Cissy Houston, the Grammy-winning gospel singer and mother of the late Whitney Houston, passed away on Monday morning at the age of 91.
Houston died in her New Jersey home, where she had been receiving hospice care for Alzheimer’s disease, according to her daughter-in-law, Pat Houston.
“Our hearts are filled with pain and sadness. We lost the matriarch of our family,” Pat said in a heartfelt statement, remembering Cissy as a “strong and towering figure” in their lives.
Cissy Houston enjoyed a remarkable career in music, spanning over seven decades, performing alongside legends like Elvis Presley and Aretha Franklin.
Born in Newark, New Jersey, in 1933, she was the youngest of eight children and began her journey in music as part of a gospel group with her siblings.
In the 1960s, Cissy rose to prominence as part of the R&B group the Sweet Inspirations, providing backup vocals for icons such as Otis Redding, Dusty Springfield, and Dionne Warwick.
They also featured on Van Morrison’s hit Brown Eyed Girl.
After finding success with the Sweet Inspirations, Cissy embarked on a solo career, collaborating with artists such as Chaka Khan, Jimi Hendrix, Beyoncé, Paul Simon, and of course, her late daughter Whitney Houston, who tragically passed away in 2012 at the age of 48.
Cissy won two Grammy Awards, the first in 1997 for her traditional soul gospel album Face to Face, and the following year for He Leadeth Me.
She also authored three books, including Remembering Whitney: A Mother’s Story of Life, Loss and The Night The Music Stopped, which honored her daughter’s life and legacy.
In 2013, at the age of 80, Cissy reunited with Aretha Franklin for a powerful performance of Adele’s Rolling in the Deep on The Late Show with David Letterman, showcasing her enduring talent.
Pat Houston concluded the family’s statement by honoring Cissy’s extraordinary career: “Her more than seven-decade career in music and entertainment will remain at the forefront of our hearts.”
She added that the family feels “blessed and grateful that God allowed her to spend so many years with us.”
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