Whitney E Houston: Life Before The Music Stopped By: Izadora Germain

Introduction Whitney Elizabeth Houston was born August 9, 1963 in Newark, New Jersey. She was an American singer, actress, producer and model. Her parents were John Russell Houston Jr. and Cissy Houton Whitney grew up in a family of talented women singers such as Dionne Warwick, Dee Dee Warwick and Aretha Franklin. Although Whitney Houston had a successful career, her talent was overshadowed by her drug and alcohol addiction.

Childhood Whitney Houston grew up in Newark and East Orange New Jersey At the age of 11, Houston began performing as a soloist in the junior choir of her church (New Hope Baptist Church) where she also learned how to play the piano Since Whitney’s mother was a professional Gospel singer, Whitney had the opportunity to tour with her during her teenage years and occasionally get to perform with her. In the 1980s, Houston started modelling after a photographer saw her singing with her mother at Carnegie Hall.

Love/Family 1989: Whitney meets R&B singer Bobby Brown at the Soul Train Music Awards (whom she'd later marry in 1992, kicking off a rollercoaster marriage that would last until 2006). July 18, 1992: The singer takes the plunge and ties the knot with Bobby Brown 1993: Whitney embarks on a worldwide tour and gives birth to her and Bobby Brown's daughter Bobbi Kristina Houston Brown. December 2003: Whitney's perpetually troubled husband Bobby Brown is busted for allegedly roughing up Houston during a domestic dispute. Houston later says the whole thing was a misunderstanding October 2006: Just one year after their troubled love life is chronicled on Bravo's Being Bobby Brown, the singer files for divorce from Brown after 14 years of marriage. The R&B couple's divorce is made final in Orange County, California, six months later. Houston is granted full legal and physical custody of the their daughter, Bobbi Kristina—a decision that would soon be battled out further in court.

Music Career 1977: At the tender age of 14 Whitney becomes a backup singer on the Michael Zager Band's single "Life's a Party." Zager offers her a recording contract, but her mother Cissy rejects the offer, wanting Whitney to finish school first. 1979: At 15, Whitney Houston sings background vocals on Chaka Khan's smash "I'm Every Woman"—the jam she would later turn into a monster hit for herself on the acclaimed soundtrack album to The Bodyguard. 1980: Whitney's not only an in-demand singer, she's a looker as well. The singer begins modeling after being spotted by a photographer at Carnegie Hall. Whitney is featured in Seventeen magazine, becoming one of the first women of color to grace the mag's cover. 1983: After being spotted by Gerry Griffith, an A&R rep from Arista Records, the label's head Clive Davis offers Houston a worldwide recording contract. The rest, as they say, is history. 1985: Whitney's self-titled debut album drops. Her single "How Will I Know" hits number one and its video introduces Houston to the MTV generation—making her the first African-American female artist to receive consistent heavy rotation on MTV.

Music Career Con’t 1986: Whitney's album hits No. 1 on Billboard's year-end charts, making her the first female artist to earn that distinction. Oh, and her debut disc also wins her a Grammy and is dubbed Best Album of 1986 by Rolling Stone. June 1987: Whitney releases her second album, entitled Whitney. The next year, Houston receives her second Grammy for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for "I Wanna Dance With Somebody." 1989: Whitney meets R&B singer Bobby Brown at the Soul Train Music Awards (whom she'd later marry in 1992, kicking off a rollercoaster marriage that would last until 2006). Jan. 27, 1991: Houston performs "The Star-Spangled Banner" at Super Bowl XXV. Due to the success of her rendition, it's released as a commercial single and reaches the Top 20 on the US Hot 100, making Houston the only act to turn the National Anthem into a pop hit. 1992: Whitney takes her voice and movie star looks to the big screen and makes her movie debut in The Bodyguard, which becomes a huge success grossing over $120 million.

Drug Addiction 1992: On July 18, Houston marries R&B star Bobby Brown. Rumors of drug abuse begin to surface in the years to come. 2000: In the 1980s and 1990s, Houston was an American sweetheart, releasing #1 singles, involving herself in multiple charities and singing the national anthem at the Super Bowl in 1991. Houston's troubles with the law begin at the turn of the new millennium after security in Hawaii's Keahole-Kona Airport finds marijuana in her handbag in January. She is hit with a misdemeanor marijuana possession charge, but it's dropped months later. 2001: Rampant rumors of drug use swirl around Houston, and after she appeared thinner than usual during a Michael Jackson commemorative concert, the tabloids have a field day. Houston's then-publicist refutes rumors that the singer had died of a drug overdose. "Whitney has been under stress due to family matters, and when she is under stress, she doesn't eat," the publicist says in a statement. 2002: In a "Primetime" interview with Diane Sawyer, Houston addresses the rumors of her drug use. While she admits to using alcohol, marijuana, cocaine and prescription drugs, the vibrant vocalist emphatically denies reports that she's addicted to crack. "Crack is cheap. I make too much for me to ever smoke crack," she says. "Let's get that straight, OK? I don't do crack. I don't do that. Crack is whack."

Drug Addiction Con’t 2004: In 2004, for the first reported time, she enters a facility for drug rehabilitation. She would once again return to rehab a year later in 2005. 2007: Many attributed Houston's troubles to her rocky marriage to Bobby Brown. In 2006, she filed for divorce, and the next year, she officially splits from the New Edition frontman, winning custody of their daughter Bobbi Kristina. 2009: During a September 2009 sit-down with Oprah Winfrey, Houston opens up about her relationship with Brown. "He was my drug," she tells Oprah. Houston admits to getting high with her ex-husband and even revealed that Brown had slapped her in the past. 2011: In May, the singer, still battling drug and alcohol abuse, voluntarily enrolls in an outpatient rehabilitation program. 2012: On Saturday, February 11, Houston is found dead at age 48 in a Los Angeles hotel. While her troubles were well-documented, she left behind an equally unforgettable musical legacy.

Contributions Whitney Houston broke down many barriers for black women. Whitney earn her spot on the throne along side Michael Jackson and Madonna. Holds 415 career awards as of 2010. Guinness Book of World Records as the most awarded female artist of all time

Influences Houston influenced artist such as Celine Dion, Mariah Carey, Toni Braxton, Lady Gaga, Christina Aguilera, LeAnn Rimes, Jessica Simpson, Jennifer Hudson, Beyonce, Nelly Furtado, Ashanti, Kelly Clarkson, Britney Spears, Robin Thicke, Ciara, P!nk, Anneka, Amerie, Ariana Grande, Kelly Rowland, and others. Encouraged women of color to get more on film and opened those doors for them to do so.

Conclusion In conclusion, Whitney Houston will always be remembered as a legendary artists that shattered many glasses especially in the African American community for women. Houston’s voice was like no other. Her battle with addiction destroyed her career and eventually lead to the death of not only her but also her daughter. Whitney Houston will always remain that artist, sitting amongst greats such as Ella Fitzgerald, Michael Jackson, Prince, Donna Summer and more.

Bibliography Bass , Ronald, and Terry McMillan. Waiting to Exhale. Directed by Forest Whitaker. Produced by Terry McMillan, & Ronald Bass. Performed by Whitney Houston , Angela Bassett, & Loretta Devine. 1996. Gioia, Ted. The Prehistory of Jazz: The Africanization of American Music. February 14, 1997. http://www.nytimes.com/books/first/g/gioia-jazz.html (accessed October 04, 2017). Houston, Cissy. Reme,bering Whitney: A Mothers Story of Life, Loss and the Night the music stopped . London: Harper , 2014. Kasdan , Lawrence. The Bodyguard. Directed by Mick Jackson. Produced by Lawrence Kasdan, Jim Wilson, & Kevin Costner. Performed by Kevin Costner, Whitney Houston, Gary Kemp, & Bill Cobbs. 2005. Smith , Nicole . Drugs and Music . January 16, 2012. http://www.articlemyriad.com/drugs-music/ (accessed October 04, 2017). Sony Music . Whitney Houston . March 22, 2013. http://www.whitneyhouston.com/news/whitney-houstons-musical- influences/ (accessed October 04, 2017). The Library of Congress. The Library of Congress Celebrated the Songs of America: African American Gospel . 23 January , 1962. https://www.loc.gov/collections/songs-of-america/articles-and-essays/musical-styles/ritual-and- worship/african-american-gospel (accessed October 04, 2017).