Cissy Houston, the beloved gospel singer and mother of Whitney Houston, passed away on Monday morning at the age of 91, as confirmed by her family in a heartfelt statement.
Houston, a two-time Grammy Award winner, died at her home in New Jersey while receiving hospice care for Alzheimer’s disease, according to her daughter-in-law, Pat Houston. “Our hearts are filled with pain and sadness. We lost the matriarch of our family,” she expressed, describing Cissy as a “strong and towering figure” in their lives.
With a singing career that spanned several decades, Houston performed alongside legends like Elvis Presley and Aretha Franklin. Born in New Jersey in 1933 as the youngest of eight children, she began her musical journey at a young age, forming a gospel group with her siblings.
In the 1960s, she became a member of the R&B group The Sweet Inspirations, known for providing backup vocals for iconic artists such as Otis Redding, Dusty Springfield, and Dionne Warwick. The group also featured on Van Morrison’s classic hit “Brown Eyed Girl.” After achieving success with The Sweet Inspirations, Houston launched a solo career, collaborating with renowned artists like Chaka Khan, Jimi Hendrix, Beyoncé, Paul Simon, and her late daughter, Whitney, who tragically passed away in 2012 at the age of 48.
Cissy Houston received Grammy Awards for her traditional soul gospel albums, “Face to Face” in 1997 and “He Leadeth Me” in 1998. Additionally, she authored three books, including “Remembering Whitney: A Mother’s Story of Life, Loss, and The Night the Music Stopped,” a tribute to her daughter.
In 2013, she published a memoir titled “Remember Whitney: My Story of Love, Loss, and the Night the Music Stopped,” during which she sought to set the record straight about Whitney, emphasizing that her daughter was “a wonderful, giving, loving kid” who had her own struggles, just like anyone else.
Cissy Houston was also the proud mother of sons Gary and Michael, as well as the grandmother to several grandchildren. Tragically, her granddaughter Bobbi Kristina Brown passed away three years after Whitney, at the age of 22.
In a memorable moment at 80 years old, Houston reunited with Aretha Franklin on “The Late Show with David Letterman,” performing a rendition of Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep.”
Pat Houston shared that Cissy’s “more than seven-decade career in music and entertainment will remain at the forefront of our hearts.” Cissy Houston’s impressive credits include contributions to Franklin’s classics “Think” and “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” as well as vocals on Dusty Springfield’s “Son of a Preacher Man.” Houston became an in-demand session singer, recording over 600 songs across multiple genres throughout her career.
“We are blessed and grateful that God allowed her to spend so many years with us, and we are thankful for all the valuable life lessons she taught us,” Pat added. “May she rest in peace alongside her daughter, Whitney, granddaughter Bobbi Kristina, and other cherished family members.”