subject: The Golden Age Of Whitney Houston [print this page] Whitney Houston was born to singWhitney Houston was born to sing. Her mother, Emily Drinkard (nickname Cissy), was a member of a family gospel group named the Drinkard Sisters and worked as a solo artist as well. She had chances to cooperate with famous names at that time such as Elvis Presley and her close friend Aretha Franklin. As a result of a successful career, Cissy was often on tour and left Whitney Elizabeth as a child, in the care of the father, John Houston.
With so much music in her parents lives, it was only a matter of time before Whitney realized that music was in her blood: Being around people like Aretha Franklin, Gladys Knight, Dionne Warwick and Roberta Flack, all these greats, I was thought to listen and observe. It had a great impact on me as a singer, as a performer, as a musician. Growing around it, you just cant help it. I identified with it immediately. It was something that was so natural to me that when I started singing, it was almost like speaking. And with her mothers assistance as Minster of Music at New Hope Baptist Church, Whitney made her very first solo performance.
At the age of about 11 she sang Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah, and the reaction she received taught her something she would never forget.I was aware of people staring at me. No one moved. They seemed almost in trance. I just stared at the clock in the center of the church. When I finished, everyone clapped and started crying. At that very moment, Whitney decided to devote her life to singing, just like her mother did as a way to repay God for the gift of music.
By 1983, Whitney Houston had entered a worldwide contract with Arista Records after Arista chief Clive Davis heard Houston perform at a New York nightclub with her mother. Clive Davis, who had taken a strong personal interest in the vocalist, insisted on selecting the best songwriters and producers in search of the definitive debut album. As a result, not only did the album establish her as an important new recording artist, but it went on to sell over 12 million copies in the U.S., plus many millions more abroad. The following year had her first commercial success when Hold Me, a duet with Teddy Pendergrass, crept into the US Top 50 on the pop singles chart while reaching the top 5 of the R&B charts. The self-titled Whitney Houston (March 1985) launched Aristas second decade, and yielded a string of hits including You Give Good Love and three consecutive #1 singles, the Grammy-winning Saving All My Love For You, How Will I Know, and The Greatest Love of All, which has become a veritable anthem.
More record-setting success was to come with Houstons 1987 follow-up effort, Whitney. Not only was it the first album by a female to enter the charts at No. 1, but she became the first artist in history to score seven consecutive No. 1 hits, surpassing milestones set by the Beatles and the Bee Gees. Houstons acting and dancing lessons paid off in her dynamic MTV videos, and her galvanizing rendition of the Star Spangled Banner at the 1990 Super Bowl. Houston promoted Whitney by heading back out on tour, and in 1990, she released Im Your Baby Tonight, a more danceable, technically impressive effort. The new superstar went to work with songwriters L.A. & Babyface, singing alongside Luther Vandross and Stevie Wonder on her third album, which displayed a slick R&B edge. There were more hits in 1991 Miracle (Number Nine), My Name Is Not Susan (Number 20), and I Belong to You (Number 10 R&B) but, peaking at Number Three, Baby proved disappointing after its predecessors.
Houston bounced back in a big way with the 1992 film The Bodyguard, in which she made her acting debut opposite Kevin Costner to mixed reviews and huge box office success. The movies soundtrack proved even more successful, hitting Number One and producing a monster single. Houstons cover of Dolly Partons I Will Always Love You (1992) remained at the top of the chart for an unprecedented 14 weeks.
The success of Whitney Houstons career not only contributed to her personal gain but also broke the color barrier for black female artists to perform on national television. She became one of the few black female artists to receive heavy rotation on the network following the success of the How Will I Know video. Following Houstons breakthrough, other African-American female artists, such as Janet Jackson and Anita Baker, were successful in popular music. Baker commented that Because of what Whitney did, there was an opening for me For radio stations, black women singers arent taboo anymore. Mary J. Blige commented that Houstons inviting her onstage during VH1s Divas Live show in 1999 opened doors for all over the world.
Moreover, her vocal stylings have had a significant impact on the music industry. According to The New York Times, Houston had revitalized the tradition of strong gospel-oriented pop-soul singing. A number of artists have acknowledged Houston as an influence. Mariah Carey, who was often compared to Houston, said, Houston has been a big influence on me. She later told USA Today that none of us would sound the same if Aretha Franklin hadnt ever put out a record, or Whitney Houston hadnt. Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson cites Houston as her biggest musical influence. She told Newsday that she learned from Houston the difference between being able to sing and knowing how to sing. Leona Lewis, who also has been compared to Houston, cites her as an influence. Lewis has stated that she idolized Houston as a little girl. Beyonce Knowles told the Globe and Mail that Houston inspired to get up there and do what did. Christina Aguilera, Britney Spears, Alicia Keys, P!nk, Robin Thicke, Jennifer Hudson and Destinys Child have all cited Houston as a musical inspiration. In 2009, Rolling Stone listed Houston as one of the 100 greatest singers of the rock era.
