Grammy-winning singer Cissy Houston, the mother of the late icon Whitney Houston, has died.
Cissy Houston, whose real name was Emily, was born in Newark, New Jersey on September 30, 1933.
Her mother passed away when she was only 5 years old. Her father passed away when she was only 18.
After her father's passing, Cissy went to live with her sister, Lee, and her husband, Mancel Warrick. Lee and Mancel's daughter is Dionne Warwick, Cissy's niece.
Cissy began to sing gospel with her brothers and sisters, and they formed a group called The Drinkard Singers.
In 1963, Cissy would become a founding member of the group, Sweet Inspirations, which provided background vocals to notable singers such as Lou Rawls, Wilson Pickett, and Otis Redding.
Cissy would later become a solo artist, while backing-up for artists such as Dionne Warwick, Elvis Presley, Aretha Franklin, and Chaka Khan.
Cissy Houston was a founding member of the R&B group The Sweet Inspirations.
She sang backup for artists such as Roy Hamilton, Dionne Warwick, Elvis Presley, Aretha Franklin, and Chaka Khan.
She won two Grammy Awards in the Traditional Gospel Album category.
In 1996, Cissy Houston received the Grammy Award for Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album for her album, Face to Face.
Then, in 1998, she won her second Grammy for the gospel album, He Leadeth Me."
Despite her national success, Cissy remained the Minister of Music at New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, New Jersey for more than 50 years.
Cissy Houston has 3 children: Gary, Michael, and Whitney Houston- who would become one of the biggest music artists in the world.
Whitney passed away in 2012.
Sadly, Whitney's daughter, Bobbi Kristiina Brown, would pass away a few years later in 2015.
Cissy Houston died Monday, October 7, 2024 in her New Jersey home while under hospice care for Alzheimer’s disease, according to her daughter-in-law Pat Houston.
Cissy Houston was 91 years old.
Please keep the Houston family in your prayers!
For more on Cissy Houston's life, please view the video below:
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