Cissy Houston, Whitney Houston’s Mother, Dies Aged 91
Cissy Houston, the mother of Whitney Houston, has died aged 91.
Cissy Houston, a two-time Grammy-winning gospel and soul singer, has died aged 91. As per several reports, she passed away on Monday at her home in New Jersey while under care for Alzheimer’s disease. The news was shared by her daughter-in-law, Pat Houston. Cissy was surrounded by her family at the time of her death. “Our hearts are filled with pain and sadness,” Pat Houston said in a statement, as per The Indian Express. “We lost the matriarch of our family,” she added.
Pat Houston also said that Cissy’s contributions to music and culture are “unparalleled”. Pat Houston further described her mother-in-law as a strong woman of deep faith who cared deeply about family, ministry, and her community.
Pat Houston, on behalf of the family, also expressed gratitude for the love and support the family has received during the difficult time, and requested privacy as they mourn Cissy’s passing.
For the unversed, Cissy Houston's remarkable career spanned more than seven decades. She broke into popular music in the 1960s. She was also a part of ‘The Sweet Inspirations’, a well-known backing group that performed with music legends like Aretha Franklin, Elvis Presley, and Van Morrison.
The group also worked with artists such as Otis Redding, Dionne Warwick, and Lou Rawls. Cissy Houston also had a successful solo career and she recorded more than 600 songs, across various genres.
She also won two Grammy Awards for her albums ‘Face To Face’ and ‘He Leadeth Me’. The late star also sang with many other artists such as Jimi Hendrix, Luther Vandross, and Chaka Khan.
Cissy Houston was also deeply involved in the church. For decades, she led the Youth Inspirational Choir at Newark’s New Hope Baptist Church.
