Cissy Houston, the legendary gospel singer and mother of Whitney Houston, passed away on Monday morning at the age of 91, her family confirmed in a statement.
Houston, a two-time Grammy Award winner, died at her New Jersey home while under hospice care for Alzheimer’s disease, according to her daughter-in-law Pat Houston.
“Our hearts are heavy with pain and sorrow. We have lost the matriarch of our family,” Pat said, describing Cissy as a “strong and towering figure” in their lives.
Houston’s illustrious career spanned several decades, during which she performed with icons such as Elvis Presley and Aretha Franklin.
Born in 1933 in New Jersey as the youngest of eight children, she began singing at an early age, forming a gospel group with her siblings.
In the 1960s, Houston founded the R&B group The Sweet Inspirations, providing backup vocals for major artists like Otis Redding, Dusty Springfield, and her niece Dionne Warwick. The group also featured on Van Morrison’s hit, Brown Eyed Girl.
After her success with The Sweet Inspirations, Houston launched a solo career and collaborated with artists such as Chaka Khan, Jimi Hendrix, Beyoncé, Paul Simon, and her daughter, Whitney Houston, who passed away in 2012 at the age of 48.
Houston won her first Grammy in 1997 for her traditional soul gospel album Face to Face, followed by another win in 1998 for He Leadeth Me.
She also authored three books, including Remembering Whitney: A Mother’s Story of Life, Loss, and The Night The Music Stopped, a tribute to her daughter.
At 80, Houston reunited with Aretha Franklin for a performance of Adele’s Rolling in the Deep on The Late Show with David Letterman.
Reflecting on her legacy, Pat Houston said, “Her more than seven-decade career in music and entertainment will always remain at the forefront of our hearts.”
She added, “We are blessed and grateful that God allowed her to spend so many years with us.”
“May she rest in peace, alongside her daughter, Whitney, her granddaughter Bobbi Kristina, and other cherished family members.”
Source-BBC
