Cissy Houston – born Emily Drinkard – began her musical career in 1938 as part of the vocal group the Drinkard Four alongside her sister Anne and brothers Larry and Nicky. She then formed a group called the Sweet Inspirations in 1963 with her niece Dee Dee Warwick.
Sweet Inspirations later provided backing vocals for the likes of Dionne Warwick (also Cissy’s niece), Otis Redding, recorded on tracks like Van Morrison‘s ‘Brown Eyed Girl’, Jimi Hendrix‘s ‘Burning of the Midnight Lamp’, Aretha Franklin‘s ‘Ain’t No Way’, and in 1969 backed Elvis Presley during his Las Vegas residencies.
Cissy Houston (far right) with The Sweet Inspirations in 1967. Credit: James Kriegsmann/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
Emily Drinkard then ventured into a solo career in 1970, rebranding herself as Cissy Houston. As a solo musician, Houston quickly grew to be a prominent name in gospel music, but would also lend her voice to R&B, soul and disco projects. She won two Grammy Awards for Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album; once in 1997 and again in 1999. She also recording backing vocals for the likes of Chaka Khan, Paul Simon, Beyoncé and more.
Cissy Houston would also provide live backing vocals for her daughter Whitney for a short period of time, and had appeared in several of Whitney’s music videos and films. Following Whitney’s death in 2012, Cissy released a memoir in which she revealed new information about her late daughter’s substance abuse issues and that she was “angry she died alone”.
Following the news of Cissy Houston’s death, several musicians have paid tribute to the late gospel legend. Bobby Brown said in a statement to PEOPLE about his former mother-in-law’s death: “Sending love and blessings to the Houston family on this great loss. May she rest in Peace and Power. The Browns.”
Emily Drinkard known professionally as Cissy Houston, was an American soul and gospel singer. Houston was a founding…
Posted by Loni Love on Monday, October 7, 2024
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