Current:Home > StocksCissy Houston, Mom of Whitney Houston, Dead at 91 -CapitalEdge
Cissy Houston, Mom of Whitney Houston, Dead at 91
View
Date:2025-04-13 05:34:44
The music world is mourning a tragic loss.
Cissy Houston—the mother of the late Whitney Houston and a Grammy-award winning singer—has died, her family confirmed to the Associated Press Oct. 7. She was 91.
Cissy passed away in her New Jersey home on Oct. 7 while under hospice care for Alzheimer's disease—a type of dementia that affects memory, thinking and behavior—the outlet reported.
“Our hearts are filled with pain and sadness,” her daughter-in-law Pat Houston shared in an Oct. 7 statement to the Associated Press. "We lost the matriarch of our family."
Noting that her mother-in-law's contributions to music were "unparalleled," Pat went on to describe Cissy as a "strong and towering figure in our lives."
"A woman of deep faith and conviction, who cared greatly about family, ministry, and community," she continued. "Her more than seven-decade career in music and entertainment will remain at the forefront of our hearts.”
Cissy rose to fame in the 1960s as one-third of the R&B girl group The Sweet Inspirations, which also comprised Doris Troy and her niece Dee Dee Warwick. The trio earned acclaim for their work as backup singers for artists such as Otis Redding, Dee Dee's sister Dionne Warwick, Van Morrison and Elvis Presley.
Over the course of her decades-long career, Cissy also made an impact as a solo artist. As a session singer, the New Jersey native has recorded over 600 songs across multiple genres. Plus, she won two Grammy awards in the Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album category for her solo records Face to Face (1997) and He Leadeth Me (1998).
And Cissy—who authored the books He Leadeth Me, How Sweet The Sound: My Life with God and Gospel and Remembering Whitney: A Mother’s Story of Life, Loss and The Night The Music Stopped—has been candid about how her spirituality has kept her going over the years. In fact, she shared that her faith was how she coped with the 2012 death of her daughter Whitney.
"I believe totally in God," she said during a 2013 book signing, per USA Today. "I know with every ounce in me he loved her and she loved him, and I love him."
Cissy is survived by her son Michael Houston, who she shares with ex-husband John Russell Houston, and son Gary Garland, who she shares with ex-husband Freddie Garland, as well as granddaughter Rayah Houston and niece Dionne.
For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News AppveryGood! (9551)
Related
- Could your smelly farts help science?
- Prince Harry scores goal in charity polo match as Meghan, Netflix cameras look on
- Clint Eastwood Makes Rare Appearance to Support Jane Goodall
- Teen Mom's Maci Bookout and Taylor McKinney Reveal the Biggest Struggle in Their 7-Year Marriage
- Justice Department, Louisville reach deal after probe prompted by Breonna Taylor killing
- Faced with possibly paying for news, Google removes links to California news sites for some users
- Who made cut at Masters? Did Tiger Woods make Masters cut? Where cut line landed and who made it
- Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's Coachella 2024 Date Night Will Never Go Out of Style
- Which apps offer encrypted messaging? How to switch and what to know after feds’ warning
- The Daily Money: 'Can you hear me?' Hang up.
Ranking
- 'Kraven the Hunter' spoilers! Let's dig into that twisty ending, supervillain reveal
- Hailey Bieber Chops Her Hair for Ultimate Clean Girl Aesthetic Transformation
- Army veteran shot, killed in California doing yard work at home, 4 people charged: Police
- Masters 2024 highlights: Round 2 leaderboard, how Tiger Woods did and more
- Why members of two of EPA's influential science advisory committees were let go
- Executor of O.J. Simpson’s estate plans to fight payout to the families of Brown and Goldman
- Fugitive police officer arrested in killing of college student in Mexico
- A jury of his peers: A look at how jury selection will work in Donald Trump’s first criminal trial
Recommendation
South Korea's acting president moves to reassure allies, calm markets after Yoon impeachment
'Frustrated' former Masters winner Zach Johnson denies directing profanity at fans
Jury visits a ranch near US-Mexico border where an Arizona man is charged with killing a migrant
Jessica Alba says she's departing role as chief creative officer at Honest to pursue new endeavors
Juan Soto to be introduced by Mets at Citi Field after striking record $765 million, 15
Utah school board member who questioned a student’s gender loses party nomination for reelection
Greg Norman is haunting Augusta National. What patrons thought of him at the Masters
In-N-Out makes price pledge with California minimum wage law, as others raise rates, slash staff