cnd Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 Whitney Houston's storied career: A regal rise, a tragic fall (CNN) -- The news broke on the eve of Grammy Awards, the music industry's biggest night: The woman with the pitch-perfect voice who once reigned as the queen of pop at the awards show had died. Whitney Houston was found dead Saturday by her bodyguard on the fourth floor of an upscale Beverly Hills hotel where only hours later she was to attend a pre-Grammy bash hosted by her longtime mentor, Clive Davis. Her death, at age 48, was the final chapter of a storied career that began with the nurturing by superstar cousin Dionne Warwick, soared in the 1980s and 1990s with one record-setting achievement after another, stalled as her drug use and marriage to Bobby Brown made for tabloid fodder and was on the rebound with a highly anticipated star turn. "You're going to remember where you were when you heard the news. It's that significant. She was undoubtedly one of the greatest superstars of all time," music producer Simon Cowell said. "One of the greatest voices in our lifetime we're likely ever to hear. And to hear this news, it really, really, really upset me." Houston's voice, once described by The New York Times as "peerless," influenced and inspired a new generation of singers, from Mariah Carey to Christina Aguilera, and garnered a legion of fans. "Her notes soared to places most singers dream of reaching," Aguilera said. Houston seemed destined for stardom almost from the very beginning. Born on August 9, 1963, in Newark, New Jersey, to gospel great Cissy Houston, cousin to both Dionne and Dee Dee Warwick and goddaughter to Aretha Franklin, Houston's upbringing was the embodiment of musical greatness. She honed her vocal skills from a young age, singing in the church choir and taking the stage occasionally with her mother. As a teenager, she sang backup for Chaka Khan on "I'm Every Woman," a song Houston would re-record in 1992 and that would go on to become one of her biggest hits. As the story goes, Clive Davis spotted Houston in 1983 in a New York nightclub performing and signed her on the spot. Houston released her debut album, "Whitney Houston," in February 1985 to wide acclaim. Rolling Stone magazine called her "one of the most exciting new voices in years." With the release of the album, her commanding voice combined with a natural beauty and a clean-cut image made her an instant star. A generation danced their way through the 1980s to a string of her hits, including the poppy "How Will I Know," "Saving All My Love For You," "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" and "The Greatest Love Of All." But it was in the 1990s that she shot into the superstar stratosphere with two songs that showcased her stunning octave range and her maturity. On January 27, 1991, while the United States was at war in the Persian Gulf, Houston performed "The Star Spangled Banner" at Super Bowl XXV to a record 79 million viewers. During a time when the country seemed divided by the war, her searing, heartfelt performance seemed to unite a nation at least for a few minutes. Her rendition -- the gold standard by which all performances of the national anthem are judged -- was released as a single and reached the Top 20 on the U.S. Hot 100 Billboard. Houston's version was re-released in 2001 following the September 11 terrorist attacks, and proceeds from the sales were donated to charity. That was followed up by her cover of Dolly Parton's "I Will Always Love You" recorded for the movie "The Bodyguard," in which she also made her acting debut. While the movie received mostly poor reviews, the song went onto to sell 10 million singles, winning Grammy's record of the year and best female pop vocal. The soundtrack was named album of the year. "I will always be grateful and in awe of the wonderful performance she did on my song and I can truly say from the bottom of my heart, 'Whitney, I will always love you. You will be missed,'" Parton said. But by the time the movie opened, Houston's clean-cut pop image had begun to tarnish with her marriage to R&B bad boy Bobby Brown. The two met in 1989 and married three years later. Their relationship became tabloid fodder, with every misstep chronicled and the couple's relationship a subject of constant speculation. Brown's notorious hard-partying led him to several run-ins with the law and stints in jail. While Houston managed to maintain a successful music and movie career through the end of the 1990s, starring in "The Preacher's Wife" and "Waiting To Exhale," her behavior turned increasingly erratic amid reports of heavy drug use. By the 2000s, her career was in free fall as her album sales dropped off and her voice began to show signs of wear. The rumors were further fueled by her gaunt appearance and crass behavior on the 2001 short-lived Bravo reality show "Being Bobby Brown," which she later said in an interview she only did to try to save her marriage. The couple, who had a daughter together, divorced in 2007. Brown performed at a "New Edition" concert Saturday night in South Haven, Mississippi. "The atmosphere felt bittersweet," said iReporter Moshiu Knox, who attended the concert with his wife. "Bobby was crying during his performance and at one point had to walk off stage. ... The crowd was emotional and tears were flowing all over the arena." Video of the concert shows Brown asking the audience to pray for the couple's daughter. "If you find the time, can you say a prayer for me because I'm going to need it," he says. In an infamous interview in 2002 with ABC's Diane Sawyer, Houston admitted to using drugs but denied the use of crack. "Crack is wack," she said, quoting a line taken from Keith Haring mural painted in 1986. It was during the same interview, she told Sawyer: "The biggest devil is me. I'm either my best friend or my worst enemy." Houston bounced in and out of drug rehab twice, declaring herself drug-free during a 2010 interview with Oprah Winfrey, though an Australian tour that same year was fraught with reviews that she sounded "croaky" and, at times, appeared disoriented. Recently, Houston was working to turn around her career -- and image -- with a star turn in the upcoming movie "Sparkle,'' the remake of a 1976 film that is said to be loosely inspired by the Supremes. The night Houston died she was to be a guest of honor at Davis' annual pre-Grammy bash. "She loved music and she loved this night that celebrated music," Davis told party-goers. "Her family asked that we carry on." She would have loved that, too. http://edition.cnn.com/2012/02/12/us/whitney-houston-obit/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hotboy06 Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 Whitney Houston Taking Xanax Whitney Houston was taking Xanax ... evidence she may have fallen asleep in the bathtub where she died ... TMZ has learned. Family members of Whitney tell us the singer had a prescription for the drug, which is commonly used to treat anxiety and depression. We told you yesterday ... the night before Whitney died, she had been drinking a lot. Xanax mixed with alcohol can cause severe sedation, which could cause someone to fall asleep in a bathtub. As TMZ first reported, Whitney was found in the bathtub and removed before EMTs arrived. The L.A. County Coroner will perform an autopsy -- possibly today -- to determine if Whitney died from drowning, and OD or other causes. As we previously reported, Beverly Hills cops obtained a search warrant and found various prescription bottles -- but, as far as we know, no illicit drugs. http://www.tmz.com/2012/02/12/whitney-houston-xanax-prescritpion-bathtub-drowning/ This is beyond sad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utopia Posted February 12, 2012 Author Share Posted February 12, 2012 Yeah, she would do a great job. Clive knows what's up. Yep, it's going to be tough. I can't imagine being there knowing what the music world has just lost. It should all be about her. Can we all agree that One Moment In Time IS the Olympics song? No other Olympic track has ever been that inspirational Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SloLove Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 Smh... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hotboy06 Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 It should all be about her. Can we all agree that One Moment In Time IS the Olympics song? No other Olympic track has ever been that inspiring No truer words have been spoken. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Idrag4mj Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 “I received a phone call from Jordin. She was in tears. She is utterly devastated,” Jordin Sparks’ grandmother, Pam Weidman, told Fox 10 by phone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reyna ♔ Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 I remember watching the video for "I Look To You" on Youtube the day it released. It was such a happy thing and I found myself saying "She's back...she's back" over and over. I think I watched the video a zillion times that day. She looked so gorgeous, the song was heavenly, the video was simple and classic, everything was just beautiful. I ended up with 2 copies of the album, and it sits properly in my Top 3 of albums from her. God I'm going to miss her. And the chance to see her in a Waiting to Exhale sequel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SloLove Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 I remember watching the video for "I Look To You" on Youtube the day it released. It was such a happy thing and I found myself saying "She's back...she's back" over and over. I think I watched the video a zillion times that day. She looked so gorgeous, the song was heavenly, the video was simple and classic, everything was just beautiful. I ended up with 2 copies of the album, and it sits properly in my Top 3 of albums from her. God I'm going to miss her. And the chance to see her in a Waiting to Exhale sequel. Yes! I look to you is such a beautiful song and video she's beautiful Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*~WhitePicketDreams~* Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 “I received a phone call from Jordin. She was in tears. She is utterly devastated,” Jordin Sparks’ grandmother, Pam Weidman, told Fox 10 by phone. Didn't they just wrap on "Sparkle"....weeks ago? She(Whit) seemed fine when she and Jordin were doing all those interviews...and that was not that long ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoveSupreme Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTU27w8um-M The lyrics ring so true rn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KlaSh-E Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 it's another sad day.... she will be remembered forever tho.. Like Michael she died at a moment when lots of things were happening... a film about to be released, the night before the grammy's... pictured clubbing heavy the night before....and at such a young age... it has everything for a new classic like 'The Rose' So, how sad it really is, something good will come out of it.... She will be remembered in a very big way Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cnd Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 Whitney Houston was found in the bathtub of a Beverly Hills hotel yesterday ... with her face underwater ... people close to Whitney tell TMZ. According to our sources, her stylist, hairdresser and two bodyguards were among the people in the room at the time. We're told they became worried about Whitney because she had been in the bathroom for over an hour and it was time to start getting ready for the Clive Davis party. Our sources say they began to knock on the door and there was no answer. We're told the hairdresser, who is female, went in to check on Whitney. She immediately screamed and, according to our sources, one of the bodyguards came running in and pulled her out of the tub. We're told Whitney's face was below the water and her legs were up ... like she had slid down the back of the tub. According to our sources, her body was very cold and the bodyguard attempted CPR. That's when hotel security was called. Paramedics arrived shortly thereafter, but Whitney was pronounced dead at 3:55 PM. http://www.tmz.com/2012/02/12/whitney-houston-dead-bathtub-underwater/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cnd Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTU27w8um-M The lyrics ring so true rn. I've always loved this. An underrated gem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reyna ♔ Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTU27w8um-M The lyrics ring so true rn. So true This song is so beautiful Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Selz Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 When I was a teenager my best friend and I were all over The Bodyguard soundtrack... we had so much life with that album Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cnd Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 The Voice: Whitney Houston (1963-2012) One of the greatest voices in the history of American popular music has been silenced. An appreciation of the talents of Whitney Houston Several years ago in Los Angeles, I walked out of a hotel in Westwood and saw a beautiful but slight woman step out of a limousine, stride past her bodyguards and head up the front steps. It took me several moments to say to myself, “Isn’t that Whitney Houston?” She wasn’t what I expected. She wasn’t of supermodel dimensions – even if she was one of the most beautiful women in the world. She didn’t say a word – even though her voice will echo forever in the soundtrack of the my life. She simply walked imperiously forward, not evincing the slightest curiosity at the riffraff around her – myself included. She looked as if she felt she was the most important person in the world at that moment. And she was, for everyone who saw her. It was a sight I will never forget. Yet, though her self-confidence radiated into that southern California evening, she looked uncannily frail, almost small. Whitney Elizabeth Houston, 48, died on the eve of the Grammy Awards, the music industry’s annual celebration of itself. The cause of her death is yet unknown, but it is certain to plunge her colleagues, friends, rivals and disciples into the kind of introspective mourning reserved only for the artists who have achieved the greatest success and become the victims of their great good fortune. Her voice, combined with her looks, made her one of the biggest stars on the planet. She set sales record after sales record. Her first major foray into the movie industry in The Bodyguard (1992) became a milestone in the issue (or non-issue) of race in casting (who could quarrel with her being the star?) and produced – or, as some critics would say, inflicted – a version of “I Will Always Love You” on the cosmos that will reverberate until its sound waves make contact with extraterrestrial intelligence. It was the range and power of her natural gifts that produced at the 1991 Super Bowl – with the U.S. 10 days into the first Gulf War – one of the most astonishing renditions of the Star Spangled Banner ever heard. The U.S. Air Force flying overhead became a mere afterthought to her renewal of the vigor of a song written in 1814. She was the voice of America. The real-life Whitney Houston, however, was one of greater frailty than the superpower she manifested in her voice. She had been born to sing. Her mother was Cissy Houston, a soul and gospel performer who sang backup for Elvis Presley, Mahalia Jackson and Aretha Franklin. Whitney’s cousin was Dionne Warwick, one of the indelible voices of American pop. Whitney was herself singing in the choir in her hometown of Newark, N.J. at the age of 11. Her beauty led to an early modeling career but her vocal talents soon led to a contract with Arista Records and the producer Clive Davis, who would do more than anyone to shape her public image. That image was of the gorgeous all-American girl who could belt ballads and dance tunes with equal ease. It was revolutionary in its way: that an African-American woman could embody that archetype as seamlessly as white women have in the past – at least in public. In the beginning, she was perfectly cast: glamorous and distant, with a voice that was warm even if the celebrity was unapproachable. She made you move; she made you want; she gave immediacy and voice to your instincts and emotions. But she was a goddess. Beginning in 1985, that goddess would produce pop hit after pop hit at a time the record industry was at its height, in the years before iTunes: “You Give Good Love,” “Saving All My Love for You,” “How Will I Know,” “I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me),” “I’m Your Baby Tonight,” “My Love Is Your Love” and countless others. Her covers of previous hits like “I’m Every Woman” by Chaka Khan and “I Will Always Love You” by Dolly Parton virtually overshadowed the originals. Read more: http://entertainment.time.com/2012/02/11/the-voice-of-america-whitney-houston-1963-2012/#ixzz1mBbsErhz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aquaria Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VTU27w8um-M The lyrics ring so true rn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aquaria Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 When I was a teenager my best friend and I were all over The Bodyguard soundtrack... we had so much life with that album I had the bodyguard on cassette tape and wore that shit OUT. Side A and Side B She was my original diva, before Gaga and Madonna Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rock & Roll Hall of Game Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 it's another sad day.... she will be remembered forever tho.. Like Michael she died at a moment when lots of things were happening... a film about to be released, the night before the grammy's... pictured clubbing heavy the night before....and at such a young age... it has everything for a new classic like 'The Rose' So, how sad it really is, something good will come out of it.... She will be remembered in a very big way Like Michael? what a slap in the face to MJ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kishi Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 Only God knows why! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaLpHieReBeL516 Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 Like Michael? what a slap in the face to MJ... calm down shes comparing the two because before they died they were both on their way to turning a new leaf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aed05 Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 calm down shes comparing the two because before they died they were both on their way to turning a new leaf Exactly! MJ was about to do a concert series in London and Whitney just finished filming Sparkle and was about to start production on the "Waiting to Exhale" sequel later this year. Basically they were both working on knew projects. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Idrag4mj Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 whitneys daughter has been rushed to the hospital Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reyna ♔ Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 whitneys daughter has been rushed to the hospital Oh no, please tell me she's gonna be alright. It's okay, Krissy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Special K Posted February 12, 2012 Share Posted February 12, 2012 Bobby Brown said in a statement Sunday: "I am deeply saddened at the passing of my ex-wife, Whitney Houston. At this time, we ask for privacy, especially for my daughter, Bobbi Kristina. I appreciate all of the condolences that have been directed towards my family and I at this most difficult time." Meanwhile, her mother, gospel singer Cissy Houston, issued the following: "We are devastated by the loss of our beloved Whitney. This is an unimaginable tragedy and we will miss her terribly. We appreciate the outpouring of love and support from her fans and friends." http://www.eonline.com/news/whitney_houston_death_bobby_brown/293646 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.