Cissy Houston, the Grammy-winning vocalist and mother of Whitney Houston, has passed away at the age of 91
Cissy Houston, Grammy-Winning Singer and Mother of Whitney Houston, Passes Away at 91
Cissy Houston, the Grammy-winning singer and mother of Whitney Houston, has passed away at the age of 91, as confirmed by Gwendolyn Quinn, a representative for The Estate of Whitney E. Houston. She died on Monday at 10:30 a.m. ET while in hospice care, surrounded by family, after battling Alzheimer’s disease.
In a heartfelt statement, her daughter-in-law, Pat Houston, expressed the family’s sorrow: “Our hearts are filled with pain and sadness. We lost the matriarch of our family. Mother Cissy has been a strong and towering figure in our lives. A woman of deep faith and conviction, who cared greatly about family, ministry, and community. Her more than seven-decade career in music and entertainment will remain at the forefront of our hearts.” She added, “Her contributions to popular music and culture are unparalleled.”
Born Emily Drinkard, Cissy was the youngest of eight children to Nitcholas and Delia Mae Drinkard. She received her education in Newark Public Schools and attended New Hope Baptist Church, where she later served as Minister of Sacred Music.
Cissy began her music career at the age of five, joining her siblings in the gospel group The Drinkard Four. The group later became The Drinkard Singers, with future stars Dee Dee and Dionne Warwick among its members. They performed at notable venues like Carnegie Hall and the Newport Jazz Festival, and released their first live gospel album, “A Joyful Noise,” in 1959.
In 1963, Cissy Houston formed the original lineup of The Sweet Inspirations, which provided background vocals for several iconic artists throughout the 1960s, including Aretha Franklin and Otis Redding. She released her first solo LP, “Presenting Cissy Houston,” in 1969.
Cissy Houston enjoyed a successful career as a recording artist, earning two Grammy Awards and releasing ten solo albums, alongside numerous compilations and collaborative recordings. She worked with a diverse range of artists, including Bette Midler, Elvis Presley, and her daughter Whitney Houston.
In 2013, Cissy published a memoir titled “Remember Whitney: My Story of Love, Loss, and the Night the Music Stopped.” During a guest appearance on “The View,” she shared her intention behind the book, emphasizing that Whitney was “nothing like they thought she was.” She described her daughter as “a wonderful, giving, loving kid.”
Cissy is also survived by her sons, Gary and Michael, and several grandchildren. Her granddaughter, Bobbie Kristina Brown, passed away three years after Whitney at the age of 22.
Pat Houston’s statement on Monday reflected the family’s gratitude: “We are blessed and grateful that God allowed her to spend so many years with us, and we are thankful for all the many valuable life lessons that she taught us. May she rest in peace, alongside her daughter, Whitney, granddaughter Bobbi Kristina, and other cherished family members.”
