Cissy Houston Dies at 91

Cissy Houston, the legendary Grammy Award-winning soul and gospel singer, passed away at the age of 91 on Monday at her home in Newark. Her family confirmed that she had been in hospice care due to Alzheimer's disease.

Known for her powerful voice and unwavering religious faith, Cissy was not only a celebrated artist in her own right but also a guiding force behind the meteoric rise of her daughter, Whitney Houston. Over her prolific career, she earned Grammy Awards for her albums "Face to Face" in 1997 and "He Leadeth Me" in 1999, solidifying her status as a key figure in gospel music.

Throughout the years, Cissy Houston was a sought-after backup singer, collaborating with icons such as Aretha Franklin and Elvis Presley, and she served for over 50 years as the choir director at the New Hope Baptist Church, where she first began singing during the 1930s. This deep connection to her community and faith played a pivotal role in her music and legacy.

Cissy was not only the matriarch of a musical dynasty, which included her famous daughter Whitney Houston, but also her nieces Dionne and Dee Dee Warwick and cousin Leontyne Price, the acclaimed opera singer. Tragically, Cissy endured profound losses with the passing of both her daughter Whitney in 2012, due to drowning, and her granddaughter Bobbi Kristina Brown in 2015, in a similar tragic incident. While she supported Whitney through her struggles with addiction, she remained a stalwart figure of love and guidance.

Despite achieving mainstream fame later in her life, Cissy Houston expressed no regrets about her path. In a 1998 interview with Jet magazine, she reflected on her late-career success: "I don’t have regrets about the way I planned and lived my life, and I am very proud of what I’ve become."

In addition to her solo successes, she was part of the Sweet Inspirations, a prestigious group that provided backup vocals for a plethora of hits by artists like Van Morrison and Dionne Warwick. Their contribution can be heard on classics such as "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" and "Brown-Eyed Girl."

Born Emily Drinkard on September 30, 1933, Cissy’s musical journey began at the tender age of five, singing alongside her siblings in local churches, later forming the Drinkard Singers. Their big break occurred when they performed at Carnegie Hall in 1951.

Cissy's career spanned multiple decades, as she transitioned from a backing artist to a solo performer, appearing on platforms like "The Tonight Show" and joining an Off-Broadway production titled "Taking My Turn" in 1983. Critics praised her for her majestic vocal ability; The New York Times once noted her remarkable talent, saying, "She could sing the telephone book and provide an uplifting experience."

In her later years, she focused on her family and her role as a choir director, all the while nurturing Whitney’s rise in the music industry, lending her vocals to several of Whitney's hits, including "How Will I Know" and "I Wanna Dance with Somebody."

Cissy Houston leaves behind her sons Gary Garland and Michael Houston, alongside numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Her voice and influence will forever resonate in the music industry, a testament to her enduring legacy as a gospel matriarch and an inspiring force in her family’s musical journey.