On Friday, NewsOne remembers the superstar with the mellifluous voice, Whitney Houston, on what would have been her 50th birthday. And now that Whitney has gone to glory, here we share the special moments that punctuated the career of a legend. We love you, Whitney, and you will always be in our hearts!
1) Whitney’s talent came from a long line of singers: Whitney’s mom is gospel singer Cissy Houston, her cousins are singing icon Dionne Warwick and soul singer Dee Dee Warwick, her godmother is ’60s pop star Darlene Love, and the “Queen of Soul” Aretha Franklin is her honorary auntie.
Whitney’s singing career was not by chance, it was predestined and charted. By age 11, Whitney began performing as a soloist in the junior gospel choir at the New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, and after hearing her sing, there was no turning back, Whitney was bound for singing greatness!
2) By age 17, Whitney’s talent was apparent but so was her beauty. She began modeling in the early 1980s, after she was spotted by a photographer who saw her perform with her mom at Carnegie Hall in New York. She was one of the first African-American models to appear on the cover of Seventeen Magazine. Whitney’s girl-next-door appeal also won her modeling assignments with such respected magazine titles as Glamour, Cosmopolitan, and Young Miss.
3) By the time 1983 rolled around, Whitney was more than ready for the BIG TIME! Record industry titan Clive Davis (pictured above) saw Whitney performing with mom Cissy at a New York City nightclub. Davis was so blown away by Whitney’s vocals, that he offered her a worldwide recording contract, which she could not refuse. Whitney and Davis would form a loving bond that time could never separate.
4) In February 1985, Whitney’s debut album, “Whitney Houston,” hit the record charts and her life would never be the same. Houston was the top artist of the year and “Whitney Houston” was the No. 1 album of the year on the 1986 Billboard year-end charts, making her the first female artist to earn that distinction. The album had without a doubt become an international success, and was certified platinum (diamond) 13 times in the United States alone.
It has sold a total of 25-million copies worldwide.
Watch “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” here:
13) Whitney, who had a spiritual foundation that was unshaken, loved the Lord and worshipped him throughout her life. We should all be comforted in the fact that Whitney is at peace, in his glory, and smiling down upon all of her adoring fans.
