Whitney Elizabeth Houston
(NIPPY)
The VOICE
Mother, Activist, Humanitarian, Actor, Leader, Teacher, Philanthropist.
Whitney was an inspiration to all songstresses.
This is a synopsis of my bio that I did on Whitney Houston. My site was removed from the internet. I am now having it remodeled and put back up. The full bio will be included on the site that is coming soon.
Whitney Elizabeth Houston was born on Saturday, August 9, 1963, her astrological sign was Aquarius. She was a combination of childlike innocence and great wisdom. She needed to communicate her ideas and feelings through action which was her musical and movie career. There was often a great deal of struggle in her life, but she accepted, embraced, and acknowledge the issue to herself and the public with grace, knowing that she could only overcome it by envisioning it through hard work or even sadness. She was a Wife, Mother, Auntie, Role Model, recording artist, PRODUCER, Actress and Model, Feminist, and Activist. Whitney was one of the world’s most powerful and best-selling music artists of all time, along with Michael Jackson, having sold over 200 million records worldwide. Crossover appeal on the popular music charts, as well as her prominence on MTV. Even with her popularity, it was a struggle for her when she did not have the same effect as the black media market during her first released albums. In total six studio albums, one-holiday album, and Four movie soundtrack albums which all won numerous multiplatinum and diamond status from RIAA.
Whitney Houston is the only artist to chart seven consecutive No. 1 Billboard Hot 100. She is the second artist behind Elton John and the only woman to have two number-one Billboard 200 Album awards (formerly “Top Pop Album”) on the Billboard magazine year-end charts. Her 1985 debut album Whitney Houston became the best-selling debut album by a woman in history. Rolling Stone named that album the best album of 1986 and ranked it at number 254 on the magazine’s list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. Her second studio album Whitney 1987 became the first album by a woman to debut at number one on the Billboard 200 albums chart. Whitney produced the movie Sparkle, Princess Diaries, and cinderella film made for television with the first black princess in production and a multicultural cast of actors and had credits in all her films.
Whitney Houston’s acting debut role film The Bodyguard 1992 where she starred and played a famous recording artist who is stalked. The original Bodyguard soundtrack won the 1994 Grammy Award for Album of the Year. Its lead single “I Will Always Love You,” became the best-selling single by a woman in music history. IN 2020 Whitney was inducted into the ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME.
With the album, she became the first entertainer to sell more than a million copies of an album within a single week period under the Nielsen Sound Scan system. The album makes her the top female act in the top 10 list of best-selling albums of all time, at number four.
She continued to star in movies and produce them and contribute to their soundtracks, including the films Waiting to Exhale 1995 and the soulful gospel-inspired soundtrack album The Preacher’s Wife in 1996. The powerful soulful Preacher’s Wife soundtrack became the best-selling gospel album in history.
BIOGRAPHY
Her History
Whitney Houston was born in what was then a middle-income neighborhood in Newark, New Jersey the second child of Army serviceman and entertainment executive John Russell Houston, Jr. and gospel singer Cissy Houston. She had two older brothers, Gary Garland, and Michael Houston. Her mother, along with Cousins Dionne Warwick’s godmother Darlene Love and honorary Aunt Aretha Franklin helped to mold her as the greatest singer in history.
At the age of 14, she became a backup singer on a single that was released by the Michael Zager Band called “Life’s a Party.” In 1978, at age 15, She sang background vocals on Chaka Khan’s hit single m Every Woman,” a song she would later turn into a larger hit for herself on her monster-selling The Bodyguard soundtrack album. She also lends her vocals as a backup on albums by Lou Rawls and Jermaine Jackson
In 1990, she was the spokesperson for a youth leadership conference hosted in Washington, D.C. She had a private audience with President George H. W. Bush in the Oval Office to discuss the associated challenges with the youth.
During the Persian Gulf War, She performed “The Star Spangled Banner” at Super Bowl XXV at Tampa Stadium on January 27, 1991. A commercial single and video of her performance were released, and reached the Top 20 on the US Hot 100, making her the only act to turn the US national anthem into a pop hit of that magnitude.
HBO Welcome Home Heroes Fundraising
Her 1991 Welcome Home Heroes concert with HBO for the soldiers fighting in the Persian Gulf War and their families. The free concert took place at Naval Station Norfolk in Norfolk, Virginia in front of 3,500 servicemen and women. HBO descrambled the concert so that it was free for everyone to watch. Her televised concert gave HBO its highest ratings ever.
She donated all her share of the proceeds to the American Red Cross Gulf Crisis Fund. As a result, the singer was named to the Red Cross Board of Governors. Following the attacks on 9/11, it was released again by Arista Records, all profits going toward the firefighters and victims of the attacks. This time it peaked at No. 6 in the Hot 100 and was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.
Whitney Houston Production Company (Brown House)
Brown House Productions in 1997 and was joined by Debra Martin Chase. Their goal was “to showcase the aspects of the lives of African-Americans that have not been brought to the screen before” while improving how African-Americans are portrayed in film and television. Their first project was a made-for-television remake of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella. In addition to co-producing, Whitney starred in the movie as the Good Fairy Godmother along with Brandy Norwood, Jason Alexander, Whoopi Goldberg, and Bernadette Peters. . The film is notable for its multi-racial cast. An estimated 60 million viewers tuned into the special giving ABC its highest TV ratings in 16 years. The movie received seven Emmy nominations including Outstanding Variety, Musical, or Comedy while winning Outstanding Art Direction in a Variety, Musical, or Comedy Special.
She and Debra Chase then obtained the rights to the story of Dorothy Dandridge. Houston was to play Dandridge, who was the first African American actress to be nominated for an Oscar. She wanted the story told with dignity and honor. However, Halle Berry also had rights to the project and she got her version going first later that year.
During that year Whitney paid tribute to her peers such as Aretha Franklin, Diana Ross, and Dionne Warwick by performing their hits during the three-night HBO Concert Classic Whitney, lives in Washington, D.C. The special rose over $300,000 for the Children’s Defense Fund. The following are a list of the other productions Whitney has completed
“The Princess Diaries”
Is based on a novel by Meg Cabot. The film was produced for Disney by Whitney Houston’s Brown House Productions, in association with Mario Iscovich. It premiered at the El Capitan Theater in Hollywood and was released in the U.S. on August 3, 2001. The film earned more than $100 million at the U.S. box office.
The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement”
The latest installment of the film series estimated $53 million sequel was produced for Disney by Whitney Houston’s Brown House Productions in association with Mario Iscovich and was released in U.S. theaters on August 11, 2004.
“The Cheetah Girls”
A telepic based on a book series by Deborah Gregory about four teenage girls in Manhattan who dream of music stardom. The film was co-produced by Whitney Houston’s Brown House Productions. The movie premiered with record ratings on the Disney Channel on August 15, 2003.
The Cheetah Girls Part 2
based on a book series by Deborah Gregory about four teenage girls in Manhattan who pursue music stardom. The 2006 sequel, which was co-produced by Whitney Houston’s Brown House Productions,
Whitney Houston wanted to remake the movie “Sparkle” for more than 10 years. When she was a teenager as stated in her interviews. She went to see the original 1976 version repeatedly, as it was her only opportunity to see African American women portrayed on film. The remake was delayed for many years following the death of Aaliyah who was killed in a plane crash; she was originally cast to play the title role. “Sparkle” went into production in late 2011, with Whitney serving as an executive producer and fronting most of the finances for the remake film, she had matured enough to play the mother of the three girls, and a new classic performance was born. The movie premiered in U.S. theaters on August 17, 2012. The soundtrack features two new Whitney Houston songs — the duet “Celebrate” with co-star Jordan Sparks, produced by R. Kelly, and an emotional solo rendition of the gospel classic “His Eye Is on the Sparrow.” The Film was Successful and grossed over $45 million dollars including foreign releases and audiences to date. The DVD grossed over $12,819 Million dollars to date.
DIVORCE, NEW ALBUM, AND HER DREAM FILM SPARKLE
Because of a dysfunctional marriage, Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown divorced on April 24, 2007, with her having 100% guardianship of their daughter. In the aftermath of the divorce, her ex-husband tried to take her to court for alimony, He lost. Clive Davis of Arista Records in March 2007 announced that she would begin recording a new album.
The Ultimate Collection was released In October 2007; Arista released another compilation outside the United States because she did not want it released here.
In September 2009 following the death of Michael Jackson Whitney Houston gave her first interview in seven years with Oprah on the network show at the time. It was called by the Oprah team for the season premiere “the most anticipated music interview of the decade” She admitted on the show she used drugs with her former husband Bobby Brown, and that she is recovering and ready to move on. She stated pray for me so I will be strong. The interview was so intense and emotional. The interview was to also promote the I look to you Album. She sang I didn’t know my own strength. Clive Davis was there at the same time and stated that her album has debuted at No.1. She was elated.
This was one of her best opening weeks with sales of 305,000 copies, Houston’s first studio album to reach number one since 1987’s Whitney and the Bodyguard Soundtrack album.
She did international travel and television appearances and also appeared to promote the album. She performed the song “I Look to You” on the German television show Wetten, dass..?. Three days later, she performed the worldwide first single from I Look To You, Million Dollar Bill, on the French television show Le Grand Journal. Houston appeared as a guest mentor on The X Factor in the United Kingdom. She performed “Million Dollar Bill”.
On January 26, 2010, Whitney’s debut album was re-released in a special edition entitled Whitney Houston – The Deluxe Anniversary Edition on January 26, 2010.
After all the interviews the release of the album and all expectations met she headed on a world tour, entitled the Nothing but Love World Tour. It was her first world tour in over ten years and was announced as a triumphant comeback.
In January 2010, Houston was nominated for two NAACP Image Awards, one for Best Female Artist and one for Best Music Video. She won the award for Best Music Video for her single “I Look to You.” On January 16, she received The BET Honors Award for Entertainer citing her lifetime achievements spanning over 25 years in the industry. The 2010 BET Honors award was held at the Warner Theatre in Washington, D.C. and aired on February 1, 2010. Jennifer Hudson and Kim Burrell performed in honor of her, garnering positive reviews. Houston also received a nomination from the Echo Awards, Germany’s version of the Grammys, for Best International Artist.
Sparkle was released by TriStar Pictures on May 21, 2012, Following her death at the Beverly Hill Hotel the film grossed o$45,016,247.60 million both domestic and international combined together .
The last solo song by Whitney was His Eye Is On The Sparrow and a duet song she recorded with Jordan Sparks “Celebrate”, which was made and the mainstram crossover single premiered at RyanSeacrest.com. Celebrate single was made available for digital download on iTunes on June 5. The song was featured on the Sparkle: Music from the Motion Picture soundtrack as the first official single. The movie was released on August 17, 2012, in the United States. The accompanying music video for Celebrate was filmed on May 30, 2012. The video was shot over 2 days, and a sneak peek of the video premiered on Entertainment Tonight on June 4, 2012. There is also a video available for His Eye Is On The Sparrow which still shows that Whitney Houston still had and remained the voice.
There will never ever be another Whitney Elizabeth Houston and even in death she still remains the Daughter, Mother, Voice, leader, activist and Business Woman.