By Bob Marovich for The Black Gospel Blog.TBGB received the astonishing news that singer and actor Whitney Houston is dead at the age of 48.
Houston comes from a gospel singing family. Her mother, Emily “Cissy” Houston, was a member of the Drinkard Singers, a gospel group from Newark, New Jersey that also included Ann (Drinkard) Moss, Marie Epps, Judy (Guions) Clay and Lee (Drinkard) Warrick. Nieces Dionne and Delia (“Dee Dee”) Warwick became pop stars, as did Judy Clay and Cissy Houston. Cissy was also a member of the Sweet Inspirations, a group that backed Aretha Franklin.
In 1996, Whitney Houston recorded gospel songs for the film The Preacher’s Wife and in 2009 sang a gospel-tinged version of R. Kelly’s “I Look to You.”
TBGB extends its sympathies to Ms. Houston’s family, friends and countless fans.
Source: Carlin, Richard. “The Drinkards.” Encyclopedia of American Gospel Music. McNeil, W.K., ed.
New York: Routledge, 2005.
Written by : Bob Marovich
Bob Marovich is a gospel music historian, author, and radio host. Founder of Journal of Gospel Music blog (formally The Black Gospel Blog) and producer of the Gospel Memories Radio Show.
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