Her name may not be as familiar as her late daughter, Whitney, but Cissy Houston was a force to be reckoned with in popular music. As a member of the Sweet Inspirations, she sang background on countless hits, from records by Elvis Presley and Aretha Franklin to a Van Morrison classic. 

"Houston’s many credits included [Aretha] Franklin’s “Think” and ”(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” Van Morrison’s “Brown Eyed Girl” and Dusty Springfield’s “Son of a Preacher Man.” The Sweet Inspirations also sang on stage with Presley, whom Houston would remember fondly for singing gospel during rehearsal breaks and telling her that she was “squirrelly.”

But while her musical legacy is secure, her litany of tragedy will also follow her. In addition to losing her famous daughter, she also endured the loss of her granddaughter, Bobbi Kristina Brown. 

Despite the sadness, the records she worked on make her a less well known but still vitally important part of oldies music history. She suffered from Alzheimer's disease when she passed away at 91.

Cissy Houston, a Grammy-winning gospel singer and Whitney Houston’s mother, dies at 91

Last edited by aflem (October 7, 2024 7:06 pm)