Richard Williams,, Yetunde Price, Mabel Fairbanks and Whitney Houston Wikipedia pages reposted

Richard Williams (tennis coach)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search

For other people named Richard Williams, see Richard Williams (disambiguation).
Not to be confused with R. Norris Williams.
Richard Williams
Richard Williams at Acura Classic.jpg
Williams at the 2007 Acura Classic

Born
February 16, 1942 (age 73)
Shreveport, Louisiana, United States
Coaching career (1994–)

Venus Williams, Serena Williams

Coaching achievements

Coachee Singles Titles total
45(V)-64(S) (109 titles)
Coachee(s) Doubles Titles total
21(S-V)-2(V)-5(S) (28 titles)
List of notable tournaments
 (with champion)
Career Golden Slam - Singles (Serena)
 6x Australian Open (Serena)
 2x French Open (Serena)
 10x Wimbledon (Williams sisters)
 8x US Open (Williams sisters)
 2x Olympic Gold Medal (Williams sisters)
 6x WTA Tour Championships (Williams sisters)
 28x WTA Tier I/Premier Mandatory/Premier 5 (Williams sisters)
Career Golden Slam - Doubles (Williams sisters)
 4x Australian Open (Williams sisters)
 2x French Open (Williams sisters)
 5x Wimbledon (Williams sisters)
 2x US Open (Williams sisters)
 3x Olympic Gold Medal
Fed Cup champions (Williams sisters)
 2x Hopman Cup (Serena)
List of titles

Coaching awards and records
Records
Venus Williams#Records and achievements
Serena Williams#Other records and achievements

Richard Williams (born February 16, 1942[1]) is an American tennis coach, and father of Venus and Serena Williams.


Contents  [hide]
1 Early life
2 Career
3 Personal life
4 Books
5 References
6 External links

Early life[edit]
He was one of six children and only son of single mother Julia Mae Williams of Shreveport, Louisiana. His father abused his mother before abandoning the family altogether.[2] He graduated from high school, moved to Chicago, and eventually to California,[3] where he met Betty Johnson, whom he married in 1965. They had two daughters and three sons before divorcing in 1973.[1] Williams met Oracene Price in 1979, who had three daughters by her late husband. They married in 1980 after Venus was born,[1] and lived for a time in Lansing, Michigan, but eventually moved to Compton.
Career[edit]



 Richard Williams seen with his daughters shortly after Serena Williams' victory in the 2012 Wimbledon Championships
He took tennis lessons from a man known as Old Whiskey, and decided his future daughters would be tennis professionals when he saw Virginia Ruzici playing on television.[1] He says that he wrote up a 78-page plan, and started giving lessons to Venus and Serena when they were four and a half, and began taking them to the public tennis courts. (He now says he feels like he took them too early, and six is a better age.)[3] Soon he got them into Shreveport tennis tournaments. In 1995, Richard pulled them out of a tennis academy,[why?] and coached them himself.
Serena won the US Open in 1999; Venus beat Lindsay Davenport to win the 2000 Wimbledon title. After that victory, Richard shouted "Straight Outta Compton!" (in reference to a song by N.W.A based on that area in Los Angeles) and jumped over the NBC broadcasting booth, catching Chris Evert by surprise and performing a triumphant dance. Evert said that the broadcasters "thought the roof was coming down".[citation needed]
Personal life[edit]
Later in his daughter's careers, he took a less visible role turning to other interests such as photography. He raised public interest again after his 2002 divorce from Oracene Price and his appearances with new girlfriend Lakeisha Graham, who is a year older than Venus.[3] Richard and Lakeisha were married in 2010. Their son, Dylan Starr Williams, was born during 2012.[4]
Richard, Lakeisha and Oracene are frequently seated together in the players box at WTA tennis tournaments.
Books[edit]
With Bart Davis, Black and White: The Way I See It (New York: Altria Books, 2014), forthcoming.[2]
References[edit]
1.^ Jump up to: a b c d Edmondson, Jacqueline (2005). Venus and Serena Williams: A Biography. Greenwood Publishing Group. ISBN 0-313-33165-0.
2.^ Jump up to: a b http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/venus-serena-williams-father-reveals-tough-childhood-black-white-article-1.1762359
3.^ Jump up to: a b c Wiedeman, Reeves, "Tiger Dad: Child's Play," The New Yorker, June 2, 2014, pp. 24-25.
4.Jump up ^ http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2297513/Venus-Williams-young-new-fan-father-71-brings-baby-son-tournament.html
External links[edit]
SportsIllustrated.com, about the Indian Wells incident
http://www.sportsline.com/tennis/story/10725357


[hide]
v ·
 t ·
 e
 
Serena Williams


Entourage
Oracene Price (mother/coach) ·
 Richard Williams (father/coach) ·
 Venus Williams (sister/doubles partner) ·
 Patrick Mouratoglou (coach)
 ·
 Aleksandar Bajin (hitting partner) ·
 Esther Lee (physical therapist) ·
 Mackie Shilstone (fitness coach) ·
 Jill Smoller (agent)
 
Serena Williams (9630779153).jpg


Career
Achievements ·
 Statistics ·
 World No. 1 ranking ·
 United States Fed Cup team
 

Rivalries
Rivalry with Justine Henin ·
 Rivalry with Martina Hingis ·
 Rivalry with Venus Williams
 

Seasons
Early career ·
 1999 ·
 2000 ·
 2001 ·
 2002 ·
 2003 ·
 2004 ·
 2005 ·
 2006 ·
 2007 ·
 2008 ·
 2009 ·
 2010 ·
 2011 ·
 2012 ·
 2013 ·
 2014 ·
 2015
 

Australian Open titles
Singles ·
 2003 ·
 2005 ·
 2007 ·
 2009 ·
 2010 ·
 2015
 Doubles ·
 2001 ·
 2003 ·
 2009 ·
 2010
 Mixed Doubles ·
 None
 

French Open titles
Singles ·
 2002 ·
 2013
 Doubles ·
 1999 ·
 2010
 Mixed Doubles ·
 None
 

Wimbledon Championships titles
Singles ·
 2002 ·
 2003 ·
 2009 ·
 2010 ·
 2012
 Doubles ·
 2000 ·
 2002 ·
 2008 ·
 2009 ·
 2012
 Mixed Doubles ·
 1998
 

US Open titles
Singles ·
 1999 ·
 2002 ·
 2008 ·
 2012 ·
 2013 ·
 2014
 Doubles ·
 1999 ·
 2009
 Mixed Doubles ·
 1998
 

Olympics Gold
Singles ·
 2012
 Doubles ·
 2000 ·
 2008 ·
 2012
 Mixed Doubles ·
 None
 

Fed Cup titles
1999
 

Official Website * WTA Profile





 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  


Categories: African-American tennis coaches
American tennis coaches
Sportspeople from Shreveport, Louisiana
Tennis people from California
Tennis people from Louisiana
1942 births
Living people






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This page was last modified on 17 March 2015, at 06:46.
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 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Williams_(tennis_coach)















Richard Williams (tennis coach)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search

For other people named Richard Williams, see Richard Williams (disambiguation).
Not to be confused with R. Norris Williams.
Richard Williams
Richard Williams at Acura Classic.jpg
Williams at the 2007 Acura Classic

Born
February 16, 1942 (age 73)
Shreveport, Louisiana, United States
Coaching career (1994–)

Venus Williams, Serena Williams

Coaching achievements

Coachee Singles Titles total
45(V)-64(S) (109 titles)
Coachee(s) Doubles Titles total
21(S-V)-2(V)-5(S) (28 titles)
List of notable tournaments
 (with champion)
Career Golden Slam - Singles (Serena)
 6x Australian Open (Serena)
 2x French Open (Serena)
 10x Wimbledon (Williams sisters)
 8x US Open (Williams sisters)
 2x Olympic Gold Medal (Williams sisters)
 6x WTA Tour Championships (Williams sisters)
 28x WTA Tier I/Premier Mandatory/Premier 5 (Williams sisters)
Career Golden Slam - Doubles (Williams sisters)
 4x Australian Open (Williams sisters)
 2x French Open (Williams sisters)
 5x Wimbledon (Williams sisters)
 2x US Open (Williams sisters)
 3x Olympic Gold Medal
Fed Cup champions (Williams sisters)
 2x Hopman Cup (Serena)
List of titles

Coaching awards and records
Records
Venus Williams#Records and achievements
Serena Williams#Other records and achievements

Richard Williams (born February 16, 1942[1]) is an American tennis coach, and father of Venus and Serena Williams.


Contents  [hide]
1 Early life
2 Career
3 Personal life
4 Books
5 References
6 External links

Early life[edit]
He was one of six children and only son of single mother Julia Mae Williams of Shreveport, Louisiana. His father abused his mother before abandoning the family altogether.[2] He graduated from high school, moved to Chicago, and eventually to California,[3] where he met Betty Johnson, whom he married in 1965. They had two daughters and three sons before divorcing in 1973.[1] Williams met Oracene Price in 1979, who had three daughters by her late husband. They married in 1980 after Venus was born,[1] and lived for a time in Lansing, Michigan, but eventually moved to Compton.
Career[edit]



 Richard Williams seen with his daughters shortly after Serena Williams' victory in the 2012 Wimbledon Championships
He took tennis lessons from a man known as Old Whiskey, and decided his future daughters would be tennis professionals when he saw Virginia Ruzici playing on television.[1] He says that he wrote up a 78-page plan, and started giving lessons to Venus and Serena when they were four and a half, and began taking them to the public tennis courts. (He now says he feels like he took them too early, and six is a better age.)[3] Soon he got them into Shreveport tennis tournaments. In 1995, Richard pulled them out of a tennis academy,[why?] and coached them himself.
Serena won the US Open in 1999; Venus beat Lindsay Davenport to win the 2000 Wimbledon title. After that victory, Richard shouted "Straight Outta Compton!" (in reference to a song by N.W.A based on that area in Los Angeles) and jumped over the NBC broadcasting booth, catching Chris Evert by surprise and performing a triumphant dance. Evert said that the broadcasters "thought the roof was coming down".[citation needed]
Personal life[edit]
Later in his daughter's careers, he took a less visible role turning to other interests such as photography. He raised public interest again after his 2002 divorce from Oracene Price and his appearances with new girlfriend Lakeisha Graham, who is a year older than Venus.[3] Richard and Lakeisha were married in 2010. Their son, Dylan Starr Williams, was born during 2012.[4]
Richard, Lakeisha and Oracene are frequently seated together in the players box at WTA tennis tournaments.
Books[edit]
With Bart Davis, Black and White: The Way I See It (New York: Altria Books, 2014), forthcoming.[2]
References[edit]
1.^ Jump up to: a b c d Edmondson, Jacqueline (2005). Venus and Serena Williams: A Biography. Greenwood Publishing Group. ISBN 0-313-33165-0.
2.^ Jump up to: a b http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/venus-serena-williams-father-reveals-tough-childhood-black-white-article-1.1762359
3.^ Jump up to: a b c Wiedeman, Reeves, "Tiger Dad: Child's Play," The New Yorker, June 2, 2014, pp. 24-25.
4.Jump up ^ http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2297513/Venus-Williams-young-new-fan-father-71-brings-baby-son-tournament.html
External links[edit]
SportsIllustrated.com, about the Indian Wells incident
http://www.sportsline.com/tennis/story/10725357


[hide]
v ·
 t ·
 e
 
Serena Williams


Entourage
Oracene Price (mother/coach) ·
 Richard Williams (father/coach) ·
 Venus Williams (sister/doubles partner) ·
 Patrick Mouratoglou (coach)
 ·
 Aleksandar Bajin (hitting partner) ·
 Esther Lee (physical therapist) ·
 Mackie Shilstone (fitness coach) ·
 Jill Smoller (agent)
 
Serena Williams (9630779153).jpg


Career
Achievements ·
 Statistics ·
 World No. 1 ranking ·
 United States Fed Cup team
 

Rivalries
Rivalry with Justine Henin ·
 Rivalry with Martina Hingis ·
 Rivalry with Venus Williams
 

Seasons
Early career ·
 1999 ·
 2000 ·
 2001 ·
 2002 ·
 2003 ·
 2004 ·
 2005 ·
 2006 ·
 2007 ·
 2008 ·
 2009 ·
 2010 ·
 2011 ·
 2012 ·
 2013 ·
 2014 ·
 2015
 

Australian Open titles
Singles ·
 2003 ·
 2005 ·
 2007 ·
 2009 ·
 2010 ·
 2015
 Doubles ·
 2001 ·
 2003 ·
 2009 ·
 2010
 Mixed Doubles ·
 None
 

French Open titles
Singles ·
 2002 ·
 2013
 Doubles ·
 1999 ·
 2010
 Mixed Doubles ·
 None
 

Wimbledon Championships titles
Singles ·
 2002 ·
 2003 ·
 2009 ·
 2010 ·
 2012
 Doubles ·
 2000 ·
 2002 ·
 2008 ·
 2009 ·
 2012
 Mixed Doubles ·
 1998
 

US Open titles
Singles ·
 1999 ·
 2002 ·
 2008 ·
 2012 ·
 2013 ·
 2014
 Doubles ·
 1999 ·
 2009
 Mixed Doubles ·
 1998
 

Olympics Gold
Singles ·
 2012
 Doubles ·
 2000 ·
 2008 ·
 2012
 Mixed Doubles ·
 None
 

Fed Cup titles
1999
 

Official Website * WTA Profile





 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  


Categories: African-American tennis coaches
American tennis coaches
Sportspeople from Shreveport, Louisiana
Tennis people from California
Tennis people from Louisiana
1942 births
Living people






Navigation menu



Create account
Log in



Article

Talk









Read

Edit

View history

















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Languages
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This page was last modified on 17 March 2015, at 06:46.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.
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 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Williams_(tennis_coach)






























Richard Williams

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
  (Redirected from Richard Williams (disambiguation))
Jump to: navigation, search

Richard, Richie, Rick, or Dick Williams may refer to:


Contents  [hide]
1 Music
2 Politicians
3 Other persons
4 Sportsmen 4.1 Rugby players
4.2 Cricketers
4.3 American and Canadian football
4.4 Football (soccer)
4.5 Tennis
4.6 Baseball
4.7 Other sports
5 See also
Music[edit]
Rich Williams (born 1951), American guitarist
Richard Williams (conductor) (died 2007), Welsh conductor
Richard Williams, drummer for The Passions (British band)
Richard Williams (musician) (1931–1985), American jazz trumpeter
Dick Williams (singer), brother of Andy Williams, one of The Williams Brothers quartet
Politicians[edit]
Richard Williams (alias Cromwell) (died 1545), Welsh soldier and courtier
Richard Williams (congressman) (1836–1914), American politician from Oregon
Richard Williams (died 1579), English politician for Oxford
Richard Williams (died 1601), MP for New Romney
Richard Williams (of Rhosygeido) (fl. 1593–1622), Welsh politician from Anglesey
Richard Williams (politician) (c. 1699–1759), British politician for Flint
Dick Anthony Williams (1934–2012), American actor
Richard H. Williams (mayor) (1852–1954), Canadian lumber merchant and political figure in Saskatchewan
Richard H. Williams (New York) (1807–?), American politician from New York
Richard S. Williams (fl. 1844–1851), American politician from New York State
Rick Williams (politician), Australian politician
Other persons[edit]
Dick Williams (magician) (born 1927), American television and radio magician
Richard Bebb (Richard Bebb Williams, 1927–2006), British actor
Richard Williams (academic) (born 1960), English academic, engineer and innovator
Richard Williams (animator) (born 1933), Canadian-British animator
Richard Williams (journalist) (born 1947), British sport and music journalist
Richard Williams (RAAF officer) (1890–1980), Australian aviator
Richard Williams (Royal Marines officer) (1764–1839), British military officer
Richard Bryn Williams (1902–1981), Welsh writer, poet, playwright and historian
Richard D'Alton Williams (1822–1862), Irish physician and poet
Richard Hughes Williams (1878–1919), Welsh language writer of short stories
Richard Leroy Williams (1923–2011), American judge
Richard Llewellyn Williams (born 1929), American diplomat
Richard Laurance Williams, actor in the Man from Atlantis television series
Richard T. Williams (died 1955), American sailor for whom Williams Field, Antarctica is named
Richard Tecwyn Williams (1909–1979), Welsh biochemist
Sportsmen[edit]
Rugby players[edit]
Dickie Williams (1925–1997), Welsh rugby union and rugby league footballer
Richard Williams (rugby league) (born 1986), Australian rugby league footballer
Richard Garnons Williams (1856–1915), Welsh rugby union player
Cricketers[edit]
Richard Williams (cricketer, born 1901) (1901–1982), English, played for Worcestershire
Richard Williams (cricketer, born 1957), Welsh-born, played for Northamptonshire
Richard Williams (cricketer, born 1969), English, played for Gloucestershire
American and Canadian football[edit]
Richard Williams (American football) (born 1960), American, played for Atlanta Falcons and Houston Oilers
Richie Williams (Canadian football) (born 1983), American, Canadian football player
Football (soccer)[edit]
Dick Williams (footballer) (1905–1983), British, played for three teams
Richard Williams (footballer) (1869–?), English, played for Everton and Luton Town
Richie Williams (born 1970), American, played for nine teams
Richard L. Williams, member of the 1927 Canada men's national soccer team
Tennis[edit]
Richard Williams (tennis coach) (born 1942), American coach and father of Venus and Serena Williams
R. Norris Williams (Richard Norris Williams II, 1891–1968), American player
Baseball[edit]
Dick Williams (1929–2011), American player and manager
Rick Williams (baseball b. 1952) (born 1952), American pitcher for the Houston Astros (1978–1979)
Rick Williams (baseball) (born 1956), American player, scout and coach and son of Dick Williams
Other sports[edit]
Richard Williams (basketball coach), American basketball coach at Mississippi State University
Richard Williams (boxer) (born 1971), English boxer of the 1990s, 2000s and 2010s
Richard Williams (racing driver) (born 1977), British racing driver
Richard Williams (rock climber)
See also[edit]
Ricardo Williams (disambiguation)
Ricky Williams (disambiguation)
Disambiguation icon This disambiguation page lists articles about people with the same name. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article.
  


Categories: Human name disambiguation pages





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This page was last modified on 1 February 2015, at 03:48.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.
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 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Williams















Richard Williams

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
  (Redirected from Richard Williams (disambiguation))
Jump to: navigation, search

Richard, Richie, Rick, or Dick Williams may refer to:


Contents  [hide]
1 Music
2 Politicians
3 Other persons
4 Sportsmen 4.1 Rugby players
4.2 Cricketers
4.3 American and Canadian football
4.4 Football (soccer)
4.5 Tennis
4.6 Baseball
4.7 Other sports
5 See also
Music[edit]
Rich Williams (born 1951), American guitarist
Richard Williams (conductor) (died 2007), Welsh conductor
Richard Williams, drummer for The Passions (British band)
Richard Williams (musician) (1931–1985), American jazz trumpeter
Dick Williams (singer), brother of Andy Williams, one of The Williams Brothers quartet
Politicians[edit]
Richard Williams (alias Cromwell) (died 1545), Welsh soldier and courtier
Richard Williams (congressman) (1836–1914), American politician from Oregon
Richard Williams (died 1579), English politician for Oxford
Richard Williams (died 1601), MP for New Romney
Richard Williams (of Rhosygeido) (fl. 1593–1622), Welsh politician from Anglesey
Richard Williams (politician) (c. 1699–1759), British politician for Flint
Dick Anthony Williams (1934–2012), American actor
Richard H. Williams (mayor) (1852–1954), Canadian lumber merchant and political figure in Saskatchewan
Richard H. Williams (New York) (1807–?), American politician from New York
Richard S. Williams (fl. 1844–1851), American politician from New York State
Rick Williams (politician), Australian politician
Other persons[edit]
Dick Williams (magician) (born 1927), American television and radio magician
Richard Bebb (Richard Bebb Williams, 1927–2006), British actor
Richard Williams (academic) (born 1960), English academic, engineer and innovator
Richard Williams (animator) (born 1933), Canadian-British animator
Richard Williams (journalist) (born 1947), British sport and music journalist
Richard Williams (RAAF officer) (1890–1980), Australian aviator
Richard Williams (Royal Marines officer) (1764–1839), British military officer
Richard Bryn Williams (1902–1981), Welsh writer, poet, playwright and historian
Richard D'Alton Williams (1822–1862), Irish physician and poet
Richard Hughes Williams (1878–1919), Welsh language writer of short stories
Richard Leroy Williams (1923–2011), American judge
Richard Llewellyn Williams (born 1929), American diplomat
Richard Laurance Williams, actor in the Man from Atlantis television series
Richard T. Williams (died 1955), American sailor for whom Williams Field, Antarctica is named
Richard Tecwyn Williams (1909–1979), Welsh biochemist
Sportsmen[edit]
Rugby players[edit]
Dickie Williams (1925–1997), Welsh rugby union and rugby league footballer
Richard Williams (rugby league) (born 1986), Australian rugby league footballer
Richard Garnons Williams (1856–1915), Welsh rugby union player
Cricketers[edit]
Richard Williams (cricketer, born 1901) (1901–1982), English, played for Worcestershire
Richard Williams (cricketer, born 1957), Welsh-born, played for Northamptonshire
Richard Williams (cricketer, born 1969), English, played for Gloucestershire
American and Canadian football[edit]
Richard Williams (American football) (born 1960), American, played for Atlanta Falcons and Houston Oilers
Richie Williams (Canadian football) (born 1983), American, Canadian football player
Football (soccer)[edit]
Dick Williams (footballer) (1905–1983), British, played for three teams
Richard Williams (footballer) (1869–?), English, played for Everton and Luton Town
Richie Williams (born 1970), American, played for nine teams
Richard L. Williams, member of the 1927 Canada men's national soccer team
Tennis[edit]
Richard Williams (tennis coach) (born 1942), American coach and father of Venus and Serena Williams
R. Norris Williams (Richard Norris Williams II, 1891–1968), American player
Baseball[edit]
Dick Williams (1929–2011), American player and manager
Rick Williams (baseball b. 1952) (born 1952), American pitcher for the Houston Astros (1978–1979)
Rick Williams (baseball) (born 1956), American player, scout and coach and son of Dick Williams
Other sports[edit]
Richard Williams (basketball coach), American basketball coach at Mississippi State University
Richard Williams (boxer) (born 1971), English boxer of the 1990s, 2000s and 2010s
Richard Williams (racing driver) (born 1977), British racing driver
Richard Williams (rock climber)
See also[edit]
Ricardo Williams (disambiguation)
Ricky Williams (disambiguation)
Disambiguation icon This disambiguation page lists articles about people with the same name. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article.
  


Categories: Human name disambiguation pages





Navigation menu



Create account
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Article

Talk









Read

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Related changes
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Permanent link
Page information
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Create a book
Download as PDF
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Languages
Čeština
Cymraeg
Deutsch
Français
Italiano
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中文
Edit links
This page was last modified on 1 February 2015, at 03:48.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.
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 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Williams


























Murder of Yetunde Price

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search


Yetunde Price
Yetundeprice.jpg
Born
9 August 1972
Saginaw, Michigan, USA
Died
14 September 2003 (aged 31)
Compton, California, USA
Yetunde Hawanya Tara Price (August 9, 1972 – September 14, 2003) was the elder half-sister of, and personal assistant to, leading tennis players Venus and Serena Williams. At the time of her death, she was 31 years old, the eldest of Oracene Price's five daughters, mother of three children, a registered nurse and owner of a beauty salon. Price came into the public eye when she was the victim of a drive-by shooting on September 14, 2003, in Compton, in Los Angeles County, California, known for its history of gang violence. She was shot in the head while riding in an SUV driven by her boyfriend (who police reported was the intended victim) and died at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center.[1][2]
Compton rapper Game's song "Dreams" is dedicated to her memory, as it states at the end of the track.
Southside Crips gang member Robert Edward Maxfield, 25, pleaded no contest to voluntary manslaughter on March 22, 2006, the day before his third trial for the killing was scheduled to start. The first two trials ended in a mistrial after jurors were unable to reach a verdict.[3] Prosecutors alleged during trial that Maxfield, surrounded by fellow gang members at a crack house, seized a firearm and took aim at the SUV when it approached. On April 6, 2006, Judge Steven Suzukawa sentenced Maxfield to 15 years in prison.[4]
References[edit]
1.Jump up ^ Compton Slay Suspect Has Gang Ties, Held Without Bail In Killing Of Tennis Big Sister Yetunde Price - CBS News
2.Jump up ^ National Briefing | West: California: Man Sought In Shooting Death - New York Times
3.Jump up ^ Mistrial Declared in Price Case - Los Angeles Times
4.Jump up ^ Serena holds court (part two) | Sport | Observer Sport Monthly



Stub icon This United States biographical article related to crime is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.




  


Categories: Murdered African-American people
People from Los Angeles County, California
People murdered in California
Deaths by firearm in California
African-American nurses
2003 murders in the United States
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Murder of Yetunde Price

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Yetunde Price
Yetundeprice.jpg
Born
9 August 1972
Saginaw, Michigan, USA
Died
14 September 2003 (aged 31)
Compton, California, USA
Yetunde Hawanya Tara Price (August 9, 1972 – September 14, 2003) was the elder half-sister of, and personal assistant to, leading tennis players Venus and Serena Williams. At the time of her death, she was 31 years old, the eldest of Oracene Price's five daughters, mother of three children, a registered nurse and owner of a beauty salon. Price came into the public eye when she was the victim of a drive-by shooting on September 14, 2003, in Compton, in Los Angeles County, California, known for its history of gang violence. She was shot in the head while riding in an SUV driven by her boyfriend (who police reported was the intended victim) and died at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center.[1][2]
Compton rapper Game's song "Dreams" is dedicated to her memory, as it states at the end of the track.
Southside Crips gang member Robert Edward Maxfield, 25, pleaded no contest to voluntary manslaughter on March 22, 2006, the day before his third trial for the killing was scheduled to start. The first two trials ended in a mistrial after jurors were unable to reach a verdict.[3] Prosecutors alleged during trial that Maxfield, surrounded by fellow gang members at a crack house, seized a firearm and took aim at the SUV when it approached. On April 6, 2006, Judge Steven Suzukawa sentenced Maxfield to 15 years in prison.[4]
References[edit]
1.Jump up ^ Compton Slay Suspect Has Gang Ties, Held Without Bail In Killing Of Tennis Big Sister Yetunde Price - CBS News
2.Jump up ^ National Briefing | West: California: Man Sought In Shooting Death - New York Times
3.Jump up ^ Mistrial Declared in Price Case - Los Angeles Times
4.Jump up ^ Serena holds court (part two) | Sport | Observer Sport Monthly



Stub icon This United States biographical article related to crime is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.




  


Categories: Murdered African-American people
People from Los Angeles County, California
People murdered in California
Deaths by firearm in California
African-American nurses
2003 murders in the United States
2003 in California
American crime biography stubs





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Mabel Fairbanks

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Mabel Fairbanks

Personal information

Born
November 14, 1915
Florida
Died
September 29, 2001 (aged 85)
Burbank, California
Coach
Maribel Vinson Owen
 Howard Nicholson
Mabel Fairbanks (November 14, 1915 – September 29, 2001) was an American figure skater and coach. She was inducted into the US Figure Skating Hall of Fame, as the first African-American, and the International Women's Sports Hall of Fame.


Contents  [hide]
1 Early life
2 Career
3 Personal life
4 References

Early life[edit]
Of African-American and Seminole descent, Mabel Fairbanks was born on November 14, 1915 in Florida's Everglades.[1][2] She had a sister, Pearl, who was younger by a year,[1] and an elder brother.[3]
Fairbanks never met her father and was orphaned at the age of eight when her mother died.[3] After staying with a teacher who treated her like a "maid," she joined her brother in New York but his wife did not accept her.[3] A wealthy woman saw her sleeping on a park bench and offered her a job as a babysitter at a home overlooking Central Park.[1]
Career[edit]
Fairbanks began figure skating around 1925 to 1928.[4] After observing children at the Central Park ice rink, Fairbanks bought herself used skates, which were two sizes too big, and went to join them.[1] She said, "Blacks didn't skate there. But it was a public place, so I just carried on."[2] She later practiced on a 6ft by 6ft rink constructed by her uncle in her room.[2] She gained further inspiration after seeing Sonja Henie in the 1936 film One in a Million.[4]
In the 1930s, Fairbanks, due to her race, was denied access to the local rink by the cashier but she kept returning until the manager admitted her.[4] Maribel Vinson Owen and Howard Nicholson provided her with technical advice.[4] Fairbanks was not allowed to compete in the national qualifying event for the Olympics or any competition.[2] In a 1998 interview, she said, "If I had gone to the Olympics and become a star, I would not be who I am today."[3]
Fairbanks performed in shows in New York until the 1940s.[5][1] After relocating to Los Angeles, she toured internationally, skating with Ice Capades in Mexico and later with Ice Follies.[2]
Fairbanks coached singles and pairs, including Tiffany Chin, Billy Chapel, Scott Hamilton, Kristi Yamaguchi / Rudy Galindo, Tai Babilonia / Randy Gardner, Leslie Robinson, Michelle McCladdie, Richard Ewell, Debbie Thomas, Atoy Wilson, and Jean Yuna.[3][6][7] She also taught skating to the children of many celebrities.[3] In 1997, she became the first African American inducted into the US Figure Skating Hall of Fame.[1] She was inducted into the International Women's Sports Hall of Fame in October 2001.[8][9]
Personal life[edit]
Fairbanks never married.[1] She was diagnosed with myasthenia gravis in 1997[3] and with acute leukemia in mid-2001.[1] She died on September 29, 2001 at Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, California.[1][2][10] She is interred in the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, Hollywood, California.
References[edit]
1.^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i Quintanilla, Michael (October 4, 2001). "Obituaries: Mabel Fairbanks, 85; Black Ice Skater". Los Angeles Times.
2.^ Jump up to: a b c d e f Reed, Christopher (October 8, 2001). "Obituary: Mabel Fairbanks". The Guardian.
3.^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g Levine, Bettijane (February 19, 1998). "The Ice Mother Blazed the Skating Trail for Others". Los Angeles Times.
4.^ Jump up to: a b c d Scheurer, Ronald A. (December 1, 1997). "Breaking the Ice: The Mabel Fairbanks Story". American Visions (HighBeam).
5.Jump up ^ "Mabel Fairbanks Harrassed By Jim Crow". The Afro American. May 5, 1945.
6.Jump up ^ Schneider Farris, Jo Ann (September 22, 2008). "Ewell helped create African-American skating legacy". IceNetwork.
7.Jump up ^ Elfman, Lois (January 15, 2015). "Wilson looks back on barrier-breaking experience". IceNetwork.
8.Jump up ^ "Mabel Fairbanks: Breaking Down Barriers". Women's Sports Foundation. Archived from the original on June 18, 2002.
9.Jump up ^ "International Women's Sports Hall of Fame". Women's Sports Foundation. Archived from the original on November 27, 2014. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
10.Jump up ^ Andres, Holly (October 5, 2001). "MEMORIALS PENDING FOR ICE SKATING LEGEND.". Daily News (Los Angeles, CA) (The Free Library).


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 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mabel_Fairbanks













Mabel Fairbanks

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search


Mabel Fairbanks

Personal information

Born
November 14, 1915
Florida
Died
September 29, 2001 (aged 85)
Burbank, California
Coach
Maribel Vinson Owen
 Howard Nicholson
Mabel Fairbanks (November 14, 1915 – September 29, 2001) was an American figure skater and coach. She was inducted into the US Figure Skating Hall of Fame, as the first African-American, and the International Women's Sports Hall of Fame.


Contents  [hide]
1 Early life
2 Career
3 Personal life
4 References

Early life[edit]
Of African-American and Seminole descent, Mabel Fairbanks was born on November 14, 1915 in Florida's Everglades.[1][2] She had a sister, Pearl, who was younger by a year,[1] and an elder brother.[3]
Fairbanks never met her father and was orphaned at the age of eight when her mother died.[3] After staying with a teacher who treated her like a "maid," she joined her brother in New York but his wife did not accept her.[3] A wealthy woman saw her sleeping on a park bench and offered her a job as a babysitter at a home overlooking Central Park.[1]
Career[edit]
Fairbanks began figure skating around 1925 to 1928.[4] After observing children at the Central Park ice rink, Fairbanks bought herself used skates, which were two sizes too big, and went to join them.[1] She said, "Blacks didn't skate there. But it was a public place, so I just carried on."[2] She later practiced on a 6ft by 6ft rink constructed by her uncle in her room.[2] She gained further inspiration after seeing Sonja Henie in the 1936 film One in a Million.[4]
In the 1930s, Fairbanks, due to her race, was denied access to the local rink by the cashier but she kept returning until the manager admitted her.[4] Maribel Vinson Owen and Howard Nicholson provided her with technical advice.[4] Fairbanks was not allowed to compete in the national qualifying event for the Olympics or any competition.[2] In a 1998 interview, she said, "If I had gone to the Olympics and become a star, I would not be who I am today."[3]
Fairbanks performed in shows in New York until the 1940s.[5][1] After relocating to Los Angeles, she toured internationally, skating with Ice Capades in Mexico and later with Ice Follies.[2]
Fairbanks coached singles and pairs, including Tiffany Chin, Billy Chapel, Scott Hamilton, Kristi Yamaguchi / Rudy Galindo, Tai Babilonia / Randy Gardner, Leslie Robinson, Michelle McCladdie, Richard Ewell, Debbie Thomas, Atoy Wilson, and Jean Yuna.[3][6][7] She also taught skating to the children of many celebrities.[3] In 1997, she became the first African American inducted into the US Figure Skating Hall of Fame.[1] She was inducted into the International Women's Sports Hall of Fame in October 2001.[8][9]
Personal life[edit]
Fairbanks never married.[1] She was diagnosed with myasthenia gravis in 1997[3] and with acute leukemia in mid-2001.[1] She died on September 29, 2001 at Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, California.[1][2][10] She is interred in the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, Hollywood, California.
References[edit]
1.^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i Quintanilla, Michael (October 4, 2001). "Obituaries: Mabel Fairbanks, 85; Black Ice Skater". Los Angeles Times.
2.^ Jump up to: a b c d e f Reed, Christopher (October 8, 2001). "Obituary: Mabel Fairbanks". The Guardian.
3.^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g Levine, Bettijane (February 19, 1998). "The Ice Mother Blazed the Skating Trail for Others". Los Angeles Times.
4.^ Jump up to: a b c d Scheurer, Ronald A. (December 1, 1997). "Breaking the Ice: The Mabel Fairbanks Story". American Visions (HighBeam).
5.Jump up ^ "Mabel Fairbanks Harrassed By Jim Crow". The Afro American. May 5, 1945.
6.Jump up ^ Schneider Farris, Jo Ann (September 22, 2008). "Ewell helped create African-American skating legacy". IceNetwork.
7.Jump up ^ Elfman, Lois (January 15, 2015). "Wilson looks back on barrier-breaking experience". IceNetwork.
8.Jump up ^ "Mabel Fairbanks: Breaking Down Barriers". Women's Sports Foundation. Archived from the original on June 18, 2002.
9.Jump up ^ "International Women's Sports Hall of Fame". Women's Sports Foundation. Archived from the original on November 27, 2014. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
10.Jump up ^ Andres, Holly (October 5, 2001). "MEMORIALS PENDING FOR ICE SKATING LEGEND.". Daily News (Los Angeles, CA) (The Free Library).


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1915 births
2001 deaths
African-American sportspeople
Black Seminoles




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Brandy Norwood

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Brandy
Picture of Brandy Norwood
Brandy on the set of Brandy & Ray J: A Family Business in 2011

Born
Brandy Rayana Norwood
 February 11, 1979 (age 36)
McComb, Mississippi, U.S.
Other names
Bran' Nu; B-Rocka
Occupation
Singer ·
 actress ·
 model ·
 songwriter ·
 record producer
 
Years active
1993–present
Home town
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Children
1
Parent(s)
Willie Norwood
Sonja Norwood

Relatives
Ray J (brother)
Snoop Dogg (first cousin)
Musical career
Genres
R&B ·
 pop
 
Labels
Atlantic ·
 Epic ·
 Knockout ·
 RCA ·
 Chameleon
 
Website
4everbrandy.com
Brandy Rayana Norwood (born February 11, 1979), better known simply by her mononym Brandy, is an American recording artist and entertainer.[1] Born into a musical family in McComb, Mississippi and raised in Carson, California, she enrolled in performing arts schools as a child and performed as a backing vocalist for teen groups. From 1993 to 1994, Norwood appeared in a supporting role on the short-lived ABC sitcom Thea and signed with Atlantic Records. The following year, she released her self-titled debut album; singles "I Wanna Be Down" and "Baby" peaked atop the Billboard Hot R&B Singles chart. Norwood starred in the UPN sitcom Moesha as the title character, which lasted six seasons and resulted in roles in the 1998 horror sequel, I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, and the TV films Cinderella (1997) and Double Platinum (1999). She resumed her music career in 1998 with the widely successful duet with Monica, "The Boy Is Mine", and her second album, Never Say Never.
Throughout the 2000s, Norwood experienced career and commercial turbulence. In 2002, she starred in the reality series Brandy: Special Delivery. Her third and fourth albums, Full Moon (2002) and Afrodisiac (2004), were released to critical success. She served as a judge on the first season of America's Got Talent before being involved in a widely-publicized car accident in 2006. After several lawsuits stemming from the accident, Norwood's fifth album Human was released in 2008.
In the 2010s, Norwood received a critical and commercial resurgence. In 2010, she returned to television as a contestant on the eleventh season of Dancing with the Stars and starred in the reality series Brandy & Ray J: A Family Business with younger brother Ray J. Norwood starred in the BET series The Game for 5 seasons, and had roles in multiple films and television shows. She released her sixth album Two Eleven in 2012 to critical praise. The album featured the song "Put It Down", which was Norwood's first Top 10 in ten years. In the spring of 2015, Norwood made her Broadway debut in Chicago as Roxie Hart.
Within pop music, Norwood has become known for her distinctive sound, characterized by her peculiar timbre, voice-layering, intricate riffs, and beat-driven R&B.[2] She has since been signed to both Epic Records and RCA Records, where she has acquired a catalogue of hits with singles such as "What About Us?", "Talk About Our Love", and "Put It Down" being her most successful. She has sold over 40 million records worldwide.[3] The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) lists Norwood as one of the top selling artists in the United States, with 10.5 million certified albums.[4] Her work has earned her numerous awards and accolades, including a Grammy Award, three American Music Awards, and seven Billboard Music Awards.


Contents  [hide]
1 Life and career 1.1 1979–94: Early life and career beginnings
1.2 1994–96: Brandy and Moesha
1.3 1997–2000: Never Say Never and film career
1.4 2001–04: Full Moon and motherhood
1.5 2004–06: Afrodisiac and America's Got Talent
1.6 2006–09: Fatal automobile accident and Human
1.7 2010–13: Return to acting and Two Eleven
1.8 2014–present: Broadway, Zoe Moon, and upcoming seventh studio album
2 Artistry 2.1 Themes and genres
2.2 Voice and timbre
3 Legacy and impact
4 Other ventures 4.1 Endorsements
4.2 Philanthropy
5 Discography
6 Filmography
7 Stage Productions
8 See also
9 References
10 External links

Life and career[edit]
1979–94: Early life and career beginnings[edit]
Norwood was born on February 11, 1979, in McComb, Mississippi, the daughter of Willie Norwood, a former gospel singer and choir director, and his wife, Sonja Norwood (née Bates), a former district manager for H&R Block.[5] She is the older sister of entertainer Ray J, as well as a first cousin of rapper Snoop Dogg.[6] Raised in a Christian home, Norwood started singing through her father's work as part of the local church choir, performing her first gospel solo at the age of two.[7] In 1983, her parents relocated to Los Angeles, California, where Norwood was schooled at the Hollywood High Performing Arts Center.[8] Norwood's interest in music and performing increased after becoming a fan of singer Whitney Houston at the age of seven,[9][10] but at school, she experienced trouble with persuading teachers to send her on auditions as she found no support among the staff.[8] Norwood began entering talent shows by the time she was eleven, and, as part of a youth singing group, performed at several public functions.[10]
In 1990, her talent led to a contract with Teaspoon Productions, headed by Chris Stokes and Earl Harris, who gave her work as a backing vocalist for their R&B boy band Immature, and arranged the production of a demo tape.[9][10] In 1993, amid ongoing negotiations with East West Records, Norwood's parents organized a recording contract with the Atlantic Recording Corporation after auditioning for the company's director of A&R Darryl Williams.[8] To manage her daughter, Norwood's mother soon resigned from her job,[9] while Norwood herself dropped out of Hollywood High School later, and was tutored privately from tenth grade on.[8] During the early production stages of her debut album, Norwood was selected for a role in the ABC sitcom Thea, portraying the daughter of a single mother played by comedienne Thea Vidale.[7] Broadcast to low ratings, the series ran for only one season, but earned her a Young Artists Award nomination for Outstanding Youth Ensemble alongside her co-stars.[11] Norwood recalled that she appreciated the cancellation of the show as she was unenthusiastic about acting at the time, and the taping caused scheduling conflicts with the recording of her album. She stated, "I felt bad for everybody else but me. It was a good thing, because I could do what I had to do, because I wanted to sing."[12][13]
1994–96: Brandy and Moesha[edit]
Williams hired producer Keith Crouch and R&B group Somethin' for the People to work with Norwood, and within eight months the team crafted Brandy.[13] A collection of street-oriented rhythm-and-blues with a hip hop edge,[10] whose lyrical content embraced her youthful and innocent image in public,[13] Norwood later summed up the songs on the album as young and vulnerable, stating, "I didn’t really know a lot—all I wanted to do was basically sing. You can just tell that it’s a person singing from a genuine place, and also a place of basically no experience. I was singing about being attracted to the opposite sex, but I had no experience behind it."[14] Released in September 1994, the album peaked at number twenty on the U.S. Billboard 200.[15] Critical reaction to Brandy was generally positive, with AllMusic writer Eddie Huffman declaring Brandy "a lower-key Janet Jackson or a more stripped-down Mary J. Blige [...] with good songs and crisp production."[16] Anderson Jones of Entertainment Weekly asserted, "Teen actress Norwood acts her age. A premature effort at best, that seems based on the philosophy 'If Aaliyah can do it, why can't I?'."[17]
Brandy went on to sell over six million copies worldwide,[18] and produced three top ten hits on the Billboard Hot 100, including "I Wanna Be Down" and "Baby", both of which reached the top of the Hot R&B Singles chart and were certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.[19] "Brokenhearted", a duet with Wanya Morris of Boyz II Men, became a number-two hit on the charts.[15] The album earned Norwood two Grammy Award nominations for Best New Artist and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance the following year, and won her four Soul Train Music Awards, two Billboard Awards, and the New York Children's Choice Award.[11] In 1995, she finished a two-month stint as the opening act on Boyz II Men's national tour,[20] and contributed songs to the soundtracks of the films Batman Forever and Waiting to Exhale, with the single "Sittin' Up in My Room" becoming another top-two success.[15] In 1996, Norwood also collaborated with Tamia, Chaka Khan, and Gladys Knight on the single "Missing You", released from the soundtrack of the F. Gary Gray film Set It Off. The single won her a third Grammy nomination in the Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals category.[11]
In 1996, her short-lived engagement on Thea led Norwood to star in her own show, the UPN-produced sitcom Moesha. Appearing alongside William Allen Young and Sheryl Lee Ralph, she played the title role of Moesha Mitchell, a Los Angeles girl coping with a stepmother as well as the pressures and demands of becoming an adult.[21] Originally bought by CBS, the program debuted on UPN in January 1996, and soon became their most-watched show.[22] While the sitcom managed to increase its audience every new season and spawned a spin-off titled The Parkers, the network decided to cancel the show after six seasons on the air, leaving it ending with a cliffhanger for a scrapped seventh season.[23] Norwood was awarded an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Youth Actor/Actress for her performance.[11] In 1997, Brandy, Ray J and their parents, started The Norwood Kids Foundation, which helps disadvantaged, at-risk youths in Los Angeles and Mississippi through the Arts and self -help programs.[24]
Norwood attended Hollywood High Performing Arts Center, but studied with a private tutor from 10th grade on.[8] In 1996, she became a freshman at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California.[8] In 1996, she shared a short relationship with Los Angeles Lakers player Kobe Bryant, whom she accompanied to his prom at Lower Merion High School in Ardmore, Pennsylvania.[25][26] She also dated Boyz II Men lead singer Wanya Morris, whom she cited as her "first love."[27] Morris, who was six years older than her, reportedly ended their relationship a month before her nineteenth birthday.[28] Also during their work on the Never Say Never album, she briefly dated rapper Mase.[29]
1997–2000: Never Say Never and film career[edit]
In 1997, Norwood was hand-picked by producer Whitney Houston to play the title character in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s television version of Cinderella featuring a multicultural cast that also included Jason Alexander, Whoopi Goldberg, and Houston.[30] The two-hour Wonderful World of Disney special garnered an estimated 60 million viewers, giving the network its highest ratings in the time period in 16 years, and won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Art Direction for a Variety or Music Program the following year.[31]
Fledgling producer Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins was consulted to contribute to Norwood's second album Never Say Never, which was released in June 1998. Norwood co-wrote and produced six songs on the album which yielded her first number-one song on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, "The Boy Is Mine", a duet with singer Monica that has become the most successful song by a female duo in the music industry. Exploiting the media's presumption of a rivalry between the two young singers, the song was one of the most successful records in United States of all time,[32] spending a record-breaking thirteen weeks atop the Billboard charts, and eventually garnering the pair a Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal. The album's success was equally widespread, and after extensive radio play of the single overseas, the label released it globally during the summer. Never Say Never eventually became Norwood's biggest-selling album, selling over 16 million copies worldwide. Critics rated the album highly, with AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine praising Norwood and her team for wisely finding "a middle ground between Mariah Carey and Mary J. Blige—it's adult contemporary with a slight streetwise edge."[33] Altogether, the album spawned seven singles, including Norwood's second number-one song, the Diane Warren-penned "Have You Ever?"[15]
After backing out of a role in F. Gary Gray's 1996 film Set It Off,[34] Norwood made her big screen debut in the supporting role of Karla Wilson in the slasher film, I Still Know What You Did Last Summer.[34] The movie outperformed the original with a total of $16.5 million at its opening weekend, but critical reaction to the film was largely disappointing, with film review site Rotten Tomatoes calculating a poor rating of 7% based on 46 reviews.[35] Norwood, however, earned positive reviews for her "bouncy" performance,[36] which garnered her both a Blockbuster Entertainment Award and an MTV Movie Award nomination for Best Breakthrough Female Performance.[11] In 1999, she co-starred with Diana Ross in the telefilm drama Double Platinum about an intense, strained relationship between a mother and daughter.[37] Shot in only twenty days in New York City, both Norwood and Ross served as executive producers of the movie which features original songs from their respective albums Never Say Never (1998) and Every Day Is a New Day (1999), as well as previously unreleased duets.[37]
2001–04: Full Moon and motherhood[edit]
After a lengthy hiatus following the end of Moesha, and a number of tabloid headlines discussing her long-term battle with dehydration, Norwood returned to music in 2001, when she and brother Ray-J were asked to record a cover version of Phil Collins' 1990 hit "Another Day in Paradise" for the tribute album Urban Renewal: A Tribute to Phil Collins.[38] Released as the album's first single in Europe and Oceania, the song became an instant international success overseas, scoring top-ten entries on the majority of all charts it appeared on.[39]
Full Moon, Norwood's third studio album, was released in February 2002. It was composed of R&B and pop-oriented songs, many of them co-created with Jerkins, Warryn Campbell and Mike City. While its lead single "What About Us?" became a worldwide top-ten hit, the album's title track failed to chart or sell noticeably outside the United States and the United Kingdom, where it managed to enter the Top 20 chart.[40][41] Media reception was generally lukewarm, with Rolling Stone describing the album as "frantic, faceless, fake-sexy R&B."[42] Within the coming year, Norwood and Robert "Big Bert" Smith began writing and producing for other artists such as Toni Braxton, Kelly Rowland, and Kiley Dean.[43] Norwood's foray into reality television began in 2002 with the MTV series Diary Presents Brandy: Special Delivery; the show documented the final months of Norwood's pregnancy with her daughter Sy'rai.
During the production of the Full Moon album, Norwood became involved romantically with producer Robert "Big Bert" Smith. The couple began a relationship during the summer of 2001, but their relationship did not become known until February 2002, the same month Norwood revealed that she was expecting her first child. However, a year after the birth of their daughter Sy'rai Iman Smith on June 16, 2002—an event tracked by the four-part MTV reality series Brandy: Special Delivery—Norwood and Smith officially announced their separation.[44] It was not until 2004 that Smith revealed that the pair had never been legally wed, but that they had only portrayed the notion of nuptials to preserve Norwood's public image.[45] Norwood later stated that she regarded her relationship with Smith as a "spiritual union and true commitment to each other."[45]
By the following year, Norwood had begun a relationship with NBA guard Quentin Richardson, who was then playing for the Los Angeles Clippers. The couple soon became engaged in July 2004 but Norwood eventually ended their 15-month engagement in October 2005.[46] It was reported that Norwood had to get a tattoo of Richardson's face on her back transformed into a cat.[46] In 2010, she briefly dated rapper Flo Rida, though their mild flirtation did not lead to a romance.[47]
2004–06: Afrodisiac and America's Got Talent[edit]



 Norwood performing in a concert in July 2004.
Returning from yet another hiatus, Norwood's fourth album Afrodisiac was released in June 2004, amid the well-publicized termination of her short-lived business relationship with entertainment manager Benny Medina.[48] Norwood ended her contract with his Los Angeles-based Handprint Entertainment after less than a year of representation following controversies surrounding Medina's handling of the lead single "Talk About Our Love", and failed negotiations of a purported co-headlining tour with R&B singer Usher.[48] Despite the negative publicity, Afrodisiac became Norwood's most critically acclaimed album then,[49] with some highlighting the "more consistently mature and challenging" effect of Timbaland on Norwood's music,[50] and others calling it "listenable and emotionally resonant", comparing it to "Janet Jackson at her best."[51] A moderate seller, the album debuted at number three on the Billboard 200, but generally failed to chart or sell noticeably outside the United States.[52] "Talk About Our Love" reached number six in the United Kingdom, but subsequent singles failed to score successfully on the popular music charts.[53] Later that year, she guest-starred as Gladys Knight in the third season premiere of American Dreams, in which she performed "I Heard It Through the Grapevine".[54]
After eleven years with the company, Norwood asked for and received an unconditional release from Atlantic Records at the end of 2004, citing her wish "to move on" as the main reason for her decision.[55] Completing her contract with the label, a compilation album titled The Best of Brandy was released in March 2005. Released without any promotional single, it reached the top 30 in Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States, where the collection was appreciated by contemporary critics who noted the creativity of Norwood's back catalogue.[56] Andy Kellman of AllMusic expressed, "This set, unlike so many other anthologies from her contemporaries, hardly confirms dwindling creativity or popularity."[57] Thereupon she reportedly began shopping a new record deal under the auspices of Knockout Entertainment, her brother's vanity label.[58]
In February 2006, Norwood began appearing in a recurring role on UPN sitcom One on One, playing the sister to brother Ray J's character D-Mack.[59] In June, she was cast as one of three talent judges on the first season of America's Got Talent, an amateur talent contest on NBC executive-produced by Simon Cowell and hosted by Regis Philbin. The broadcast was one of the most-watched programs of the summer, and concluded on August 17, 2006 with the win of 11-year-old singer Bianca Ryan. Norwood was originally slated to return for a second season in summer 2007, but eventually decided not to, feeling that she "couldn't give the new season the attention and commitment it deserved," following the fatal 2006 car accident in which she was involved.[60] She was replaced by reality TV star Sharon Osbourne.[60]
2006–09: Fatal automobile accident and Human[edit]
Driving home on December 30, 2006, Norwood was involved in a fatal automobile accident on Los Angeles' San Diego (405) Freeway.[61] The accident claimed the life of 38-year-old Awatef Aboudihaj, the driver of the Toyota that was struck by Norwood's Range Rover. Aboudihaj died from her injuries at the L.A. Holy Cross Hospital the following day.[61] Norwood was neither arrested nor charged with vehicular manslaughter due to insufficient evidence.[61] Law enforcement officials reported that Norwood was driving her car at 65 miles per hour, and did not notice that vehicles ahead of her had slowed considerably. Her vehicle then collided with rear of Aboudihaj's, causing the Toyota to strike another vehicle before sliding sideways and impacting the center divider. As the Toyota came to a stop, it was hit by yet another vehicle.[62] A well-placed source in the California Highway Patrol, however, later reported that Aboudihaj actually struck the car in front of her and then slammed on her brakes before Norwood made contact. The sudden stop caused Norwood to hit Aboudihaj's car.[63] As confirmed, toxicology reports showed that Aboudihaj had "slight traces" of marijuana in her system at the time of the crash.[64]
 Wikinews has related news: US Singer Brandy involved in fatal car crash; sued for $50 million

In December 2007, Norwood's attorney Blair Berk stated that "after a more thorough and extensive investigation by authorities, the Los Angeles City Attorney has determined that Brandy Norwood should not be charged with any crime whatsoever relating to the accident back in 2006." She continued, "These past 12 months have posed an extraordinary hardship for Brandy and her family, who have been unfairly forced to live under a cloud of suspicion initially caused by the ill-advised and premature press release sent out by the California Highway Patrol accusing Brandy of wrongdoing before the police investigation was even finished. However, Brandy continues to be mindful that she was so fortunate to be uninjured in this accident and there was a life lost that should be remembered."[65] Meanwhile, speaking in May 2009, Norwood herself stated, "The whole experience did completely change my life, and I can say that I think I'm a better person from it. You know, I still don't understand all of it and why all of it happened, but I definitely have a heart, and my heart goes out to everyone involved. I pray about it every single day, and that's all I can really say on the subject."[66]
Nevertheless, there have been multiple lawsuits filed against Norwood, all of which were ultimately settled out of court by Brandy's civil attorney, Ed McPherson. Aboudihaj's parents filed a $50 million wrongful death lawsuit against Norwood. Filed on January 30, 2007,[67] the lawsuit was initially set to go to trial in April 2009,[68] but was eventually canceled as Norwood had settled extrajudicially with Aboudihaj's parents.[69] Aboudihaj's husband also filed a lawsuit against Norwood, suing her for an undisclosed amount of financial relief to cover medical and funeral expenses, as well as legal costs and other damages.[70] He rejected his part of a $1.2 million settlement offer in February 2009,[71] but did settle in November of that year.[72] The couple's two children, who also filed a lawsuit against Norwood, received $300,000 each, according to court documents filed in L.A. County Superior Court on June 2, 2009.[71] Two other drivers who were involved and injured in the accident also filed a lawsuit against Norwood.[73] They settled with Norwood for undisclosed amounts.[74]
Norwood's fifth studio album, Human, was released in December 2008, produced by Toby Gad, Brian Kennedy, and RedOne.[75][76] Distributed by Koch Records and Sony Music, the album marked Norwood's debut on the Epic Records label,[77] and her reunion with long-time contributor and mentor Rodney Jerkins, who wrote and executive produced most of the album.[75] Generally well received by critics, Human debuted at number fifteen on the U.S. Billboard 200 with opening week sales of 73,000 copies.[78] With a domestic sales total of 214,000 copies, it failed to match the success of its predecessors.[79] While lead-off single "Right Here (Departed)" scored Norwood her biggest chart success since 2002's "Full Moon", the album failed to impact elsewhere, resulting in lackluster sales in general and the end of her contract with the label, following the controversial appointment of Amanda Ghost as president of Epic Records, and Norwood's split with rapper Jay-Z's Roc Nation management.[80][81][82]
In December 2009, she officially introduced her rapping alter-ego Bran'Nu with two credits on Timbaland's album Timbaland Presents Shock Value 2,[1] and was cast in the pilot episode for the ABC series This Little Piggy, also starring Rebecca Creskoff and Kevin Rahm, which was recast the following year.[83]
2010–13: Return to acting and Two Eleven[edit]
In April 2010, Norwood and Ray J debuted in the VH1 reality series Brandy and Ray J: A Family Business along with their parents. The show chronicled the backstage lives of both siblings, while taking on larger roles in their family's management and production company, R&B Productions.[84] Executive produced by the Norwood family, the season concluded after eleven episodes, and was renewed for a second season, which began broadcasting in fall 2010.[85] A Family Business, a compilation album with previously unreleased content from the entire cast was released on Saguaro Road Records in June 2011.[86] Critics such as The Washington Post declared it an "awkward and adorable and really, really wholesome collection."[87] While the album failed to chart, it produced three promotional singles, including the joint track "Talk to Me".[88]



 Norwood in September 2010
In fall 2010, Norwood appeared as a contestant on season 11 of the ABC reality show Dancing with the Stars, partnered with Maksim Chmerkovskiy. She ultimately placed fourth in the competition, which was a shock to the judges, viewers, studio audience, and other contestants that considered her one of the show's frontrunners throughout the entire competition.[89] In August 2011, it was confirmed that Norwood had signed a joint record deal with RCA Records and producer Breyon Prescott's Chameleon Records.[90][91][92] In September, a new talent show, Majors & Minors, created by musician Evan Bogart, premiered on The Hub. It followed a group of young performers age 10–16 and their chance to be mentored by some established artists such as Norwood, Ryan Tedder and Leona Lewis.[93] Later that same year, Norwood returned to acting roles with recurring appearances on The CW's teen drama series 90210, and in the fourth season of the Lifetime's comedy series Drop Dead Diva, in which she played the role of Elisa Shayne.[94]
In 2012, Norwood joined the cast of the BET comedy series The Game, playing the recurring role of Chardonnay, a bartender.[95] With her role extended, she became a regular cast member by the next season.[96] In February, Norwood reteamed with Monica on "It All Belongs to Me", which was released as a single from the latter's album New Life.[97] Norwood's own comeback single "Put It Down" featuring singer Chris Brown was released later that year. The song reached number three on Billboard‍ '​s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, becoming her first top ten entry in ten years.[98] Her sixth album Two Eleven, which was released in October, saw a return to her authentic R&B sound, but with what Norwood described a "progressive edge".[99] A moderate commercial success, it was viewed as a humble comeback from Norwood, reaching number three on the US Billboard 200, and the top of the Billboard US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.[100] Over the holidays 2012, Norwood got engaged to music executive Ryan Press.[101]
In March 2013, Norwood returned to the big screen starring alongside an ensemble cast consisting of Jurnee Smollett-Bell, Lance Gross and Vanessa L. Williams in Tyler Perry's dramatic film Temptation: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor.[102] Norwood plays supporting character Melinda, a woman with a few secrets running from her past. The film received generally negative reviews from film critics but became a moderate US box office success.[103][104] In June 2013, Norwood signed with Creative Artists Agency, a prominent entertainment agency headquartered in Los Angeles.[105]
2014–present: Broadway, Zoe Moon, and upcoming seventh studio album[edit]
In April 2014, Norwood called off her engagement with Press following their breakup earlier that year.[106] In July, she was inducted as an honorary member of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority.[107] The same month, Norwood released a rerecorded version of Coldplay's song "Magic" to her TwitMusic account.[108][109] It peaked at number one on Billboard‍ '​s Trending 140 chart, less than 24 hours after its premiere.[110] In 2014, Norwood signed a deal with MBK Entertainment, a management company, where CEO Jeff Robinson will executive produce her forth-coming album expected to be released in 2015. So far Brandy has recruited songwriters and producers Kirby Lauryen, Swagg R’Celious, Diane Warren, Andrew “Pop” Wansel, Stacy Barthe, Ronald “Flip” Colson, Steve “Ace” Mostyn, and Warren “Oak” Felder.[111][112][113]
In March 2015, it was announced that Norwood will make her Broadway debut in Chicago at the Ambassador Theatre. For an eight-week run, she will play the role of Roxie Hart.[114] In April 2015, BET Network announced that Norwood is set to star in a new original scripted series, Zoe Moon. The romantic comedy will center around Norwood’s character, a newly divorced single mom embarking on her new life and career as a fledgling cosmetics mogul.[115]
Artistry[edit]
Themes and genres[edit]
Stylistically, Norwood's music has evolved since she debuted in 1994 at the age of 15. With her mother as manager and stylist, she developed a “good girl” image with a “hip-yet-wholesome” appeal.[116] At the beginning of her career, she often cited Whitney Houston, Janet Jackson, and Mariah Carey as her biggest musical inspirations, with Houston being her most prominent and personal influence.[117][118] Outside of Houston, she has cited singers Sade, Kim Burrell, Enya, and her father Willie Norwood as being her major vocal influences.[119]
Norwood’s initial sound was contemporary R&B, heavily rooted in gospel and soul music.[120] Her lyrics spoke of various types of love, from casual and friendly love to romantic and spiritual affairs.[120] Influenced by Houston and Carey, she incorporated a ballad-heavy style and an adult contemporary feel into her urban-pop sound for her second studio album Never Say Never.[33] Her third studio album Full Moon saw Norwood abandon her teenage appeal for a more adult and sensual edginess.[121] Along with her image, her voice had gone through a major change, trading her girlish rasp for a now deeper and warmer voice that had acquired a somewhat throatier, smoky edge.[122] The music also reflected the change, as songs like "When You Touch Me" and "Like This" explored more adult, sexual topics, and a sound that blended her previous urban-pop sound with heavy influences of UK garage, glitch, and metallic tones.[123]
In 2004, her recent motherhood, life experiences, and growing affinity for British rock band Coldplay, caused her to shift toward a more introspective outlook with her fourth studio album Afrodisiac, a venture with producer Timbaland into the experimental illbient aesthetic, which fuses ambient, dub, and breakbeat soundscapes with progressive sampling methods.[124] A four-year hiatus and a few life-changing occurrences caused Norwood to return to the music industry in late 2008 with Human, her fifth studio album, which discussed topics of spiritual love, genuine heartache and universal honesty, and musically explored combining her urban pop sound with elements of country and inspirational pop.[125] Experiencing a career and personal rejuvenation, Norwood was eager to scale back her previous pop venture and return to authentic R&B sound on her sixth studio album Two Eleven. The album was a melding of both Norwood's now-classic urban pop template and the bass-heavy trends of post-2000's contemporary hip-hop.[126]
Voice and timbre[edit]
Norwood is a contralto with a voice that has often been described as soft, raspy, and husky by music critics and Norwood herself.[127] Music critic and Slant Magazine writer Andrew Chan describes Norwood's vocal tone as having "an unusual mix of warmth and cold, hard edges". He further describes her vocal quality, saying, "Like little else in pop-music singing, Brandy's subtle manipulation of timbre and texture rewards close listening. [...] Her main claim of technical virtuosity has always been her long, cascading riffs, a skill many R&B die-hards revere her for."[128] Norwood is also noted for her use of multitrack recording to create intricate vocal arrangements and layering. Terry Sawyer of Pop Matters Online writes on this skill, remarking, "While it's been said that Brandy's voice isn't exactly a barn burner, it's not mentioned enough that she does more than enough with what she's got. She never leaves her voice hanging in spotlit scarcity, folding its variegated terracing, whispering out the lead track, shouting in the back-up, and piling each song with enough interlocking sounds to create the tightly packed illusion of vocal massiveness."[129]
Legacy and impact[edit]
See also: List of awards and nominations received by Brandy
Since her 1994 debut album, Norwood has won over 100 awards as a recording artist and sold over 40 million records worldwide.[130] The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) lists Norwood as one of the top selling artists in the United States, with 10.5 million certified albums.[4] Her song The Boy Is Mine is also one of the longest running number one songs in the United States, and is one of the best selling duets of all time. In 1999, Billboard ranked Norwood among the top 20 of the Top Pop Artists of the 1990s.[131] In 2010, Billboard included Norwood in their Top 50 R&B and Hip Hop Artists list of the past 25 years.[132] Norwood was one of the youngest artists nominated for the Grammy Award for Best New Artist.[133] Her second album Never Say Never appeared in the "Top 100 Certified Albums" list by the RIAA.[134]
Norwood's vocal stylings have had a significant impact on the music industry, most notably with contemporary R&B, pop and gospel genres, where she is often subjectively referred to as the "Vocal Bible".[135] Her work has influenced numerous artists, including Jessie J,[136] JoJo,[136] Bridget Kelly,[136] Olivia,[136] Emeli Sandé,[136] Jordin Sparks,[136] Tank,[136] Teyana Taylor,[136] and Elle Varner,[136] while Norwood's vocals have been praised by several of her peers, including Natasha Bedingfield,[136] Missy Elliott,[136] Jennifer Hudson,[136] Syleena Johnson,[136] Lil' Mo,[136] Brian McKnight,[136] Jill Scott,[136] Angie Stone,[136] and Tamia.[136] Additionally, on many occasions, Norwood has been thought of as a talented artist that music producers and songwriters have used to enhance their own artistic and creative energies.[137][138]
American neo soul singer Erykah Badu noted that her 1997 debut album, Baduizm, was partly influenced by Norwood's debut album,[139] while Barbadian singer Rihanna revealed in an interview with Entertainment Weekly that her 2007 album Good Girl Gone Bad was primarily influenced by Norwood, stating, "[Brandy] really helped inspire that album. I listened to [Afrodisiac] every day [while in the studio]."[140] Kelly Rowland cited Norwood, who also wrote and produced for Rowland's debut album, as one of the inspirations for her second studio album Ms. Kelly (2007).[141] Rock musician John Frusciante, former guitarist of rock group Red Hot Chili Peppers cited Norwood as the "main inspiration" behind the guitar work on Red Hot Chili Peppers' 2006 album, Stadium Arcadium.[142]
Other ventures[edit]
Endorsements[edit]
Brandy has had many endorsements in her career. In 1999, she became a CoverGirl,[143] appearing in a number of commercials. She also represented the brands Candie's in 1998 and DKNY in the Spring of 2000.[144][145][146] In the late 1990s Brandy was represented by Wilhelmina Agency, one of the leading modeling agencies in the industry.[146] In 1999, Mattell released the Brandy Doll. The doll featured Brandy in a reddish orange blouse and orange long skirt. Next to this, the Holiday Brandy Doll was released in 2000 along with another "Brandy Doll". Millions of the dolls were sold and they were one of the biggest selling toys for Mattel.[147] In 2005, Brandy became the spokesperson for Ultima, a company for hair weaves and wigs. As of 2014, she no longer represents them.[148][149]
Philanthropy[edit]
In 1996, Brandy along with her brother Ray J, created the Norwood Kids Foundation. The goal of NKF is to "To use Performing Arts as a catalyst to shape the youth of today into self-confident, disciplined, responsible, and caring individuals capable of making a positive impact in their communities."[150] In 1999 Brandy was the first international spokesman person for youth by UNICEF.[151] Norwood is also an avid supporter of the Make A Wish Foundation and RAINN.[152] In 2000, Brandy donated $100,000 to 2000 WATTS, an entertainment community center founded by singer Tyrese Gibson in the underprivileged community of Watts, California.[152] Brandy teamed up with Skecher's “Nothing Compares to Family” campaign in 2008.[153] In 2010 Brandy became involved with Get Schooled, a national non-profit mobile phone calls by celebrities to wake up students for school.[154][155] In 2014, Norwood teamed up with "text4baby", which spreads health and wellness to expecting moms via text message,[156] and became an honorary co-chairman of the 2014 Unstoppable Foundation.[157]
Discography[edit]
Main article: Brandy discography
Brandy (1994)
Never Say Never (1998)
Full Moon (2002)
Afrodisiac (2004)
Human (2008)
Two Eleven (2012)
Filmography[edit]
Main article: Brandy filmography
Stage Productions[edit]
Chicago (musical) (2015) (Broadway)
See also[edit]
Book icon Book: Brandy Norwood


Portal icon Brandy portal
Brandy videography
List of songs recorded by Brandy
List of awards and nominations received by Brandy

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63.Jump up ^ "Brandy in the Clear". TMZ.com. 2007-12-28. Retrieved 2010-02-04.
64.Jump up ^ "Brandy Crash – Dead Woman at Fault?". TMZ.com. 2007-12-26. Retrieved 2010-02-04.
65.Jump up ^ "Brandy's Lawyer to CHP – You Did Her Wrong". TMZ.com. 2007-12-28. Retrieved 2010-02-04.
66.Jump up ^ "Brandy: Still Intoxicating". Bluesandsoul.com. Retrieved 2010-02-04.
67.Jump up ^ "Brandy Sued for $50 Million". TMZ.com. 2007-01-30. Retrieved 2010-02-04.
68.Jump up ^ "Brandy: Fatal Car Crash 'Changed My Life Forever' – omg! news on Yahoo!". Omg.yahoo.com. Retrieved 2010-02-04.
69.Jump up ^ "Brandy Settles with Final Crash Victim". TMZ.com. 2009-11-13. Retrieved 2010-02-04.
70.Jump up ^ "Victim's Husband Sues Brandy Over Fatal Crash". TMZ.com. 2007-05-03. Retrieved 2010-02-04.
71.^ Jump up to: a b "Brandy Settles Fatal Car Crash with Victim's Kids". TMZ.com. 2009-06-02. Retrieved 2010-02-04.
72.Jump up ^ Brandy Settles With Motorist Over Fatal Crash. E! Online. Retrieved on 2012-05-04.
73.Jump up ^ "Court Documents In Brandy Norwood Fatal Accident". RadarOnline.com. 2009-02-05. Retrieved 2010-02-04.
74.Jump up ^ "Brandy Settles Lawsuit with Crash Survivor". TMZ.com. 2009-07-14. Retrieved 2010-02-04.
75.^ Jump up to: a b Reid, Shaheem; Elias, Matt (2008-08-15). "Brandy Readies Human After Four-Year Hiatus". MTV News. VH1.com. Retrieved 2008-08-23.
76.Jump up ^ "Epic Records Readies the Release of 'Human'". Marketwatch.com. 2008-08-15. Retrieved 2008-08-15.
77.Jump up ^ Jones, Steve; Strauss, Gary (2008-08-15). "Coming Attractions: Remember Brandy? She's Coming Back". USA Today (USAToday.com). Retrieved 2008-08-15.
78.Jump up ^ Hasty, Katie (2008-12-17). "Taylor Swift Reclaims Billboard 200 Throne". Billboard. Billboard.com. Retrieved 2008-12-20.
79.Jump up ^ Ramirez, Erika (2012-10-12). "Brandy & Reps Talk 'Two Eleven' & Four-Year Hiatus". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 2012-10-27.
80.Jump up ^ Marie, Brianna (2008-05-20). "The Latest On Brandy Amidst Her European Tour". UrbanBridgez.com. Retrieved 2009-05-31.
81.Jump up ^ "That Grape Juice Interview: Brandy". ThatGrapeJuice.net. 2009-02-09. Retrieved 2009-05-14.
82.Jump up ^ "Jennifer Lopez Walks in Brandy's Louboutins". Rap-Up. Rap-Up.com. 2009-10-28. Retrieved 2009-12-01.
83.Jump up ^ Andreeva, Nellie (2009-04-15). "David Walton Asking '100 Questions' At NBC". Hollywood Reporter (HollywoodReporter.com). Retrieved 2009-04-16.[dead link]
84.Jump up ^ "Brandy & Ray J to Star with Family in VH1 Reality Series". Rap-Up.com. 2006-07-16. Retrieved 2010-02-04.
85.Jump up ^ Juzwiak, Rich (2010-11-15). "Brandy & Ray J: A Family Business Season 2 To Premiere Sunday, December 5". VH1.com. Retrieved 2012-12-29.
86.Jump up ^ Mitchell, Gail (2010-07-16). "Label Saguaro Road Widens To Encompass R&B And Gospel". Reuters. Retrieved 2008-10-04.
87.Jump up ^ Stewart, Allison (2011-07-22). "Album review: Brandy and Ray J, "A Family Business"". The Washington Post. The Washington Post Company. Retrieved 2012-12-29.
88.Jump up ^ Herrera, Monica (2010-09-20). "Brandy Talks Dancing with the Stars, Bristol Palin & New Music". Billboard. Billboard.com. Retrieved 2010-09-21.
89.Jump up ^ Chan, Anna. "'Dancing' cuts yet another front-runner". Theclicker.todayshow.com. Retrieved 2012-01-17.
90.Jump up ^ "Brandy Performs ‘Put It Down’ Live in Washington, D.C". Rap-Up.com. 2012-07-19. Retrieved 2012-08-15.
91.Jump up ^ "Brandy Hints at Drake Collaboration". Rap-Up.com. 2012-01-13. Retrieved 2012-01-17.
92.Jump up ^ "Brandy Signs with RCA/Chameleon Records". Rap-Up.com. 2011-08-22. Retrieved 2012-01-17.
93.Jump up ^ Halperin, Shirley (2011-09-23). "'Majors & Minors' Creator Evan Bogart on Junior Talents, What Justin Bieber Should Do Next (Q&A)". The Hollywood Reporter. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 2012-04-03.
94.Jump up ^ Bierly, Mandi (2011-08-21). "'Drop Dead Diva': Brandy talks return to acting". Entertainment Weekly.com. Retrieved 2012-03-03.
95.Jump up ^ Schutte, Lauren (2011-06-12). "Brandy's 'The Game' Character Arc Revealed". The Hollywood Reporter. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 2012-04-03.
96.Jump up ^ Puccio, Crystal (2013-03-27). "Brandy Norwood Calls The Game‘s Chardonnay Pitts "A Hot Mess"". VH1.com. Retrieved 2012-04-04.
97.Jump up ^ Carlson, Erin (2012-01-17). "Brandy and Monica Reunite For First New Single in 14 Years". The Hollywood Reporter. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 2012-04-03.
98.Jump up ^ "Chart Juice: Brandy's 'Put It Down' Marks Her First Top 10 in 10 Years". Billboard. Billboard.com. 2012-10-27. Retrieved 2012-12-10.
99.Jump up ^ "Producer Bangladesh Plots His Pop Domination, But Not Before Settling Differences". LA Times Blogs (Los Angeles Times). 2010-09-27. Retrieved 2010-10-03.
100.Jump up ^ Trust, Gary (2012-10-24). "Jason Aldean's 'Night Train' Rolls to No. 1 On Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved 2012-10-24.
101.Jump up ^ "Brandy Gets Engaged to Music Executive Ryan Press". Rap-Up. Rap-Up.com. 2012-12-28. Retrieved 2010-02-04.
102.Jump up ^ Sneider, Jeff (2011-11-01). "Brandy joins Tyler Perry's 'Marriage'". Variety (Variety.com). Retrieved 2011-11-03.
103.Jump up ^ "Temptation (2013)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 2013-04-03.
104.Jump up ^ "Tyler Perry's Temptation: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor (2013)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2013-10-08.
105.Jump up ^ Sun, Rebecca (2013-06-04). "Brandy Signs With CAA (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 2013-06-04.
106.Jump up ^ Ravitz, Justin (2014-04-15). "Exclusive: Brandy, Fiance Ryan Press Split, End Engagement: "They Are No Longer Together"". US Weekly. Retrieved 2014-04-15.
107.Jump up ^ Hobdy, Dominique (2014-07-17). "Coffee Talk: Brandy Inducted as Honorary Member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.". Essence Magazine.
108.Jump up ^ "'Magic’ by Brandy". TwitMusic. 2014-07-12. Retrieved 2014-07-12.
109.Jump up ^ "New Music: Brandy – ‘Magic’ (Coldplay Cover)". Rap-Up. 2014-07-13. Retrieved 2014-07-14.
110.Jump up ^ "Twitter / RealTimeChart: 4everBrandy's cover of Coldplay's "Magic" hits No.1 on the Trending 140". Twitter. 2014-07-15. Retrieved 2014-07-15.
111.Jump up ^ Ward, Kieran (2013-10-21). "Brandy's Seventh Studio Album". That Grape Juice.
112.Jump up ^ Chapman, Maxine (2013-10-12). "Brandy admits 'Two Eleven' disappointment, talks next album". S2S Magazine.
113.Jump up ^ "Wave". Instagram. 2014-08-31.
114.Jump up ^ Maas, Jennifer. "Brandy to debut on Broadway as Roxie Hart in Chicago". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2015-12-25. Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
115.Jump up ^ Robertson, Iyana. "Kelly Rowland And Brandy Land New Shows On BET". Vibe. Retrieved 2015-04-25.
116.Jump up ^ Winfrey, Oprah. "Oprah Interviews Brandy & Her Mother". O, The Oprah Magazine. Oprah.com. Retrieved 2010-02-11.
117.Jump up ^ "Singer Brandy reflects on Michael Jackson". The Insider. TheInsider.com. Retrieved 2010-02-11.
118.Jump up ^ "Styles & Roman Interview With Brandy". YouTube. Retrieved 2010-02-11.
119.Jump up ^ "Up Close & Personal with Brandy 3/4". TrueExclusives at TrueExclusives.com. YouTube. Retrieved 2011-05-30.
120.^ Jump up to: a b "Brandy". Mississippi Musicians & Writers. Retrieved 2010-02-11.
121.Jump up ^ "Brandy Talks For A Minute Or Two... Pregnant & Glowing". YouTube. Retrieved 2010-02-11.
122.Jump up ^ Seymour, Craig (2002-03-22). "Brandy – Full Moon (2002)". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2010-06-11.
123.Jump up ^ Reid, Shaheem; Yago, Gideon (2002-02-25). "Fans Will Get A New Taste Of Brandy On Full Moon". MTV News. MTV.com. Retrieved 2010-02-11.
124.Jump up ^ Reid, Shaheem (2004-04-29). "Brandy Gets Love From Kanye, Timbaland On New Album". MTV News. MTV.com. Retrieved 2010-06-30.
125.Jump up ^ MacPherson, Alex (2008-12-05). "Human Review". The Guardian (London). Retrieved 2010-04-26.
126.Jump up ^ "TrueExclusives Interviews Brandy". True Exclusives (TrueExclusives.com). 2012-02-01. Retrieved 2012-03-03.
127.Jump up ^ Hall, Jennifer (October 16, 2012). "Album Review Brandy's "Two Eleven"". Power98fm. Retrieved November 2, 2012.
128.Jump up ^ Chan, Andrew (2012-10-14). "Album Review – Two Eleven (2012)". Slant Magazine. SlantMagazine.com. Retrieved 2012-11-26.
129.Jump up ^ Sawyer, Terry (2004-09-17). "Album Review – Afrodisiac (2004)". PopMatters. PopMatter.com. Retrieved 2010-06-30.
130.Jump up ^ [2],"Brandy Will Make Broadway Debut in 'Chicago',2015-24-03
131.Jump up ^ Daniels, Karu F. (2000-01-14). "Brandy Outdoes Herself With Multiplatinum Certifications". Yahoo! Music. Music.Yahoo.com. Retrieved 2007-07-29.
132.Jump up ^ "The Top 50 R&B / Hip-Hop Artists of the Past 25 Years – The Juice". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 2010-11-18. Retrieved 2012-01-17.
133.Jump up ^ "New Faces in Grammy Nominations – New York Times". Nytimes.com. 1996-01-05. Retrieved 2013-08-08.
134.Jump up ^ "Top 100 Albums – June 04, 2013". RIAA. Retrieved 2013-06-04.
135.Jump up ^ McGloster, Niki (2012-07-11). "Style Story: Dawn Richard". VIBE Vixen. Retrieved 2013-10-17.
136.^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r "Celebrities Congratulate Brandy on 20 Years & She Reacts!". TrueExclusives. 2013-10-16. Retrieved 2013-10-21.
137.Jump up ^ "Afrodisiac Album Review". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2010-06-30.
138.Jump up ^ S., Nathan. "Brandy – Human". DJBooth.net. Retrieved 2010-06-30.
139.Jump up ^ "ErykahBadoula: 28 Sep 12". Twitter. 2012-09-28. Retrieved 2012-09-30.
140.Jump up ^ Watson, Margeaux (2007-06-21). "Caribbean Queen". Entertainment Weekly (EW.com). Retrieved 2010-06-30.
141.Jump up ^ Moss, Corey (2006-09-27). "Kelly Rowland Scraps Sappy Story, Picks Up Snoop". MTV News. VH1.com. Retrieved 2010-06-30.
142.Jump up ^ Zimmerman, Shannon. "John Frusciante, The Empyrean". Spin Magazine. Spin.com. Retrieved 2010-06-30.
143.Jump up ^ "A Brand New Brandy - ABC News". Abcnews.go.com. Retrieved 2014-08-09.
144.Jump up ^ "Modeling". The Brandy Blog!. Retrieved 2014-08-09.
145.Jump up ^ [3][dead link]
146.^ Jump up to: a b "Brandy Does DKNY In NYC". MTV. 2000-03-28. Retrieved 2014-08-09.
147.Jump up ^ "Mattel To Issue Brandy Doll". MTV. 1999-06-30. Retrieved 2014-08-09.
148.Jump up ^ "Brandy shows off the new styles at Ultima Hair shoot '08". YouTube. Retrieved 2014-08-09.
149.Jump up ^ "Sensationnel Natural Protein Hair PRO 10 By BRANDY Weave". Hairqueen.com. Retrieved 2014-08-09.
150.Jump up ^ http://norwoodkids.org/about-us/
151.Jump up ^ "Brandy Named International Youth Spokesperson For UNICEF". MTV. 1999-07-29. Retrieved 2014-08-09.
152.^ Jump up to: a b "Charities & Community Service". The Brandy Blog!. Retrieved 2014-08-09.
153.Jump up ^ "Brandy teams up with Skechers for charity". Sandra Rose. 2008-07-25. Retrieved 2014-08-09.
154.Jump up ^ "About". Get Schooled. Retrieved 2014-08-09.
155.Jump up ^ [4][dead link]
156.Jump up ^ Sarie. "DO-GOODER: BRANDY NORWOOD PARTNERS WITH 'TEXT4BABY' TO HELP NEW MOMS - Black Celebrity Kids". Blackcelebkids.com. Retrieved 2014-08-09.
157.Jump up ^ "Brandy's PSA - We Are Unstoppable". YouTube. Retrieved 2014-08-09.
External links[edit]
 Wikimedia Commons has media related to Brandy Norwood.
 Wikiquote has quotations related to: Brandy
Official website
Brandy at AllMusic
Brandy at the Internet Movie Database
Brandy at AllMovie

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Brandy Norwood

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Brandy
Picture of Brandy Norwood
Brandy on the set of Brandy & Ray J: A Family Business in 2011

Born
Brandy Rayana Norwood
 February 11, 1979 (age 36)
McComb, Mississippi, U.S.
Other names
Bran' Nu; B-Rocka
Occupation
Singer ·
 actress ·
 model ·
 songwriter ·
 record producer
 
Years active
1993–present
Home town
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Children
1
Parent(s)
Willie Norwood
Sonja Norwood

Relatives
Ray J (brother)
Snoop Dogg (first cousin)
Musical career
Genres
R&B ·
 pop
 
Labels
Atlantic ·
 Epic ·
 Knockout ·
 RCA ·
 Chameleon
 
Website
4everbrandy.com
Brandy Rayana Norwood (born February 11, 1979), better known simply by her mononym Brandy, is an American recording artist and entertainer.[1] Born into a musical family in McComb, Mississippi and raised in Carson, California, she enrolled in performing arts schools as a child and performed as a backing vocalist for teen groups. From 1993 to 1994, Norwood appeared in a supporting role on the short-lived ABC sitcom Thea and signed with Atlantic Records. The following year, she released her self-titled debut album; singles "I Wanna Be Down" and "Baby" peaked atop the Billboard Hot R&B Singles chart. Norwood starred in the UPN sitcom Moesha as the title character, which lasted six seasons and resulted in roles in the 1998 horror sequel, I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, and the TV films Cinderella (1997) and Double Platinum (1999). She resumed her music career in 1998 with the widely successful duet with Monica, "The Boy Is Mine", and her second album, Never Say Never.
Throughout the 2000s, Norwood experienced career and commercial turbulence. In 2002, she starred in the reality series Brandy: Special Delivery. Her third and fourth albums, Full Moon (2002) and Afrodisiac (2004), were released to critical success. She served as a judge on the first season of America's Got Talent before being involved in a widely-publicized car accident in 2006. After several lawsuits stemming from the accident, Norwood's fifth album Human was released in 2008.
In the 2010s, Norwood received a critical and commercial resurgence. In 2010, she returned to television as a contestant on the eleventh season of Dancing with the Stars and starred in the reality series Brandy & Ray J: A Family Business with younger brother Ray J. Norwood starred in the BET series The Game for 5 seasons, and had roles in multiple films and television shows. She released her sixth album Two Eleven in 2012 to critical praise. The album featured the song "Put It Down", which was Norwood's first Top 10 in ten years. In the spring of 2015, Norwood made her Broadway debut in Chicago as Roxie Hart.
Within pop music, Norwood has become known for her distinctive sound, characterized by her peculiar timbre, voice-layering, intricate riffs, and beat-driven R&B.[2] She has since been signed to both Epic Records and RCA Records, where she has acquired a catalogue of hits with singles such as "What About Us?", "Talk About Our Love", and "Put It Down" being her most successful. She has sold over 40 million records worldwide.[3] The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) lists Norwood as one of the top selling artists in the United States, with 10.5 million certified albums.[4] Her work has earned her numerous awards and accolades, including a Grammy Award, three American Music Awards, and seven Billboard Music Awards.


Contents  [hide]
1 Life and career 1.1 1979–94: Early life and career beginnings
1.2 1994–96: Brandy and Moesha
1.3 1997–2000: Never Say Never and film career
1.4 2001–04: Full Moon and motherhood
1.5 2004–06: Afrodisiac and America's Got Talent
1.6 2006–09: Fatal automobile accident and Human
1.7 2010–13: Return to acting and Two Eleven
1.8 2014–present: Broadway, Zoe Moon, and upcoming seventh studio album
2 Artistry 2.1 Themes and genres
2.2 Voice and timbre
3 Legacy and impact
4 Other ventures 4.1 Endorsements
4.2 Philanthropy
5 Discography
6 Filmography
7 Stage Productions
8 See also
9 References
10 External links

Life and career[edit]
1979–94: Early life and career beginnings[edit]
Norwood was born on February 11, 1979, in McComb, Mississippi, the daughter of Willie Norwood, a former gospel singer and choir director, and his wife, Sonja Norwood (née Bates), a former district manager for H&R Block.[5] She is the older sister of entertainer Ray J, as well as a first cousin of rapper Snoop Dogg.[6] Raised in a Christian home, Norwood started singing through her father's work as part of the local church choir, performing her first gospel solo at the age of two.[7] In 1983, her parents relocated to Los Angeles, California, where Norwood was schooled at the Hollywood High Performing Arts Center.[8] Norwood's interest in music and performing increased after becoming a fan of singer Whitney Houston at the age of seven,[9][10] but at school, she experienced trouble with persuading teachers to send her on auditions as she found no support among the staff.[8] Norwood began entering talent shows by the time she was eleven, and, as part of a youth singing group, performed at several public functions.[10]
In 1990, her talent led to a contract with Teaspoon Productions, headed by Chris Stokes and Earl Harris, who gave her work as a backing vocalist for their R&B boy band Immature, and arranged the production of a demo tape.[9][10] In 1993, amid ongoing negotiations with East West Records, Norwood's parents organized a recording contract with the Atlantic Recording Corporation after auditioning for the company's director of A&R Darryl Williams.[8] To manage her daughter, Norwood's mother soon resigned from her job,[9] while Norwood herself dropped out of Hollywood High School later, and was tutored privately from tenth grade on.[8] During the early production stages of her debut album, Norwood was selected for a role in the ABC sitcom Thea, portraying the daughter of a single mother played by comedienne Thea Vidale.[7] Broadcast to low ratings, the series ran for only one season, but earned her a Young Artists Award nomination for Outstanding Youth Ensemble alongside her co-stars.[11] Norwood recalled that she appreciated the cancellation of the show as she was unenthusiastic about acting at the time, and the taping caused scheduling conflicts with the recording of her album. She stated, "I felt bad for everybody else but me. It was a good thing, because I could do what I had to do, because I wanted to sing."[12][13]
1994–96: Brandy and Moesha[edit]
Williams hired producer Keith Crouch and R&B group Somethin' for the People to work with Norwood, and within eight months the team crafted Brandy.[13] A collection of street-oriented rhythm-and-blues with a hip hop edge,[10] whose lyrical content embraced her youthful and innocent image in public,[13] Norwood later summed up the songs on the album as young and vulnerable, stating, "I didn’t really know a lot—all I wanted to do was basically sing. You can just tell that it’s a person singing from a genuine place, and also a place of basically no experience. I was singing about being attracted to the opposite sex, but I had no experience behind it."[14] Released in September 1994, the album peaked at number twenty on the U.S. Billboard 200.[15] Critical reaction to Brandy was generally positive, with AllMusic writer Eddie Huffman declaring Brandy "a lower-key Janet Jackson or a more stripped-down Mary J. Blige [...] with good songs and crisp production."[16] Anderson Jones of Entertainment Weekly asserted, "Teen actress Norwood acts her age. A premature effort at best, that seems based on the philosophy 'If Aaliyah can do it, why can't I?'."[17]
Brandy went on to sell over six million copies worldwide,[18] and produced three top ten hits on the Billboard Hot 100, including "I Wanna Be Down" and "Baby", both of which reached the top of the Hot R&B Singles chart and were certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America.[19] "Brokenhearted", a duet with Wanya Morris of Boyz II Men, became a number-two hit on the charts.[15] The album earned Norwood two Grammy Award nominations for Best New Artist and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance the following year, and won her four Soul Train Music Awards, two Billboard Awards, and the New York Children's Choice Award.[11] In 1995, she finished a two-month stint as the opening act on Boyz II Men's national tour,[20] and contributed songs to the soundtracks of the films Batman Forever and Waiting to Exhale, with the single "Sittin' Up in My Room" becoming another top-two success.[15] In 1996, Norwood also collaborated with Tamia, Chaka Khan, and Gladys Knight on the single "Missing You", released from the soundtrack of the F. Gary Gray film Set It Off. The single won her a third Grammy nomination in the Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals category.[11]
In 1996, her short-lived engagement on Thea led Norwood to star in her own show, the UPN-produced sitcom Moesha. Appearing alongside William Allen Young and Sheryl Lee Ralph, she played the title role of Moesha Mitchell, a Los Angeles girl coping with a stepmother as well as the pressures and demands of becoming an adult.[21] Originally bought by CBS, the program debuted on UPN in January 1996, and soon became their most-watched show.[22] While the sitcom managed to increase its audience every new season and spawned a spin-off titled The Parkers, the network decided to cancel the show after six seasons on the air, leaving it ending with a cliffhanger for a scrapped seventh season.[23] Norwood was awarded an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Youth Actor/Actress for her performance.[11] In 1997, Brandy, Ray J and their parents, started The Norwood Kids Foundation, which helps disadvantaged, at-risk youths in Los Angeles and Mississippi through the Arts and self -help programs.[24]
Norwood attended Hollywood High Performing Arts Center, but studied with a private tutor from 10th grade on.[8] In 1996, she became a freshman at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California.[8] In 1996, she shared a short relationship with Los Angeles Lakers player Kobe Bryant, whom she accompanied to his prom at Lower Merion High School in Ardmore, Pennsylvania.[25][26] She also dated Boyz II Men lead singer Wanya Morris, whom she cited as her "first love."[27] Morris, who was six years older than her, reportedly ended their relationship a month before her nineteenth birthday.[28] Also during their work on the Never Say Never album, she briefly dated rapper Mase.[29]
1997–2000: Never Say Never and film career[edit]
In 1997, Norwood was hand-picked by producer Whitney Houston to play the title character in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s television version of Cinderella featuring a multicultural cast that also included Jason Alexander, Whoopi Goldberg, and Houston.[30] The two-hour Wonderful World of Disney special garnered an estimated 60 million viewers, giving the network its highest ratings in the time period in 16 years, and won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Art Direction for a Variety or Music Program the following year.[31]
Fledgling producer Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins was consulted to contribute to Norwood's second album Never Say Never, which was released in June 1998. Norwood co-wrote and produced six songs on the album which yielded her first number-one song on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, "The Boy Is Mine", a duet with singer Monica that has become the most successful song by a female duo in the music industry. Exploiting the media's presumption of a rivalry between the two young singers, the song was one of the most successful records in United States of all time,[32] spending a record-breaking thirteen weeks atop the Billboard charts, and eventually garnering the pair a Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal. The album's success was equally widespread, and after extensive radio play of the single overseas, the label released it globally during the summer. Never Say Never eventually became Norwood's biggest-selling album, selling over 16 million copies worldwide. Critics rated the album highly, with AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine praising Norwood and her team for wisely finding "a middle ground between Mariah Carey and Mary J. Blige—it's adult contemporary with a slight streetwise edge."[33] Altogether, the album spawned seven singles, including Norwood's second number-one song, the Diane Warren-penned "Have You Ever?"[15]
After backing out of a role in F. Gary Gray's 1996 film Set It Off,[34] Norwood made her big screen debut in the supporting role of Karla Wilson in the slasher film, I Still Know What You Did Last Summer.[34] The movie outperformed the original with a total of $16.5 million at its opening weekend, but critical reaction to the film was largely disappointing, with film review site Rotten Tomatoes calculating a poor rating of 7% based on 46 reviews.[35] Norwood, however, earned positive reviews for her "bouncy" performance,[36] which garnered her both a Blockbuster Entertainment Award and an MTV Movie Award nomination for Best Breakthrough Female Performance.[11] In 1999, she co-starred with Diana Ross in the telefilm drama Double Platinum about an intense, strained relationship between a mother and daughter.[37] Shot in only twenty days in New York City, both Norwood and Ross served as executive producers of the movie which features original songs from their respective albums Never Say Never (1998) and Every Day Is a New Day (1999), as well as previously unreleased duets.[37]
2001–04: Full Moon and motherhood[edit]
After a lengthy hiatus following the end of Moesha, and a number of tabloid headlines discussing her long-term battle with dehydration, Norwood returned to music in 2001, when she and brother Ray-J were asked to record a cover version of Phil Collins' 1990 hit "Another Day in Paradise" for the tribute album Urban Renewal: A Tribute to Phil Collins.[38] Released as the album's first single in Europe and Oceania, the song became an instant international success overseas, scoring top-ten entries on the majority of all charts it appeared on.[39]
Full Moon, Norwood's third studio album, was released in February 2002. It was composed of R&B and pop-oriented songs, many of them co-created with Jerkins, Warryn Campbell and Mike City. While its lead single "What About Us?" became a worldwide top-ten hit, the album's title track failed to chart or sell noticeably outside the United States and the United Kingdom, where it managed to enter the Top 20 chart.[40][41] Media reception was generally lukewarm, with Rolling Stone describing the album as "frantic, faceless, fake-sexy R&B."[42] Within the coming year, Norwood and Robert "Big Bert" Smith began writing and producing for other artists such as Toni Braxton, Kelly Rowland, and Kiley Dean.[43] Norwood's foray into reality television began in 2002 with the MTV series Diary Presents Brandy: Special Delivery; the show documented the final months of Norwood's pregnancy with her daughter Sy'rai.
During the production of the Full Moon album, Norwood became involved romantically with producer Robert "Big Bert" Smith. The couple began a relationship during the summer of 2001, but their relationship did not become known until February 2002, the same month Norwood revealed that she was expecting her first child. However, a year after the birth of their daughter Sy'rai Iman Smith on June 16, 2002—an event tracked by the four-part MTV reality series Brandy: Special Delivery—Norwood and Smith officially announced their separation.[44] It was not until 2004 that Smith revealed that the pair had never been legally wed, but that they had only portrayed the notion of nuptials to preserve Norwood's public image.[45] Norwood later stated that she regarded her relationship with Smith as a "spiritual union and true commitment to each other."[45]
By the following year, Norwood had begun a relationship with NBA guard Quentin Richardson, who was then playing for the Los Angeles Clippers. The couple soon became engaged in July 2004 but Norwood eventually ended their 15-month engagement in October 2005.[46] It was reported that Norwood had to get a tattoo of Richardson's face on her back transformed into a cat.[46] In 2010, she briefly dated rapper Flo Rida, though their mild flirtation did not lead to a romance.[47]
2004–06: Afrodisiac and America's Got Talent[edit]



 Norwood performing in a concert in July 2004.
Returning from yet another hiatus, Norwood's fourth album Afrodisiac was released in June 2004, amid the well-publicized termination of her short-lived business relationship with entertainment manager Benny Medina.[48] Norwood ended her contract with his Los Angeles-based Handprint Entertainment after less than a year of representation following controversies surrounding Medina's handling of the lead single "Talk About Our Love", and failed negotiations of a purported co-headlining tour with R&B singer Usher.[48] Despite the negative publicity, Afrodisiac became Norwood's most critically acclaimed album then,[49] with some highlighting the "more consistently mature and challenging" effect of Timbaland on Norwood's music,[50] and others calling it "listenable and emotionally resonant", comparing it to "Janet Jackson at her best."[51] A moderate seller, the album debuted at number three on the Billboard 200, but generally failed to chart or sell noticeably outside the United States.[52] "Talk About Our Love" reached number six in the United Kingdom, but subsequent singles failed to score successfully on the popular music charts.[53] Later that year, she guest-starred as Gladys Knight in the third season premiere of American Dreams, in which she performed "I Heard It Through the Grapevine".[54]
After eleven years with the company, Norwood asked for and received an unconditional release from Atlantic Records at the end of 2004, citing her wish "to move on" as the main reason for her decision.[55] Completing her contract with the label, a compilation album titled The Best of Brandy was released in March 2005. Released without any promotional single, it reached the top 30 in Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States, where the collection was appreciated by contemporary critics who noted the creativity of Norwood's back catalogue.[56] Andy Kellman of AllMusic expressed, "This set, unlike so many other anthologies from her contemporaries, hardly confirms dwindling creativity or popularity."[57] Thereupon she reportedly began shopping a new record deal under the auspices of Knockout Entertainment, her brother's vanity label.[58]
In February 2006, Norwood began appearing in a recurring role on UPN sitcom One on One, playing the sister to brother Ray J's character D-Mack.[59] In June, she was cast as one of three talent judges on the first season of America's Got Talent, an amateur talent contest on NBC executive-produced by Simon Cowell and hosted by Regis Philbin. The broadcast was one of the most-watched programs of the summer, and concluded on August 17, 2006 with the win of 11-year-old singer Bianca Ryan. Norwood was originally slated to return for a second season in summer 2007, but eventually decided not to, feeling that she "couldn't give the new season the attention and commitment it deserved," following the fatal 2006 car accident in which she was involved.[60] She was replaced by reality TV star Sharon Osbourne.[60]
2006–09: Fatal automobile accident and Human[edit]
Driving home on December 30, 2006, Norwood was involved in a fatal automobile accident on Los Angeles' San Diego (405) Freeway.[61] The accident claimed the life of 38-year-old Awatef Aboudihaj, the driver of the Toyota that was struck by Norwood's Range Rover. Aboudihaj died from her injuries at the L.A. Holy Cross Hospital the following day.[61] Norwood was neither arrested nor charged with vehicular manslaughter due to insufficient evidence.[61] Law enforcement officials reported that Norwood was driving her car at 65 miles per hour, and did not notice that vehicles ahead of her had slowed considerably. Her vehicle then collided with rear of Aboudihaj's, causing the Toyota to strike another vehicle before sliding sideways and impacting the center divider. As the Toyota came to a stop, it was hit by yet another vehicle.[62] A well-placed source in the California Highway Patrol, however, later reported that Aboudihaj actually struck the car in front of her and then slammed on her brakes before Norwood made contact. The sudden stop caused Norwood to hit Aboudihaj's car.[63] As confirmed, toxicology reports showed that Aboudihaj had "slight traces" of marijuana in her system at the time of the crash.[64]
 Wikinews has related news: US Singer Brandy involved in fatal car crash; sued for $50 million

In December 2007, Norwood's attorney Blair Berk stated that "after a more thorough and extensive investigation by authorities, the Los Angeles City Attorney has determined that Brandy Norwood should not be charged with any crime whatsoever relating to the accident back in 2006." She continued, "These past 12 months have posed an extraordinary hardship for Brandy and her family, who have been unfairly forced to live under a cloud of suspicion initially caused by the ill-advised and premature press release sent out by the California Highway Patrol accusing Brandy of wrongdoing before the police investigation was even finished. However, Brandy continues to be mindful that she was so fortunate to be uninjured in this accident and there was a life lost that should be remembered."[65] Meanwhile, speaking in May 2009, Norwood herself stated, "The whole experience did completely change my life, and I can say that I think I'm a better person from it. You know, I still don't understand all of it and why all of it happened, but I definitely have a heart, and my heart goes out to everyone involved. I pray about it every single day, and that's all I can really say on the subject."[66]
Nevertheless, there have been multiple lawsuits filed against Norwood, all of which were ultimately settled out of court by Brandy's civil attorney, Ed McPherson. Aboudihaj's parents filed a $50 million wrongful death lawsuit against Norwood. Filed on January 30, 2007,[67] the lawsuit was initially set to go to trial in April 2009,[68] but was eventually canceled as Norwood had settled extrajudicially with Aboudihaj's parents.[69] Aboudihaj's husband also filed a lawsuit against Norwood, suing her for an undisclosed amount of financial relief to cover medical and funeral expenses, as well as legal costs and other damages.[70] He rejected his part of a $1.2 million settlement offer in February 2009,[71] but did settle in November of that year.[72] The couple's two children, who also filed a lawsuit against Norwood, received $300,000 each, according to court documents filed in L.A. County Superior Court on June 2, 2009.[71] Two other drivers who were involved and injured in the accident also filed a lawsuit against Norwood.[73] They settled with Norwood for undisclosed amounts.[74]
Norwood's fifth studio album, Human, was released in December 2008, produced by Toby Gad, Brian Kennedy, and RedOne.[75][76] Distributed by Koch Records and Sony Music, the album marked Norwood's debut on the Epic Records label,[77] and her reunion with long-time contributor and mentor Rodney Jerkins, who wrote and executive produced most of the album.[75] Generally well received by critics, Human debuted at number fifteen on the U.S. Billboard 200 with opening week sales of 73,000 copies.[78] With a domestic sales total of 214,000 copies, it failed to match the success of its predecessors.[79] While lead-off single "Right Here (Departed)" scored Norwood her biggest chart success since 2002's "Full Moon", the album failed to impact elsewhere, resulting in lackluster sales in general and the end of her contract with the label, following the controversial appointment of Amanda Ghost as president of Epic Records, and Norwood's split with rapper Jay-Z's Roc Nation management.[80][81][82]
In December 2009, she officially introduced her rapping alter-ego Bran'Nu with two credits on Timbaland's album Timbaland Presents Shock Value 2,[1] and was cast in the pilot episode for the ABC series This Little Piggy, also starring Rebecca Creskoff and Kevin Rahm, which was recast the following year.[83]
2010–13: Return to acting and Two Eleven[edit]
In April 2010, Norwood and Ray J debuted in the VH1 reality series Brandy and Ray J: A Family Business along with their parents. The show chronicled the backstage lives of both siblings, while taking on larger roles in their family's management and production company, R&B Productions.[84] Executive produced by the Norwood family, the season concluded after eleven episodes, and was renewed for a second season, which began broadcasting in fall 2010.[85] A Family Business, a compilation album with previously unreleased content from the entire cast was released on Saguaro Road Records in June 2011.[86] Critics such as The Washington Post declared it an "awkward and adorable and really, really wholesome collection."[87] While the album failed to chart, it produced three promotional singles, including the joint track "Talk to Me".[88]



 Norwood in September 2010
In fall 2010, Norwood appeared as a contestant on season 11 of the ABC reality show Dancing with the Stars, partnered with Maksim Chmerkovskiy. She ultimately placed fourth in the competition, which was a shock to the judges, viewers, studio audience, and other contestants that considered her one of the show's frontrunners throughout the entire competition.[89] In August 2011, it was confirmed that Norwood had signed a joint record deal with RCA Records and producer Breyon Prescott's Chameleon Records.[90][91][92] In September, a new talent show, Majors & Minors, created by musician Evan Bogart, premiered on The Hub. It followed a group of young performers age 10–16 and their chance to be mentored by some established artists such as Norwood, Ryan Tedder and Leona Lewis.[93] Later that same year, Norwood returned to acting roles with recurring appearances on The CW's teen drama series 90210, and in the fourth season of the Lifetime's comedy series Drop Dead Diva, in which she played the role of Elisa Shayne.[94]
In 2012, Norwood joined the cast of the BET comedy series The Game, playing the recurring role of Chardonnay, a bartender.[95] With her role extended, she became a regular cast member by the next season.[96] In February, Norwood reteamed with Monica on "It All Belongs to Me", which was released as a single from the latter's album New Life.[97] Norwood's own comeback single "Put It Down" featuring singer Chris Brown was released later that year. The song reached number three on Billboard‍ '​s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, becoming her first top ten entry in ten years.[98] Her sixth album Two Eleven, which was released in October, saw a return to her authentic R&B sound, but with what Norwood described a "progressive edge".[99] A moderate commercial success, it was viewed as a humble comeback from Norwood, reaching number three on the US Billboard 200, and the top of the Billboard US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.[100] Over the holidays 2012, Norwood got engaged to music executive Ryan Press.[101]
In March 2013, Norwood returned to the big screen starring alongside an ensemble cast consisting of Jurnee Smollett-Bell, Lance Gross and Vanessa L. Williams in Tyler Perry's dramatic film Temptation: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor.[102] Norwood plays supporting character Melinda, a woman with a few secrets running from her past. The film received generally negative reviews from film critics but became a moderate US box office success.[103][104] In June 2013, Norwood signed with Creative Artists Agency, a prominent entertainment agency headquartered in Los Angeles.[105]
2014–present: Broadway, Zoe Moon, and upcoming seventh studio album[edit]
In April 2014, Norwood called off her engagement with Press following their breakup earlier that year.[106] In July, she was inducted as an honorary member of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority.[107] The same month, Norwood released a rerecorded version of Coldplay's song "Magic" to her TwitMusic account.[108][109] It peaked at number one on Billboard‍ '​s Trending 140 chart, less than 24 hours after its premiere.[110] In 2014, Norwood signed a deal with MBK Entertainment, a management company, where CEO Jeff Robinson will executive produce her forth-coming album expected to be released in 2015. So far Brandy has recruited songwriters and producers Kirby Lauryen, Swagg R’Celious, Diane Warren, Andrew “Pop” Wansel, Stacy Barthe, Ronald “Flip” Colson, Steve “Ace” Mostyn, and Warren “Oak” Felder.[111][112][113]
In March 2015, it was announced that Norwood will make her Broadway debut in Chicago at the Ambassador Theatre. For an eight-week run, she will play the role of Roxie Hart.[114] In April 2015, BET Network announced that Norwood is set to star in a new original scripted series, Zoe Moon. The romantic comedy will center around Norwood’s character, a newly divorced single mom embarking on her new life and career as a fledgling cosmetics mogul.[115]
Artistry[edit]
Themes and genres[edit]
Stylistically, Norwood's music has evolved since she debuted in 1994 at the age of 15. With her mother as manager and stylist, she developed a “good girl” image with a “hip-yet-wholesome” appeal.[116] At the beginning of her career, she often cited Whitney Houston, Janet Jackson, and Mariah Carey as her biggest musical inspirations, with Houston being her most prominent and personal influence.[117][118] Outside of Houston, she has cited singers Sade, Kim Burrell, Enya, and her father Willie Norwood as being her major vocal influences.[119]
Norwood’s initial sound was contemporary R&B, heavily rooted in gospel and soul music.[120] Her lyrics spoke of various types of love, from casual and friendly love to romantic and spiritual affairs.[120] Influenced by Houston and Carey, she incorporated a ballad-heavy style and an adult contemporary feel into her urban-pop sound for her second studio album Never Say Never.[33] Her third studio album Full Moon saw Norwood abandon her teenage appeal for a more adult and sensual edginess.[121] Along with her image, her voice had gone through a major change, trading her girlish rasp for a now deeper and warmer voice that had acquired a somewhat throatier, smoky edge.[122] The music also reflected the change, as songs like "When You Touch Me" and "Like This" explored more adult, sexual topics, and a sound that blended her previous urban-pop sound with heavy influences of UK garage, glitch, and metallic tones.[123]
In 2004, her recent motherhood, life experiences, and growing affinity for British rock band Coldplay, caused her to shift toward a more introspective outlook with her fourth studio album Afrodisiac, a venture with producer Timbaland into the experimental illbient aesthetic, which fuses ambient, dub, and breakbeat soundscapes with progressive sampling methods.[124] A four-year hiatus and a few life-changing occurrences caused Norwood to return to the music industry in late 2008 with Human, her fifth studio album, which discussed topics of spiritual love, genuine heartache and universal honesty, and musically explored combining her urban pop sound with elements of country and inspirational pop.[125] Experiencing a career and personal rejuvenation, Norwood was eager to scale back her previous pop venture and return to authentic R&B sound on her sixth studio album Two Eleven. The album was a melding of both Norwood's now-classic urban pop template and the bass-heavy trends of post-2000's contemporary hip-hop.[126]
Voice and timbre[edit]
Norwood is a contralto with a voice that has often been described as soft, raspy, and husky by music critics and Norwood herself.[127] Music critic and Slant Magazine writer Andrew Chan describes Norwood's vocal tone as having "an unusual mix of warmth and cold, hard edges". He further describes her vocal quality, saying, "Like little else in pop-music singing, Brandy's subtle manipulation of timbre and texture rewards close listening. [...] Her main claim of technical virtuosity has always been her long, cascading riffs, a skill many R&B die-hards revere her for."[128] Norwood is also noted for her use of multitrack recording to create intricate vocal arrangements and layering. Terry Sawyer of Pop Matters Online writes on this skill, remarking, "While it's been said that Brandy's voice isn't exactly a barn burner, it's not mentioned enough that she does more than enough with what she's got. She never leaves her voice hanging in spotlit scarcity, folding its variegated terracing, whispering out the lead track, shouting in the back-up, and piling each song with enough interlocking sounds to create the tightly packed illusion of vocal massiveness."[129]
Legacy and impact[edit]
See also: List of awards and nominations received by Brandy
Since her 1994 debut album, Norwood has won over 100 awards as a recording artist and sold over 40 million records worldwide.[130] The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) lists Norwood as one of the top selling artists in the United States, with 10.5 million certified albums.[4] Her song The Boy Is Mine is also one of the longest running number one songs in the United States, and is one of the best selling duets of all time. In 1999, Billboard ranked Norwood among the top 20 of the Top Pop Artists of the 1990s.[131] In 2010, Billboard included Norwood in their Top 50 R&B and Hip Hop Artists list of the past 25 years.[132] Norwood was one of the youngest artists nominated for the Grammy Award for Best New Artist.[133] Her second album Never Say Never appeared in the "Top 100 Certified Albums" list by the RIAA.[134]
Norwood's vocal stylings have had a significant impact on the music industry, most notably with contemporary R&B, pop and gospel genres, where she is often subjectively referred to as the "Vocal Bible".[135] Her work has influenced numerous artists, including Jessie J,[136] JoJo,[136] Bridget Kelly,[136] Olivia,[136] Emeli Sandé,[136] Jordin Sparks,[136] Tank,[136] Teyana Taylor,[136] and Elle Varner,[136] while Norwood's vocals have been praised by several of her peers, including Natasha Bedingfield,[136] Missy Elliott,[136] Jennifer Hudson,[136] Syleena Johnson,[136] Lil' Mo,[136] Brian McKnight,[136] Jill Scott,[136] Angie Stone,[136] and Tamia.[136] Additionally, on many occasions, Norwood has been thought of as a talented artist that music producers and songwriters have used to enhance their own artistic and creative energies.[137][138]
American neo soul singer Erykah Badu noted that her 1997 debut album, Baduizm, was partly influenced by Norwood's debut album,[139] while Barbadian singer Rihanna revealed in an interview with Entertainment Weekly that her 2007 album Good Girl Gone Bad was primarily influenced by Norwood, stating, "[Brandy] really helped inspire that album. I listened to [Afrodisiac] every day [while in the studio]."[140] Kelly Rowland cited Norwood, who also wrote and produced for Rowland's debut album, as one of the inspirations for her second studio album Ms. Kelly (2007).[141] Rock musician John Frusciante, former guitarist of rock group Red Hot Chili Peppers cited Norwood as the "main inspiration" behind the guitar work on Red Hot Chili Peppers' 2006 album, Stadium Arcadium.[142]
Other ventures[edit]
Endorsements[edit]
Brandy has had many endorsements in her career. In 1999, she became a CoverGirl,[143] appearing in a number of commercials. She also represented the brands Candie's in 1998 and DKNY in the Spring of 2000.[144][145][146] In the late 1990s Brandy was represented by Wilhelmina Agency, one of the leading modeling agencies in the industry.[146] In 1999, Mattell released the Brandy Doll. The doll featured Brandy in a reddish orange blouse and orange long skirt. Next to this, the Holiday Brandy Doll was released in 2000 along with another "Brandy Doll". Millions of the dolls were sold and they were one of the biggest selling toys for Mattel.[147] In 2005, Brandy became the spokesperson for Ultima, a company for hair weaves and wigs. As of 2014, she no longer represents them.[148][149]
Philanthropy[edit]
In 1996, Brandy along with her brother Ray J, created the Norwood Kids Foundation. The goal of NKF is to "To use Performing Arts as a catalyst to shape the youth of today into self-confident, disciplined, responsible, and caring individuals capable of making a positive impact in their communities."[150] In 1999 Brandy was the first international spokesman person for youth by UNICEF.[151] Norwood is also an avid supporter of the Make A Wish Foundation and RAINN.[152] In 2000, Brandy donated $100,000 to 2000 WATTS, an entertainment community center founded by singer Tyrese Gibson in the underprivileged community of Watts, California.[152] Brandy teamed up with Skecher's “Nothing Compares to Family” campaign in 2008.[153] In 2010 Brandy became involved with Get Schooled, a national non-profit mobile phone calls by celebrities to wake up students for school.[154][155] In 2014, Norwood teamed up with "text4baby", which spreads health and wellness to expecting moms via text message,[156] and became an honorary co-chairman of the 2014 Unstoppable Foundation.[157]
Discography[edit]
Main article: Brandy discography
Brandy (1994)
Never Say Never (1998)
Full Moon (2002)
Afrodisiac (2004)
Human (2008)
Two Eleven (2012)
Filmography[edit]
Main article: Brandy filmography
Stage Productions[edit]
Chicago (musical) (2015) (Broadway)
See also[edit]
Book icon Book: Brandy Norwood


Portal icon Brandy portal
Brandy videography
List of songs recorded by Brandy
List of awards and nominations received by Brandy

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43.Jump up ^ Johnson, Billy, Jr. (2002-04-25). "Brandy And Husband Write Songs For Toni Braxton And Kelly Rowland". Yahoo! Music. Retrieved 2009-06-06.
44.Jump up ^ LAUNCH Radio Networks (2003-06-27). "Brandy And Her Husband On The Outs?". Yahoo! Music. Retrieved 2008-10-04.
45.^ Jump up to: a b D'Angelo, Joe (2004-07-21). "Brandy's 'Ex-Husband' Says They Were Never Really Married". MTV News. Retrieved 2010-02-18.
46.^ Jump up to: a b "Brandy breaks off engagement". UPI News Service. Retrieved 2007-05-27.
47.Jump up ^ "Celibate Brandy is unlucky in love". WENN.com. Toronto Sun. 2010-10-20. Retrieved 2010-11-07.
48.^ Jump up to: a b "Brandy Leaves Medina". Breaking News. BreakingNews.ie. 2004-07-19. Retrieved 2007-05-27.
49.Jump up ^ "Afrodisiac (2004) by Brandy". Metacritic. Metacritic.com. Retrieved 2004-08-04.
50.Jump up ^ Sawyer, Terry. "Brandy -Afrodisiac (Atlantic)". PopMatters. PopMatters.com. Retrieved 2004-06-28.
51.Jump up ^ Kellman, Andy. "Afrodisiac review". AllMusic. Allmusic.com. Retrieved 2008-06-29.[dead link]
52.Jump up ^ Yahoo! Staff (2005-03-30). "Brandy To Release Greatest Hits Album". Yahoo! Music. Retrieved 2008-05-20.
53.Jump up ^ "Brandy and Kanye West – Talk About Our Love". aCharts.us. Retrieved 2008-04-26.
54.Jump up ^ "Star Tracks". People. 2004-09-20. Retrieved 2013-04-04.
55.Jump up ^ Rashbaum, Alyssa (2004-11-01). "Another Breakup For Brandy: This Time It's Her Label". MTV News. Retrieved 2010-06-20.
56.Jump up ^ Inskeep, Thomas (2005-04-13). "Brandy – The Best of Brandy – Review". Stylus. Retrieved 2010-03-02.
57.Jump up ^ Kellman, Andy. "The Best of Brandy review". AllMusic. Retrieved 2010-06-20.
58.Jump up ^ Josephs, Tasheka (2006-09-25). "Brandy Preps New Album". Vibe. Vibe.com. Retrieved 2008-09-09.
59.Jump up ^ Robertson, Ed (2006-05-14). "Memories: Brandy does ‘One on One’". Medialife. MedialifeMagazine.com. Retrieved 2008-09-09.
60.^ Jump up to: a b "'I'm Leaving America's Got Talent'". ContactMusic. ContactMusic.com. 2007-04-20. Retrieved 2007-04-21.
61.^ Jump up to: a b c "Brandy Tells Witness Fatal Crash Was Her Fault". TMZ.com. 2007-01-24. Retrieved 2010-02-04.
62.Jump up ^ "Brandy Car Accident". TMZ.com. Retrieved 2010-02-04.[dead link]
63.Jump up ^ "Brandy in the Clear". TMZ.com. 2007-12-28. Retrieved 2010-02-04.
64.Jump up ^ "Brandy Crash – Dead Woman at Fault?". TMZ.com. 2007-12-26. Retrieved 2010-02-04.
65.Jump up ^ "Brandy's Lawyer to CHP – You Did Her Wrong". TMZ.com. 2007-12-28. Retrieved 2010-02-04.
66.Jump up ^ "Brandy: Still Intoxicating". Bluesandsoul.com. Retrieved 2010-02-04.
67.Jump up ^ "Brandy Sued for $50 Million". TMZ.com. 2007-01-30. Retrieved 2010-02-04.
68.Jump up ^ "Brandy: Fatal Car Crash 'Changed My Life Forever' – omg! news on Yahoo!". Omg.yahoo.com. Retrieved 2010-02-04.
69.Jump up ^ "Brandy Settles with Final Crash Victim". TMZ.com. 2009-11-13. Retrieved 2010-02-04.
70.Jump up ^ "Victim's Husband Sues Brandy Over Fatal Crash". TMZ.com. 2007-05-03. Retrieved 2010-02-04.
71.^ Jump up to: a b "Brandy Settles Fatal Car Crash with Victim's Kids". TMZ.com. 2009-06-02. Retrieved 2010-02-04.
72.Jump up ^ Brandy Settles With Motorist Over Fatal Crash. E! Online. Retrieved on 2012-05-04.
73.Jump up ^ "Court Documents In Brandy Norwood Fatal Accident". RadarOnline.com. 2009-02-05. Retrieved 2010-02-04.
74.Jump up ^ "Brandy Settles Lawsuit with Crash Survivor". TMZ.com. 2009-07-14. Retrieved 2010-02-04.
75.^ Jump up to: a b Reid, Shaheem; Elias, Matt (2008-08-15). "Brandy Readies Human After Four-Year Hiatus". MTV News. VH1.com. Retrieved 2008-08-23.
76.Jump up ^ "Epic Records Readies the Release of 'Human'". Marketwatch.com. 2008-08-15. Retrieved 2008-08-15.
77.Jump up ^ Jones, Steve; Strauss, Gary (2008-08-15). "Coming Attractions: Remember Brandy? She's Coming Back". USA Today (USAToday.com). Retrieved 2008-08-15.
78.Jump up ^ Hasty, Katie (2008-12-17). "Taylor Swift Reclaims Billboard 200 Throne". Billboard. Billboard.com. Retrieved 2008-12-20.
79.Jump up ^ Ramirez, Erika (2012-10-12). "Brandy & Reps Talk 'Two Eleven' & Four-Year Hiatus". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 2012-10-27.
80.Jump up ^ Marie, Brianna (2008-05-20). "The Latest On Brandy Amidst Her European Tour". UrbanBridgez.com. Retrieved 2009-05-31.
81.Jump up ^ "That Grape Juice Interview: Brandy". ThatGrapeJuice.net. 2009-02-09. Retrieved 2009-05-14.
82.Jump up ^ "Jennifer Lopez Walks in Brandy's Louboutins". Rap-Up. Rap-Up.com. 2009-10-28. Retrieved 2009-12-01.
83.Jump up ^ Andreeva, Nellie (2009-04-15). "David Walton Asking '100 Questions' At NBC". Hollywood Reporter (HollywoodReporter.com). Retrieved 2009-04-16.[dead link]
84.Jump up ^ "Brandy & Ray J to Star with Family in VH1 Reality Series". Rap-Up.com. 2006-07-16. Retrieved 2010-02-04.
85.Jump up ^ Juzwiak, Rich (2010-11-15). "Brandy & Ray J: A Family Business Season 2 To Premiere Sunday, December 5". VH1.com. Retrieved 2012-12-29.
86.Jump up ^ Mitchell, Gail (2010-07-16). "Label Saguaro Road Widens To Encompass R&B And Gospel". Reuters. Retrieved 2008-10-04.
87.Jump up ^ Stewart, Allison (2011-07-22). "Album review: Brandy and Ray J, "A Family Business"". The Washington Post. The Washington Post Company. Retrieved 2012-12-29.
88.Jump up ^ Herrera, Monica (2010-09-20). "Brandy Talks Dancing with the Stars, Bristol Palin & New Music". Billboard. Billboard.com. Retrieved 2010-09-21.
89.Jump up ^ Chan, Anna. "'Dancing' cuts yet another front-runner". Theclicker.todayshow.com. Retrieved 2012-01-17.
90.Jump up ^ "Brandy Performs ‘Put It Down’ Live in Washington, D.C". Rap-Up.com. 2012-07-19. Retrieved 2012-08-15.
91.Jump up ^ "Brandy Hints at Drake Collaboration". Rap-Up.com. 2012-01-13. Retrieved 2012-01-17.
92.Jump up ^ "Brandy Signs with RCA/Chameleon Records". Rap-Up.com. 2011-08-22. Retrieved 2012-01-17.
93.Jump up ^ Halperin, Shirley (2011-09-23). "'Majors & Minors' Creator Evan Bogart on Junior Talents, What Justin Bieber Should Do Next (Q&A)". The Hollywood Reporter. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 2012-04-03.
94.Jump up ^ Bierly, Mandi (2011-08-21). "'Drop Dead Diva': Brandy talks return to acting". Entertainment Weekly.com. Retrieved 2012-03-03.
95.Jump up ^ Schutte, Lauren (2011-06-12). "Brandy's 'The Game' Character Arc Revealed". The Hollywood Reporter. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 2012-04-03.
96.Jump up ^ Puccio, Crystal (2013-03-27). "Brandy Norwood Calls The Game‘s Chardonnay Pitts "A Hot Mess"". VH1.com. Retrieved 2012-04-04.
97.Jump up ^ Carlson, Erin (2012-01-17). "Brandy and Monica Reunite For First New Single in 14 Years". The Hollywood Reporter. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 2012-04-03.
98.Jump up ^ "Chart Juice: Brandy's 'Put It Down' Marks Her First Top 10 in 10 Years". Billboard. Billboard.com. 2012-10-27. Retrieved 2012-12-10.
99.Jump up ^ "Producer Bangladesh Plots His Pop Domination, But Not Before Settling Differences". LA Times Blogs (Los Angeles Times). 2010-09-27. Retrieved 2010-10-03.
100.Jump up ^ Trust, Gary (2012-10-24). "Jason Aldean's 'Night Train' Rolls to No. 1 On Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved 2012-10-24.
101.Jump up ^ "Brandy Gets Engaged to Music Executive Ryan Press". Rap-Up. Rap-Up.com. 2012-12-28. Retrieved 2010-02-04.
102.Jump up ^ Sneider, Jeff (2011-11-01). "Brandy joins Tyler Perry's 'Marriage'". Variety (Variety.com). Retrieved 2011-11-03.
103.Jump up ^ "Temptation (2013)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 2013-04-03.
104.Jump up ^ "Tyler Perry's Temptation: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor (2013)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2013-10-08.
105.Jump up ^ Sun, Rebecca (2013-06-04). "Brandy Signs With CAA (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved 2013-06-04.
106.Jump up ^ Ravitz, Justin (2014-04-15). "Exclusive: Brandy, Fiance Ryan Press Split, End Engagement: "They Are No Longer Together"". US Weekly. Retrieved 2014-04-15.
107.Jump up ^ Hobdy, Dominique (2014-07-17). "Coffee Talk: Brandy Inducted as Honorary Member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.". Essence Magazine.
108.Jump up ^ "'Magic’ by Brandy". TwitMusic. 2014-07-12. Retrieved 2014-07-12.
109.Jump up ^ "New Music: Brandy – ‘Magic’ (Coldplay Cover)". Rap-Up. 2014-07-13. Retrieved 2014-07-14.
110.Jump up ^ "Twitter / RealTimeChart: 4everBrandy's cover of Coldplay's "Magic" hits No.1 on the Trending 140". Twitter. 2014-07-15. Retrieved 2014-07-15.
111.Jump up ^ Ward, Kieran (2013-10-21). "Brandy's Seventh Studio Album". That Grape Juice.
112.Jump up ^ Chapman, Maxine (2013-10-12). "Brandy admits 'Two Eleven' disappointment, talks next album". S2S Magazine.
113.Jump up ^ "Wave". Instagram. 2014-08-31.
114.Jump up ^ Maas, Jennifer. "Brandy to debut on Broadway as Roxie Hart in Chicago". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2015-12-25. Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
115.Jump up ^ Robertson, Iyana. "Kelly Rowland And Brandy Land New Shows On BET". Vibe. Retrieved 2015-04-25.
116.Jump up ^ Winfrey, Oprah. "Oprah Interviews Brandy & Her Mother". O, The Oprah Magazine. Oprah.com. Retrieved 2010-02-11.
117.Jump up ^ "Singer Brandy reflects on Michael Jackson". The Insider. TheInsider.com. Retrieved 2010-02-11.
118.Jump up ^ "Styles & Roman Interview With Brandy". YouTube. Retrieved 2010-02-11.
119.Jump up ^ "Up Close & Personal with Brandy 3/4". TrueExclusives at TrueExclusives.com. YouTube. Retrieved 2011-05-30.
120.^ Jump up to: a b "Brandy". Mississippi Musicians & Writers. Retrieved 2010-02-11.
121.Jump up ^ "Brandy Talks For A Minute Or Two... Pregnant & Glowing". YouTube. Retrieved 2010-02-11.
122.Jump up ^ Seymour, Craig (2002-03-22). "Brandy – Full Moon (2002)". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2010-06-11.
123.Jump up ^ Reid, Shaheem; Yago, Gideon (2002-02-25). "Fans Will Get A New Taste Of Brandy On Full Moon". MTV News. MTV.com. Retrieved 2010-02-11.
124.Jump up ^ Reid, Shaheem (2004-04-29). "Brandy Gets Love From Kanye, Timbaland On New Album". MTV News. MTV.com. Retrieved 2010-06-30.
125.Jump up ^ MacPherson, Alex (2008-12-05). "Human Review". The Guardian (London). Retrieved 2010-04-26.
126.Jump up ^ "TrueExclusives Interviews Brandy". True Exclusives (TrueExclusives.com). 2012-02-01. Retrieved 2012-03-03.
127.Jump up ^ Hall, Jennifer (October 16, 2012). "Album Review Brandy's "Two Eleven"". Power98fm. Retrieved November 2, 2012.
128.Jump up ^ Chan, Andrew (2012-10-14). "Album Review – Two Eleven (2012)". Slant Magazine. SlantMagazine.com. Retrieved 2012-11-26.
129.Jump up ^ Sawyer, Terry (2004-09-17). "Album Review – Afrodisiac (2004)". PopMatters. PopMatter.com. Retrieved 2010-06-30.
130.Jump up ^ [2],"Brandy Will Make Broadway Debut in 'Chicago',2015-24-03
131.Jump up ^ Daniels, Karu F. (2000-01-14). "Brandy Outdoes Herself With Multiplatinum Certifications". Yahoo! Music. Music.Yahoo.com. Retrieved 2007-07-29.
132.Jump up ^ "The Top 50 R&B / Hip-Hop Artists of the Past 25 Years – The Juice". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 2010-11-18. Retrieved 2012-01-17.
133.Jump up ^ "New Faces in Grammy Nominations – New York Times". Nytimes.com. 1996-01-05. Retrieved 2013-08-08.
134.Jump up ^ "Top 100 Albums – June 04, 2013". RIAA. Retrieved 2013-06-04.
135.Jump up ^ McGloster, Niki (2012-07-11). "Style Story: Dawn Richard". VIBE Vixen. Retrieved 2013-10-17.
136.^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r "Celebrities Congratulate Brandy on 20 Years & She Reacts!". TrueExclusives. 2013-10-16. Retrieved 2013-10-21.
137.Jump up ^ "Afrodisiac Album Review". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2010-06-30.
138.Jump up ^ S., Nathan. "Brandy – Human". DJBooth.net. Retrieved 2010-06-30.
139.Jump up ^ "ErykahBadoula: 28 Sep 12". Twitter. 2012-09-28. Retrieved 2012-09-30.
140.Jump up ^ Watson, Margeaux (2007-06-21). "Caribbean Queen". Entertainment Weekly (EW.com). Retrieved 2010-06-30.
141.Jump up ^ Moss, Corey (2006-09-27). "Kelly Rowland Scraps Sappy Story, Picks Up Snoop". MTV News. VH1.com. Retrieved 2010-06-30.
142.Jump up ^ Zimmerman, Shannon. "John Frusciante, The Empyrean". Spin Magazine. Spin.com. Retrieved 2010-06-30.
143.Jump up ^ "A Brand New Brandy - ABC News". Abcnews.go.com. Retrieved 2014-08-09.
144.Jump up ^ "Modeling". The Brandy Blog!. Retrieved 2014-08-09.
145.Jump up ^ [3][dead link]
146.^ Jump up to: a b "Brandy Does DKNY In NYC". MTV. 2000-03-28. Retrieved 2014-08-09.
147.Jump up ^ "Mattel To Issue Brandy Doll". MTV. 1999-06-30. Retrieved 2014-08-09.
148.Jump up ^ "Brandy shows off the new styles at Ultima Hair shoot '08". YouTube. Retrieved 2014-08-09.
149.Jump up ^ "Sensationnel Natural Protein Hair PRO 10 By BRANDY Weave". Hairqueen.com. Retrieved 2014-08-09.
150.Jump up ^ http://norwoodkids.org/about-us/
151.Jump up ^ "Brandy Named International Youth Spokesperson For UNICEF". MTV. 1999-07-29. Retrieved 2014-08-09.
152.^ Jump up to: a b "Charities & Community Service". The Brandy Blog!. Retrieved 2014-08-09.
153.Jump up ^ "Brandy teams up with Skechers for charity". Sandra Rose. 2008-07-25. Retrieved 2014-08-09.
154.Jump up ^ "About". Get Schooled. Retrieved 2014-08-09.
155.Jump up ^ [4][dead link]
156.Jump up ^ Sarie. "DO-GOODER: BRANDY NORWOOD PARTNERS WITH 'TEXT4BABY' TO HELP NEW MOMS - Black Celebrity Kids". Blackcelebkids.com. Retrieved 2014-08-09.
157.Jump up ^ "Brandy's PSA - We Are Unstoppable". YouTube. Retrieved 2014-08-09.
External links[edit]
 Wikimedia Commons has media related to Brandy Norwood.
 Wikiquote has quotations related to: Brandy
Official website
Brandy at AllMusic
Brandy at the Internet Movie Database
Brandy at AllMovie

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Whitney Houston

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This article is about the entertainer. For her 1985 eponymous album, see Whitney Houston (album).

Whitney Houston
Whitney Houston Welcome Home Heroes 1 cropped.jpg
Houston performing at Welcome Home Heroes with Whitney Houston in 1991

Born
Whitney Elizabeth Houston
August 9, 1963
Newark, New Jersey, U.S.
Died
February 11, 2012 (aged 48)
Beverly Hills, California, U.S.

Cause of death
 Drowning/drug overdose

Resting place
 Fairview Cemetery, Westfield, New Jersey, U.S.
Occupation
Singer ·
 model ·
 actress ·
 producer
 
Religion
Baptist
Spouse(s)
Bobby Brown (m. 1992–2007)
Children
Bobbi Kristina Brown
Parent(s)
John Russell Houston, Jr.
Cissy Houston
Relatives
Gary Garland (half-brother)
Dionne Warwick (cousin)
Dee Dee Warwick (cousin)
Leontyne Price (cousin)
Damon Elliott (nephew)
Awards
List of awards and nominations
Musical career
Genres
R&B ·
 pop ·
 soul ·
 gospel
 
Instruments
Vocals ·
 piano
 
Years active
1977–2012
Labels
Arista ·
 RCA
 
Associated acts
Cissy Houston ·
 Jermaine Jackson ·
 Aretha Franklin ·
 Bobby Brown ·
 Mariah Carey ·
 George Michael ·
 Brandy Norwood
 
Signature
Whitney's Signature.png
Website
whitneyhouston.com
Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012) was an American singer, actress, producer, and model. In 2009, Guinness World Records cited her as the most awarded female act of all time.[1] Houston is one of pop music's best-selling music artists of all-time, with an estimated 170–200 million records sold worldwide.[2][3] She released six studio albums, one holiday album and three movie soundtrack albums, all of which have diamond, multi-platinum, platinum or gold certification. Houston's crossover appeal on the popular music charts, as well as her prominence on MTV, starting with her video for "How Will I Know",[4] influenced several African American women artists who follow in her footsteps.[5][6]
Houston is the only artist to chart seven consecutive No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 hits.[7] She is the second artist behind Elton John and the only woman to have two number-one Billboard 200 Album awards (formerly "Top Pop Albums") on the Billboard magazine year-end charts.[8] Houston's 1985 debut album Whitney Houston became the best-selling debut album by a woman in history.[9] Rolling Stone named it the best album of 1986, and ranked it at number 254 on the magazine's list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.[9] Her second studio album Whitney (1987) became the first album by a woman to debut at number one on the Billboard 200 albums chart.[9]
Houston's first acting role was as the star of the feature film The Bodyguard (1992). The film's original 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. With the album, Houston became the first act (solo or group, male or female) to sell more than a million copies of an album within a single week period under Nielsen SoundScan system.[9] The album makes her the top female act in the top 10 list of the best-selling albums of all time, at number four. Houston continued to star in movies and contribute to their soundtracks, including the films Waiting to Exhale (1995) and The Preacher's Wife (1996). The Preacher's Wife soundtrack became the best-selling gospel album in history.[10]
On February 11, 2012, Houston was found dead in her guest room at the Beverly Hilton, in Beverly Hills, California. The official coroner's report showed that she had accidentally drowned in the bathtub, with heart disease and cocaine use listed as contributing factors.[11] News of her death coincided with the 2012 Grammy Awards and featured prominently in American and international media.[12]


Contents  [hide]
1 Life and career 1.1 1963–84: Early life and career beginnings
1.2 1985–86: Rise to international prominence
1.3 1987–91: Whitney, I'm Your Baby Tonight and "The Star Spangled Banner"
1.4 1992–94: Marriage, motherhood, and The Bodyguard
1.5 1995–97: Waiting to Exhale, The Preacher's Wife, and Cinderella
1.6 1998–2000: My Love Is Your Love and Whitney: The Greatest Hits
1.7 2000–05: Just Whitney and personal struggles
1.8 2006–12: Return to music, I Look to You, tour and film comeback
2 Death 2.1 Reaction 2.1.1 Pre-Grammy party
2.1.2 Further reaction and tributes

3 Artistry and legacy 3.1 Voice
3.2 Influence
3.3 Awards and achievements
4 Discography
5 Filmography
6 Tours and concerts
7 See also
8 References
9 Further reading
10 External links

Life and career
1963–84: Early life and career beginnings
Whitney Houston was born on August 9, 1963 in what was then a middle-income neighborhood in Newark, New Jersey.[13] She was the daughter of Army serviceman and entertainment executive John Russell Houston, Jr. (September 13, 1920 – February 2, 2003), and gospel singer Emily "Cissy" (Drinkard) Houston.[14] Her elder brother Michael is a singer, and her elder half-brother is former basketball player Gary Garland.[15][16] Her parents were both African American, and she was also said to have Native American and Dutch ancestry.[17] Through her mother, Houston was a first cousin of singers Dionne Warwick and Dee Dee Warwick. Her godmother was Darlene Love[18] and her honorary aunt was Aretha Franklin.[19][20] She met her honorary aunt at age 8, or 9, when her mother took her to a recording studio.[21] Houston was raised a Baptist, but was also exposed to the Pentecostal church. After the 1967 Newark riots, the family moved to a middle-class area in East Orange, New Jersey, when she was four.[22]
At the age of 11, Houston started performing as a soloist in the junior gospel choir at the New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, where she also learned to play the piano.[23] Her first solo performance in the church was "Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah".[24] When Houston was a teenager, she attended Mount Saint Dominic Academy, a Catholic girls' high school in Caldwell, New Jersey, where she met her best friend Robyn Crawford, whom she described as the "sister she never had".[25] While Houston was still in school, her mother continued to teach her how to sing.[5] Houston was also exposed to the music of Chaka Khan, Gladys Knight, and Roberta Flack, most of whom would have an influence on her as a singer and performer.[26]
Houston spent some of her teenage years touring nightclubs where her mother Cissy was performing, and she would occasionally get on stage and perform with her. In 1977, at age 14, she became a backup singer on the Michael Zager Band's single "Life's a Party".[27] In 1978, at age 15, Houston sang background vocals on Chaka Khan's hit single "I'm Every Woman", a song she would later turn into a larger hit for herself on her monster-selling The Bodyguard soundtrack album.[28][29] She also sang back-up on albums by Lou Rawls and Jermaine Jackson.[28]
In the early 1980s, Houston started working as a fashion model after a photographer saw her at Carnegie Hall singing with her mother. She appeared in Seventeen[30] and became one of the first women of color to grace the cover of the magazine.[31] She was also featured in layouts in the pages of Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Young Miss, and appeared in a Canada Dry soft drink TV commercial.[28] Her looks and girl-next-door charm made her one of the most sought after teen models of that time.[28] While modeling, she continued her burgeoning recording career by working with producers Michael Beinhorn, Bill Laswell and Martin Bisi on an album they were spearheading called One Down, which was credited to the group Material. For that project, Houston contributed the ballad "Memories", a cover of a song by Hugh Hopper of Soft Machine. Robert Christgau of The Village Voice called her contribution "one of the most gorgeous ballads you've ever heard."[32] She also appeared as a lead vocalist on one track on a Paul Jabara album, entitled Paul Jabara and Friends, released by Columbia Records in 1983.[33]
Houston had previously been offered several recording agencies (Michael Zager in 1980, and Elektra Records in 1981), but her mother declined the offers stating her daughter must first complete high school.[27][34] In 1983, Gerry Griffith, an A&R representative from Arista Records, saw her performing with her mother in a New York City nightclub and was impressed. He convinced Arista's head Clive Davis to make time to see Houston perform. Davis too was impressed and offered a worldwide recording contract which Houston signed. Later that year, she made her national televised debut alongside Davis on The Merv Griffin Show.[35]
Houston signed with Arista in 1983, but did not begin work on her album immediately.[1] The label wanted to make sure no other label signed the singer away. Davis wanted to ensure he had the right material and producers for Houston's debut album. Some producers had to pass on the project due to prior commitments.[36] Houston first recorded a duet with Teddy Pendergrass entitled "Hold Me" which appeared on his album, Love Language.[37] The single was released in 1984 and gave Houston her first taste of success, becoming a Top 5 R&B hit.[38] It would also appear on her debut album in 1985.
1985–86: Rise to international prominence
With production from Michael Masser, Kashif, Jermaine Jackson, and Narada Michael Walden, Houston's debut album Whitney Houston was released in February 1985. Rolling Stone magazine praised Houston, calling her "one of the most exciting new voices in years" while The New York Times called the album "an impressive, musically conservative showcase for an exceptional vocal talent."[39][40] Arista Records promoted Houston's album with three different singles from the album in the US, UK and other European countries. In the UK, the dance-funk "Someone for Me", which failed to chart in the country, was the first single while "All at Once" was in such European countries as the Netherlands and Belgium, where the song reached the top 5 on the singles charts, respectively.[41]
In the US, the soulful ballad "You Give Good Love" was chosen as the lead single from Houston's debut to establish her in the black marketplace first.[42] Outside the US, the song failed to get enough attention to become a hit, but in the US, it gave the album its first major hit as it peaked at No. 3 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, and No. 1 on the Hot R&B chart.[36] As a result, the album began to sell strongly, and Houston continued promotion by touring nightclubs in the US. She also began performing on late-night television talk shows, which were not usually accessible to unestablished black acts. The jazzy ballad "Saving All My Love for You" was released next and it would become Houston's first No. 1 single in both the US and the UK. She was then an opening act for singer Jeffrey Osborne on his nationwide tour. "Thinking About You" was released as the promo single only to R&B-oriented radio stations, which peaked at number ten on the US R&B Chart. At the time, MTV had received harsh criticism for not playing enough videos by black, Latino, and other racial minorities while favoring white acts.[43] The third US single, "How Will I Know", peaked at No. 1 and introduced Houston to the MTV audience thanks to its video. Houston's subsequent singles from this, and future albums, would make her the first African-American woman to receive consistent heavy rotation on MTV.[31]
By 1986, a year after its initial release, Whitney Houston topped the Billboard 200 albums chart and stayed there for 14 non-consecutive weeks.[44] The final single, "Greatest Love of All", became Houston's biggest hit at the time after peaking No. 1 and remaining there for three weeks on the Hot 100 chart, which made her debut the first album by a woman to yield three No. 1 hits. Houston was No. 1 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 woman to earn that distinction.[44] At the time, Houston released the best-selling debut album by a solo artist.[45] Houston then embarked on her world tour, Greatest Love Tour. The album had become an international success, and was certified 13× platinum (diamond) in the United States alone, and has sold 25 million copies worldwide.[46]
At the 1986 Grammy Awards, Houston was nominated for three awards including Album of the Year.[47] She was not eligible for the Best New Artist category due to her previous hit R&B duet recording with Teddy Pendergrass in 1984.[48] She won her first Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female for "Saving All My Love for You".[49] Houston's performance of the song during the Grammy telecast later earned her an Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program.[50]
Houston won seven American Music Awards in total in 1986 and 1987, and an MTV Video Music Award.[51][52] The album's popularity would also carry over to the 1987 Grammy Awards when "Greatest Love of All" would receive a Record of the Year nomination. Houston's debut album is listed as one of Rolling Stone‍ '​s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time and on The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's Definitive 200 list.[53][54] Houston's grand entrance into the music industry is considered one of the 25 musical milestones of the last 25 years, according to USA Today.[55] Following Houston's breakthrough, doors were opened for other African-American women such as Janet Jackson and Anita Baker to find notable success in popular music and on MTV.[56][57]
1987–91: Whitney, I'm Your Baby Tonight and "The Star Spangled Banner"
With many expectations, Houston's second album, Whitney, was released in June 1987. The album again featured production from Masser, Kashif and Walden as well as Jellybean Benitez. Many critics complained that the material was too similar to her previous album. Rolling Stone said, "the narrow channel through which this talent has been directed is frustrating".[58] Still, the album enjoyed commercial success. Houston became the first woman in music history to debut at number one on the Billboard 200 albums chart, and the first artist to enter the albums chart at number one in both the US and UK, while also hitting number one or top ten in dozens of other countries around the world. The album's first single, "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)", was also a massive hit worldwide, peaking at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and topping the singles chart in many countries such as Australia, Germany and the UK. The next three singles, "Didn't We Almost Have It All", "So Emotional", and "Where Do Broken Hearts Go" all peaked at number one on the US Hot 100 chart, which gave her a total of seven consecutive number one hits, breaking the record of six previously shared by The Beatles and the Bee Gees.[59][60] Houston became the first woman to generate four number-one singles from one album. Whitney has been certified 9× Platinum in the US for shipments of over 9 million copies, and has sold a total of 20 million copies worldwide.[61]
At the 30th Grammy Awards in 1988, Houston was nominated for three awards, including Album of the Year, winning her second Grammy for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)".[62][63] Houston also won two American Music Awards in 1988 and 1989, respectively, and a Soul Train Music Award.[64][65][66] Following the release of the album, Houston embarked on the Moment of Truth World Tour, which was one of the ten highest grossing concert tours of 1987.[67] The success of the tours during 1986–87 and her two studio albums ranked Houston No. 8 for the highest earning entertainers list according to Forbes magazine.[68] She was the highest earning African-American woman overall and the third highest entertainer after Bill Cosby and Eddie Murphy.[68]
Houston was a supporter of Nelson Mandela and the anti-apartheid movement. During her modeling days, the singer refused to work with any agencies who did business with the then-apartheid South Africa.[69][70] On June 11, 1988, during the European leg of her tour, Houston joined other musicians to perform a set at Wembley Stadium in London to celebrate a then-imprisoned Nelson Mandela's 70th birthday.[69] Over 72,000 people attended Wembley Stadium, and over a billion people tuned in worldwide as the rock concert raised over $1 million for charities while bringing awareness to apartheid.[71] Houston then flew back to the US for a concert at Madison Square Garden in New York City in August. The show was a benefit concert that raised a quarter of a million dollars for the United Negro College Fund.[72] In the same year, she recorded a song for NBC's coverage of the 1988 Summer Olympics, "One Moment in Time", which became a Top 5 hit in the US, while reaching number one in the UK and Germany.[73][74][75] With her world tour continuing overseas, Houston was still one of the top 20 highest earning entertainers for 1987–88 according to Forbes magazine.[76][77]



 Houston performing "Saving All My Love for You" on the Welcome Home Heroes concert in 1991
In 1989, Houston formed The Whitney Houston Foundation For Children, a non-profit organization that has raised funds for the needs of children around the world. The organization cares for homelessness, children with cancer or AIDS, and other issues of self-empowerment.[78] With the success of her first two albums, Houston was undoubtedly an international crossover superstar, the most prominent since Michael Jackson, appealing to all demographics. However, some black critics believed she was "selling out".[6] They felt her singing on record lacked the soul that was present during her live concerts.[30]
At the 1989 Soul Train Music Awards, when Houston's name was called out for a nomination, a few in the audience jeered.[79][80] Houston defended herself against the criticism, stating, "If you're gonna have a long career, there's a certain way to do it, and I did it that way. I'm not ashamed of it."[30] Houston took a more urban direction with her third studio album, I'm Your Baby Tonight, released in November 1990. She produced and chose producers for this album and as a result, it featured production and collaborations with L.A. Reid and Babyface, Luther Vandross, and Stevie Wonder. The album showed Houston's versatility on a new batch of tough rhythmic grooves, soulful ballads and up-tempo dance tracks. Reviews were mixed. Rolling Stone felt it was her "best and most integrated album".[81] while Entertainment Weekly, at the time thought Houston's shift towards an urban direction was "superficial".[82]
The album contained several hits: the first two singles, "I'm Your Baby Tonight" and "All the Man That I Need" peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart; "Miracle" peaked at number nine; "My Name Is Not Susan" peaked in the top twenty; "I Belong to You" reached the top ten of the US R&B chart and garnered Houston a Grammy nomination; and the sixth single, the Stevie Wonder duet "We Didn't Know", reached the R&B top twenty. The album peaked at number three on the Billboard 200 and went on to be certified 4× platinum in the US while selling twelve million total worldwide.
In 1990, Houston 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.
During the Persian Gulf War, Houston performed "The Star Spangled Banner" at Super Bowl XXV at Tampa Stadium on January 27, 1991.[83] This performance was later reported by those involved in the performance to have been lip synced[84] or to have been sung into a dead microphone while a studio recording previously made by Houston was played. Dan Klores, a spokesman for Houston, explained: "This is not a Milli Vanilli thing. She sang live, but the microphone was turned off. It was a technical decision, partially based on the noise factor. This is standard procedure at these events."[85] (See also Star Spangled Banner lip sync controversy.) 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 (José Feliciano's version reached No. 50 in November 1968).[86][87] Houston 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.[83][88][89]
Her rendition was critically acclaimed and is considered the benchmark for singers.[84][90] Rolling Stone commented that "her singing stirs such strong patriotism. Unforgettable", and the performance ranked No. 1 on the 25 most memorable music moments in NFL history list. VH1 listed the performance as one of the greatest moments that rocked TV.[91][92] Following the attacks on 9/11, it was released again by Arista Records, all profits going towards 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.[93]
Later in 1991, Houston put together her 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.[94] Houston's concert gave HBO its highest ratings ever.[95] She then embarked on the I'm Your Baby Tonight World Tour.
1992–94: Marriage, motherhood, and The Bodyguard
Throughout the 1980s, Houston was romantically linked to American football star Randall Cunningham and actor Eddie Murphy, whom she dated.[96] She then met R&B singer Bobby Brown at the 1989 Soul Train Music Awards. After a three-year courtship, the two were married on July 18, 1992.[97] On March 4, 1993, Houston gave birth to their daughter Bobbi,[98] the couple's only child. Brown would go on to have several run-ins with the law, including some jail time.[97]
With the commercial success of her albums, movie offers poured in, including offers to work with Robert De Niro, Quincy Jones, and Spike Lee; but Houston felt the time wasn't right.[96] Houston's first film role was in The Bodyguard, released in 1992 and co-starring Kevin Costner. Houston played Rachel Marron, a star who is stalked by a crazed fan and hires a bodyguard to protect her. USA Today listed it as one of the 25 most memorable movie moments of the last 25 years in 2007.[99] Houston's mainstream appeal allowed people to look at the movie color-blind.[100]
Still, controversy arose as some felt the film's advertising intentionally hid Houston's face to hide the film's interracial relationship. In an interview with Rolling Stone in 1993, the singer commented that "people know who Whitney Houston is – I'm black. You can't hide that fact."[26] Houston received a Razzie Award nomination for Worst Actress. The Washington Post said Houston is "doing nothing more than playing Houston, comes out largely unscathed if that is possible in so cockamamie an undertaking",[101] and The New York Times commented that she lacked passion with her co-star.[102] Despite the film's mixed reviews, it was hugely successful at the box office, grossing more than $121 million in the U.S. and $410 million worldwide, making it one of the top 100 grossing films in film history at its time of release, though it is no longer in the top 100 due to rising ticket prices since the time the film was released.[103]
The film's soundtrack also enjoyed big success. Houston executive produced and contributed six songs for the motion picture's adjoining soundtrack album. Rolling Stone said it is "nothing more than pleasant, tasteful and urbane".[104] The soundtrack's lead single was "I Will Always Love You", written and originally recorded by Dolly Parton in 1974. Houston's version of the song was acclaimed by many critics, regarding it as her "signature song" or "iconic performance". Rolling Stone and USA Today called her rendition "the tour-de-force".[105][106] The single peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for a then-record-breaking 14 weeks, number one on the R&B chart for a then-record-breaking 11 weeks, and number one on the Adult Contemporary charts for five weeks.[107]
The single was certified 4× platinum by the RIAA, making Houston the first woman with a single to reach that level in the RIAA history and becoming the best-selling single by a woman in the US.[108][109][110] The song also became a global success, hitting number-one in almost all countries, and the best-selling single of all time by a female solo artist with 20 million copies sold.[111][112] The soundtrack topped the Billboard 200 chart and remained there for 20 non-consecutive weeks, the longest tenure by any album on the chart in the Nielsen SoundScan era, and became one of the fastest selling albums ever.[113] During Christmas week of 1992, the soundtrack sold over a million copies within a week, becoming the first album to achieve that feat under Nielsen SoundScan system.[114][115] With the follow-up singles "I'm Every Woman", a Chaka Khan cover, and "I Have Nothing" both reaching the top five, Houston became the first woman to ever have three singles in the Top 11 simultaneously.[116][117][118] The album was certified 17× platinum in the US alone,[119] with worldwide sales of 44 million,[120] making The Bodyguard the biggest-selling album by a female act on the list of the world's Top 10 best-selling albums, topping Shania Twain's 40 million sold for Come On Over.[121]
Houston won three Grammys for the album in 1994, including two of the Academy's highest honors, Album of the Year and Record of the Year. In addition, she won a record 8 American Music Awards at that year's ceremony including the Award of Merit,[122] 11 Billboard Music Awards, 3 Soul Train Music Awards in 1993–94 including Sammy Davis, Jr. Award as Entertainer of the Year,[123] 5 NAACP Image Awards including Entertainer of the Year,[124][125][126] a record 5 World Music Awards,[127] and a BRIT award.[128] Following the success of the project, Houston embarked on another expansive global tour, The Bodyguard World Tour, in 1993–94. Her concerts, movie, and recording grosses made her the third highest earning female entertainer of 1993–94, just behind Oprah Winfrey and Barbra Streisand according to Forbes magazine.[129] Houston placed in the top five of Entertainment Weekly‍ '​s annual "Entertainer of the Year" ranking[130] and was labeled by Premiere magazine as one of the 100 most powerful people in Hollywood.[131]
In October 1994, Houston attended and performed at a state dinner in the White House honoring newly elected South African president Nelson Mandela.[132][133] At the end of her world tour, Houston performed three concerts in South Africa to honor President Mandela, playing to over 200,000 people. This would make the singer the first major musician to visit the newly unified and apartheid free nation following Mandela's winning election.[134] The concert was broadcast live on HBO with funds of the concerts being donated to various charities in South Africa. The event was considered the nation's "biggest media event since the inauguration of Nelson Mandela".[135]
1995–97: Waiting to Exhale, The Preacher's Wife, and Cinderella
In 1995, Houston starred alongside Angela Bassett, Loretta Devine, and Lela Rochon in her second film, Waiting to Exhale, a motion picture about four African-American women struggling with relationships. Houston played the lead character Savannah Jackson, a TV producer in love with a married man. She chose the role because she saw the film as "a breakthrough for the image of black women because it presents them both as professionals and as caring mothers".[136] After opening at number one and grossing $67 million in the US at the box office and $81 million worldwide,[137] it proved that a movie primarily targeting a black audience can cross over to success, while paving the way for other all-black movies such as How Stella Got Her Groove Back and the Tyler Perry movies that became popular in the 2000s.[138][139][140] The film is also notable for its portrayal of black women as strong middle class citizens rather than as stereotypes.[141] The reviews were mainly positive for the ensemble cast. The New York Times said: "Ms. Houston has shed the defensive hauteur that made her portrayal of a pop star in 'The Bodyguard' seem so distant."[142] Houston was nominated for an NAACP Image Award for "Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture", but lost to her co-star Bassett.[143]
The film's accompanying soundtrack, Waiting to Exhale: Original Soundtrack Album, was produced by Houston and Babyface. Though Babyface originally wanted Houston to record the entire album, she declined. Instead, she "wanted it to be an album of women with vocal distinction", and thus gathered several African-American female artists for the soundtrack, to go along with the film's message about strong women.[136] Consequently, the album featured a range of contemporary R&B female recording artists along with Houston, such as Mary J. Blige, Brandy, Toni Braxton, Aretha Franklin, and Patti LaBelle. Houston's "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)" peaked at No. 1, and then spent a record eleven weeks at the No. 2 spot and eight weeks on top of the R&B Charts. "Count On Me", a duet with CeCe Winans, hit the US Top 10; and Houston's third contribution, "Why Does It Hurt So Bad", made the Top 30. The album debuted at No. 1, and was certified 7× Platinum in the United States, denoting shipments of seven million copies.[61] The soundtrack received strong reviews; as Entertainment Weekly stated: "the album goes down easy, just as you'd expect from a package framed by Whitney Houston tracks... the soundtrack waits to exhale, hovering in sensuous suspense"[144] and has since ranked it as one of the 100 Best Movie Soundtracks.[145] Later that year, Houston's children's charity organization was awarded a VH1 Honor for all the charitable work.[146]
In 1996, Houston starred in the holiday comedy The Preacher's Wife, with Denzel Washington. She plays a gospel-singing wife of a pastor (Courtney B. Vance). It was largely an updated remake of the film "The Bishop's Wife" (1948 in film|1948), which starred Loretta Young, David Niven, and Cary Grant. Houston earned $10 million for the role, making her one of the highest-paid actresses in Hollywood at the time and the highest earning African-American actress in Hollywood.[147] The movie, with its all African-American cast, was a moderate success, earning approximately $50 million at the U.S. box offices.[148] The movie gave Houston her strongest reviews so far. The San Francisco Chronicle said Houston "is rather angelic herself, displaying a divine talent for being virtuous and flirtatious at the same time", and she "exudes gentle yet spirited warmth, especially when praising the Lord in her gorgeous singing voice".[149] Houston was again nominated for an NAACP Image Award and won for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture.[150]
Houston recorded and co-produced, with Mervyn Warren, the film's accompanying gospel soundtrack. The Preacher's Wife: Original Soundtrack Album included six gospel songs with Georgia Mass Choir that were recorded at the Great Star Rising Baptist Church in Atlanta. Houston also duetted with gospel legend Shirley Caesar. The album sold six million copies worldwide and scored hit singles with "I Believe in You and Me" and "Step by Step", becoming the largest selling gospel album of all time.[151] The album received mainly positive reviews. Some critics, such as that of USA Today, noted the presence of her emotional depth,[152] while The Times said, "To hear Houston going at full throttle with the 35 piece Georgia Mass Choir struggling to keep up is to realise what her phenomenal voice was made for".[153]
In 1997, Houston's production company changed its name to BrownHouse Productions and was joined by Debra Martin Chase. Their goal was "to show 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.[154] Their first project was a made-for-television remake of Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella. In addition to co-producing, Houston starred in the movie as the Fairy Godmother along with Brandy, Jason Alexander, Whoopi Goldberg, and Bernadette Peters. Houston was initially offered the role of Cinderella in 1993, but other projects intervened.[155] The film is notable for its multi-racial cast and nonstereotypical message.[156] An estimated 60 million viewers tuned into the special giving ABC its highest TV ratings in 16 years.[157] The movie received seven Emmy nominations including Outstanding Variety, Musical or Comedy, while winning Outstanding Art Direction in a Variety, Musical or Comedy Special.[158]
Houston and 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. Houston wanted the story told with dignity and honor.[154] However, Halle Berry also had rights to the project and got her version going first.[159] Later that year, Houston paid tribute to her idols, such as Aretha Franklin, Diana Ross, and Dionne Warwick, by performing their hits during the three-night HBO Concert Classic Whitney Live from Washington, D.C.. The special raised over $300,000 for the Children's Defense Fund.[160] Houston received the Quincy Jones Award for outstanding career achievements in the field of entertainment at the 12th Soul Train Music Awards.[161][162]
1998–2000: My Love Is Your Love and Whitney: The Greatest Hits
After spending much of the early and mid-1990s working on motion pictures and their soundtrack albums, Houston's first studio album in eight years, the critically acclaimed My Love Is Your Love, was released in November 1998. Though originally slated to be a greatest hits album with a handful of new songs, recording sessions were so fruitful that a new full-length studio album was released. Recorded and mixed in only six weeks, it featured production from Rodney Jerkins, Wyclef Jean and Missy Elliott. The album debuted at number thirteen, its peak position, on the Billboard 200 chart.[163] It had a funkier and edgier sound than past releases and saw Houston handling urban dance, hip hop, mid-tempo R&B, reggae, torch songs, and ballads all with great dexterity.[164]
From late 1998 to early 2000, the album spawned several hit singles: "When You Believe" (US No. 15, UK No. 4), a duet with Mariah Carey for 1998's The Prince of Egypt soundtrack, which also became an international hit as it peaked in the Top 10 in several countries and won an Academy Award for Best Original Song;[165] "Heartbreak Hotel" (US No. 2, UK No. 25) featured Faith Evans and Kelly Price, received a 1999 MTV VMA nomination for Best R&B Video,[166] and number one on the US R&B chart for seven weeks; "It's Not Right but It's Okay" (US No. 4, UK No. 3) won Houston her sixth Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance;[167] "My Love Is Your Love" (US No. 4, UK No. 2) with 3 million copies sold worldwide;[168] and "I Learned from the Best" (US No. 27, UK No. 19).[169][170] These singles became international hits as well, and all the singles, except "When You Believe", became number one hits on the Billboard Hot Dance/Club Play chart. The album sold four million copies in America, making it certified 4× platinum, and a total of eleven million copies worldwide.[46]
The album gave Houston some of her strongest reviews ever. Rolling Stone said Houston was singing "with a bite in her voice"[171] and The Village Voice called it "Whitney's sharpest and most satisfying so far".[172] In 1999, Houston participated in VH-1's Divas Live '99, alongside Brandy, Mary J. Blige, Tina Turner, and Cher. The same year, Houston hit the road with her 70 date My Love Is Your Love World Tour. The European leg of the tour was Europe's highest grossing arena tour of the year.[173] In November 1999, Houston was named Top-selling R&B Female Artist of the Century with certified US sales of 51 million copies at the time and The Bodyguard Soundtrack was named the Top-selling Soundtrack Album of the Century by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[174] She also won The Artist of the Decade, Female award for extraordinary artistic contributions during the 1990s at the 14th Soul Train Music Awards, and an MTV Europe Music Award for Best R&B.[175][176][177][178][179]
In May 2000, Whitney: The Greatest Hits was released worldwide. The double disc set peaked at number five in the United States, reaching number one in the United Kingdom.[170][180] In addition, the album reached the Top 10 in many other countries.[181] While ballad songs were left unchanged, the album features house/club remixes of many of Houston's up-tempo hits. Included on the album were four new songs: "Could I Have This Kiss Forever" (a duet with Enrique Iglesias), "Same Script, Different Cast" (a duet with Deborah Cox), "If I Told You That" (a duet with George Michael), and "Fine", and three hits that had never appeared on a Houston album: "One Moment in Time", "The Star Spangled Banner", and "If You Say My Eyes Are Beautiful", a duet with Jermaine Jackson from his 1986 Precious Moments album.[182] Along with the album, an accompanying VHS and DVD was released featuring the music videos to Houston's greatest hits, as well as several hard-to-find live performances including her 1983 debut on The Merv Griffin Show, and interviews.[183] The greatest hits album was certified 3× platinum in the US, with worldwide sales of 10 million.[184][185]
2000–05: Just Whitney and personal struggles
Though Houston was seen as a "good girl" with a perfect image in the 1980s and early 1990s, by the late 1990s, her behavior changed. She was often hours late for interviews, photo shoots and rehearsals, and canceling concerts and talk-show appearances.[186][187] With the missed performances and weight loss, rumors about Houston using drugs with her husband circulated. On January 11, 2000, airport security guards discovered marijuana in both Houston's and husband Bobby Brown's luggage at a Hawaii airport, but the two boarded the plane and departed before authorities could arrive. Charges were later dropped against them,[188] but rumors of drug usage between the couple would continue to surface. Two months later, Clive Davis was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Houston had been scheduled to perform at the event, but failed to show up.[189]
Shortly thereafter, Houston was scheduled to perform at the Academy Awards but was fired from the event by musical director and longtime friend Burt Bacharach. Her publicist cited throat problems as the reason for the cancellation. In his book The Big Show: High Times and Dirty Dealings Backstage at the Academy Awards, author Steve Pond revealed that "Houston's voice was shaky, she seemed distracted and jittery, and her attitude was casual, almost defiant", and that while Houston was to sing "Over the Rainbow", she would start singing a different song.[190] Houston later admitted to having been fired.[191] Later that year, Houston's long-time executive assistant and friend, Robyn Crawford, resigned from Houston's management company.[189]
In August 2001, Houston signed the biggest record deal in music history with Arista/BMG. She renewed her contract for $100 million to deliver six new albums, on which she would also earn royalties.[192][193][194] She later made an appearance on Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Special. Her extremely thin frame further spurred rumors of drug use. Houston's publicist said, "Whitney has been under stress due to family matters, and when she is under stress she doesn't eat."[195] The singer was scheduled for a second performance the following night but canceled.[196] Within weeks, Houston's rendition of "The Star Spangled Banner" would be re-released after the September 11 attacks, with the proceeds donated to the New York Firefighters 9/11 Disaster Relief Fund and the New York Fraternal Order of Police.[197] The song peaked at No. 6 this time on the US Hot 100, topping its previous position.[169]
In 2002, Houston became involved in a legal dispute with John Houston Enterprise. Although the company was started by her father to manage her career, it was actually run by company president Kevin Skinner. Skinner filed a breach-of-contract lawsuit and sued for $100 million (but lost), stating that Houston owed the company previously unpaid compensation for helping to negotiate her $100 million contract with Arista Records and for sorting out legal matters.[198] Houston stated that her 81-year-old father had nothing to do with the lawsuit. Although Skinner tried to claim otherwise, John Houston never appeared in court.[199] Houston's father later died in February 2003.[200] The lawsuit was dismissed on April 5, 2004, and Skinner was awarded nothing.[201]
Also in 2002, Houston did an interview with Diane Sawyer to promote her then-upcoming album. During the prime-time special, Houston spoke on topics including rumored drug use and marriage. She was asked about the ongoing drug rumors and replied, "First of all, let's get one thing straight. Crack is cheap. I make too much money to ever smoke crack. Let's get that straight. Okay? We don't do crack. We don't do that. Crack is whack."[191] The line was from Keith Haring's mural which was painted in 1986 on the handball court at 128th Street and 2nd Avenue.[202] Houston did, however, admit to using other substances at times, including cocaine.[191]
In December 2002, Houston released her fifth studio album, Just Whitney.... The album included productions from then-husband Bobby Brown, as well as Missy Elliott and Babyface, and marked the first time that Houston did not produce with Clive Davis as Davis had been released by top management at BMG. Upon its release, Just Whitney... received mixed reviews.[203] The album debuted at number 9 on the Billboard 200 chart and it had the highest first week sales of any album Houston had ever released.[204] The four singles released from the album did not fare well on the Billboard Hot 100, but became dance chart hits. Just Whitney... was certified platinum in the United States, and sold approximately three million worldwide.[205]
On a June 2003 trip to Israel, Houston said of her visit, "I've never felt like this in any other country. I feel at home, I feel wonderful."[206]
In late 2003, Houston released her first Christmas album One Wish: The Holiday Album, with a collection of traditional holiday songs. Houston produced the album with Mervyn Warren and Gordon Chambers. A single titled "One Wish (for Christmas)" reached the Top 20 on the Adult Contemporary chart, and the album was certified gold in the US. Having always been a touring artist, Houston spent most of 2004 touring and performing in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Russia. In September 2004, she gave a surprise performance at the World Music Awards in a tribute to long-time friend Clive Davis. After the show, Davis and Houston announced plans to go into the studio to work on her new album.[207]
In early 2004, husband Bobby Brown starred in his own reality TV program, Being Bobby Brown on the Bravo network, which provided a view into the domestic goings-on in the Brown household. Though it was Brown's vehicle, Houston was a prominent figure throughout the show, receiving as much screen time as Brown. The series aired in 2005 and featured Houston in, what some would say, not her most flattering moments. The Hollywood Reporter said it was "undoubtedly the most disgusting and execrable series ever to ooze its way onto television."[208] Despite the perceived train-wreck nature of the show, the series gave Bravo its highest ratings in its time slot and continued Houston's successful forays into film and television.[209] The show was not renewed for a second season after Houston stated that she would no longer appear in it, and Brown and Bravo could not come to an agreement for another season.[210]
2006–12: Return to music, I Look to You, tour and film comeback
After years of controversy and turmoil, Houston separated from Bobby Brown in September 2006, filing for divorce the following month.[211] On February 1, 2007, Houston asked the court to fast track their divorce.[212] The divorce was finalized on April 24, 2007, with Houston granted custody of the couple's daughter.[213] On May 4, Houston sold the suburban Atlanta home featured in Being Bobby Brown for $1.19 million.[214] A few days later, Brown sued Houston in Orange County, California court in an attempt to change the terms of their custody agreement. Brown also sought child and spousal support from Houston. In the lawsuit, Brown claimed that financial and emotional problems prevented him from properly responding to Houston's divorce petition.[215] Brown lost at his court hearing as the judge dismissed his appeal to overrule the custody terms, leaving Houston with full custody and Brown with no spousal support.[216] In March 2007, Clive Davis of Arista Records announced that Houston would begin recording a new album.[217] In October 2007, Arista released another compilation The Ultimate Collection outside the United States.[218]



 Houston performing "My Love Is Your Love" with her daughter Bobbi Kristina Brown on Good Morning America, September 1, 2009
Houston gave her first interview in seven years in September 2009, appearing on Oprah Winfrey's season premiere. The interview was billed as "the most anticipated music interview of the decade".[219] Whitney admitted on the show to using drugs with former husband Bobby Brown, who "laced marijuana with rock cocaine".[220] She told Oprah that before The Bodyguard her drug use was light, but after the film's success and the birth of her daughter it got heavier, and by 1996 "[doing drugs] was an everyday thing... I wasn't happy by that point in time. I was losing myself."[221]
Houston released her new album, I Look to You, in August 2009.[222] The album's first two singles were the title track "I Look to You" and "Million Dollar Bill". The album entered the Billboard 200 at No. 1, with Houston's best opening week sales of 305,000 copies, marking Houston's first number one album since The Bodyguard, and Houston's first studio album to reach number one since 1987's Whitney. Houston also appeared on European television programs 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 guest mentor on The X Factor in the United Kingdom. She performed "Million Dollar Bill" on the following day's results show, completing the song even as a strap in the back of her dress popped open two minutes into the performance. She later commented that she "sang [herself] out of [her] clothes".
The performance was poorly received by the British media, and was variously described as "weird" and "ungracious",[223] "shambolic"[224] and a "flop". Despite this reception, "Million Dollar Bill" jumped to its peak from 14 to number 5 (her first UK top 5 for over a decade), and three weeks after release I Look to You went gold. Houston appeared on the Italian version of The X Factor, also performing "Million Dollar Bill", this time to excellent reviews.[225] Houston was later awarded a Gold certificate for achieving over 50,000 CD sales of I Look to You in Italy.[226] In November, Houston performed "I Didn't Know My Own Strength" at the 2009 American Music Awards in Los Angeles, California. Two days later, Houston performed "Million Dollar Bill" and "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)" on the Dancing with the Stars season 9 finale. As of December 2009, I Look to You has been certified platinum by the RIAA for sales of more than one million copies in the United States.[227] On January 26, 2010, her debut album was re-released in a special edition entitled Whitney Houston – The Deluxe Anniversary Edition.[228]



 Whitney Houston at the O2 Arena, April 28, 2010, as part of her Nothing but Love World Tour
Houston later embarked 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. However, some poor reviews and rescheduled concerts brought some negative media attention.[229][230] Houston canceled some concerts due to illness and received widespread negative reviews from fans who were disappointed in the quality of her voice and performance. Some fans reportedly walked out of her concerts.[231]
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. In April 2010, the UK newspaper The Mirror reported that Houston was thinking about recording her eighth studio album and wanted to collaborate with will.i.am (of The Black Eyed Peas), her first choice for a collaboration.[232]
Houston also performed the song "I Look to You" on the 2011 BET Celebration of Gospel, with gospel–jazz singer Kim Burrell, held at the Staples Center, Los Angeles. The performance aired on January 30, 2011. Early in 2011, she gave an uneven performance in tribute to cousin Dionne Warwick at music mogul Clive Davis' annual pre-Grammy gala. In May 2011, Houston enrolled in a rehabilitation center again, as an out-patient, citing drug and alcohol problems. A representative for Houston said that it was a part of Houston's "longstanding recovery process".[233]
In September 2011, The Hollywood Reporter announced that Houston would produce and star alongside Jordin Sparks and Mike Epps in the remake of the 1976 film Sparkle. In the film, Houston portrays Sparks' "not-so encouraging" mother. Houston is also credited as an executive producer of the film. Debra Martin Chase, producer of Sparkle, stated that Houston deserved the title considering she had been there from the beginning in 2001, when Houston obtained Sparkle production rights. R&B singer Aaliyah – originally tapped to star as Sparkle – died in a 2001 plane crash. Her death derailed production, which would have begun in 2002.[234][235][236] Houston's remake of Sparkle was filmed in the fall of 2011 over a two-month period,[237] and was released by TriStar Pictures.[238] On May 21, 2012, "Celebrate", the last song Houston recorded with Sparks, premiered at RyanSeacrest.com. It was made available for digital download on iTunes on June 5.[239] The song was featured on the Sparkle: Music from the Motion Picture soundtrack as the first official single.[240] The movie was released on August 17, 2012 in the United States. The accompanying music video for "Celebrate" was filmed on May 30, 2012.[241] The video was shot over 2 days,[242] and a sneak peek of the video premiered on Entertainment Tonight on June 4, 2012.[243]
Death



The Beverly Hilton Hotel, where Houston's body was found.


 "We miss you" message at a Los Angeles cinema.


 Flowers near the Beverly Hilton Hotel.


 New Hope Baptist Church
 Wikinews has related news: American pop star Whitney Houston dies at 48
On February 9, 2012, Houston visited singers Brandy and Monica, together with Clive Davis, at their rehearsals for Davis' pre-Grammy Awards party at The Beverly Hilton hotel in Beverly Hills.[244][245] That same day, she made her last public performance, when she joined Kelly Price on stage in Hollywood, California, and sang "Jesus Loves Me".[246][247]
Two days later, on February 11, Houston was found unconscious in Suite 434 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, submerged in the bathtub.[248][249] Beverly Hills paramedics arrived at approximately 3:30 p.m. and found the singer unresponsive and performed CPR. Houston was pronounced dead at 3:55 p.m. PST.[250][251] The cause of death was not immediately known.[13][250] Local police said there were "no obvious signs of criminal intent."[252] On March 22, 2012, the Los Angeles County coroner's office reported the cause of Houston's death was drowning and the "effects of atherosclerotic heart disease and cocaine use".[253][254] The office stated the amount of cocaine found in Houston's body indicated that she used the substance shortly before her death.[255] Toxicology results revealed additional drugs in her system: diphenhydramine, alprazolam, cannabis and cyclobenzaprine.[256] The manner of death was listed as an "accident".[257]
Houston had an invitation-only memorial on Saturday, February 18, 2012, at the New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, New Jersey. The service was scheduled for two hours, but lasted four.[258] Among those who performed at the funeral were Stevie Wonder (rewritten version of "Ribbon in the Sky", and "Love's in Need of Love Today"), CeCe Winans ("Don't Cry", and "Jesus Loves Me"), Alicia Keys ("Send Me an Angel"), Kim Burrell (rewritten version of "A Change Is Gonna Come"), and R. Kelly ("I Look to You"). The performances were interspersed with hymns by the church choir and remarks by Clive Davis, Houston's record producer; Kevin Costner; Rickey Minor, her music director; her cousin, Dionne Warwick; and Ray Watson, her security guard for the past 11 years. Aretha Franklin was listed on the program and was expected to sing, but was unable to attend the service.[259][260] Bobby Brown, Houston's ex-husband, was also invited to the funeral but he left before the service began.[261] Houston was buried on Sunday, February 19, 2012, in Fairview Cemetery, in Westfield, New Jersey, next to her father, John Russell Houston, who died in 2003.[262] In June 2012, the McDonald's Gospelfest in Newark became a tribute to Houston.[263]
Reaction
Pre-Grammy party
The Clive Davis' pre-Grammy party that Houston was expected to attend, which featured many of the biggest names in music and movies, went on as scheduled although it was quickly turned into a tribute to Houston. Davis spoke about Houston's death at the evening's start: "By now you have all learned of the unspeakably tragic news of our beloved Whitney's passing. I don't have to mask my emotion in front of a room full of so many dear friends. I am personally devastated by the loss of someone who has meant so much to me for so many years. Whitney was so full of life. She was so looking forward to tonight even though she wasn't scheduled to perform. Whitney was a beautiful person and a talent beyond compare. She graced this stage with her regal presence and gave so many memorable performances here over the years. Simply put, Whitney would have wanted the music to go on and her family asked that we carry on."[264]
Tony Bennett spoke of Houston's death before performing at Davis' party. He said, "First, it was Michael Jackson, then Amy Winehouse, now, the magnificent Whitney Houston." Bennett sang "How Do You Keep the Music Playing?" and said of Houston, "When I first heard her, I called Clive Davis and said, 'You finally found the greatest singer I've ever heard in my life.'"[265]
Some celebrities opposed Davis' decision to continue on the party while a police investigation was being conducted in Houston's hotel room and her body was still in the building. Chaka Khan, in an interview with CNN's Piers Morgan on February 13, 2012, shared that she felt the party should have been canceled, saying: "I thought that was complete insanity. And knowing Whitney I don't believe that she would have said 'the show must go on.' She's the kind of woman that would've said 'Stop everything! Un-unh. I'm not going to be there.' [...] I don't know what could motivate a person to have a party in a building where the person whose life he had influenced so enormously and whose life had been affected by hers. They were like... I don't understand how that party went on."[266] Sharon Osbourne condemned the Davis party, declaring: "I think it was disgraceful that the party went on. I don't want to be in a hotel room when there's someone you admire who's tragically lost their life four floors up. I'm not interested in being in that environment and I think when you grieve someone, you do it privately, you do it with people who understand you. I thought it was so wrong."[267]
Further reaction and tributes
Many other celebrities released statements responding to Houston's death. Darlene Love, Houston's godmother, hearing the news of her death, said, "It felt like I had been struck by a lightning bolt in my gut."[268] Dolly Parton, whose song "I Will Always Love You" was covered by Houston, said, "I will always be grateful and in awe of the wonderful performance she did on my song, and I can truly say from the bottom of my heart, 'Whitney, I will always love you. You will be missed.'" Aretha Franklin said, "It's so stunning and unbelievable. I couldn't believe what I was reading coming across the TV screen."[269] Others paying tribute included Mariah Carey, Quincy Jones and Oprah Winfrey.[270][271]
Moments after news of her death emerged, CNN, MSNBC and Fox News all broke from their regularly scheduled programming to dedicate time to non-stop coverage of Houston's death. All three featured live interviews with people who had known Houston including those that had worked with her, interviewed her along with some of her peers in the music industry. Saturday Night Live displayed a photo of a smiling Houston, alongside Molly Shannon, from her 1996 appearance.[272][273] MTV and VH-1 interrupted their regularly scheduled programming on Sunday February 12 to air many of Houston's classic videos with MTV often airing news segments in between and featuring various reactions from fans and celebrities.
Houston's former husband, Bobby Brown, was reported to be "in and out of crying fits" since receiving the news. He did not cancel a scheduled performance and within hours of his ex-wife's sudden death, an audience in Mississippi observed as Brown blew kisses skyward, tearfully saying: "I love you, Whitney."[274]
Ken Ehrlich, executive producer of the 54th Grammy Awards, announced that Jennifer Hudson would perform a tribute to Houston at the February 12, 2012 ceremony. He said "event organizers believed Hudson – an Academy Award-winning actress and Grammy Award-winning artist – could perform a respectful musical tribute to Houston". Ehrlich went on to say: "It's too fresh in everyone's memory to do more at this time, but we would be remiss if we didn't recognize Whitney's remarkable contribution to music fans in general, and in particular her close ties with the Grammy telecast and her Grammy wins and nominations over the years".[275] At the start of the awards ceremony, footage of Houston performing "I Will Always Love You" from the 1994 Grammys was shown following a prayer read by host LL Cool J. Later in the program, following a montage of photos of musicians who died in 2011 with Houston singing "Saving All My Love for You" at the 1986 Grammys, Hudson paid tribute to Houston and the other artists by performing "I Will Always Love You".[276][277] The tribute was partially credited for the Grammys telecast getting its second highest ratings in history.[278]
Houston was honored in the form of various tributes at the 43rd NAACP Image Awards, held on February 17. An image montage of Houston and important black figures who died in 2011 was followed by video footage from the 1994 ceremony, which depicted her accepting two Image Awards for outstanding female artist and entertainer of the year. Following the video tribute, Yolanda Adams delivered a rendition of "I Love the Lord" from The Preacher's Wife Soundtrack. In the finale of the ceremony, Kirk Franklin and the Family started their performance with "The Greatest Love of All".[279] The 2012 BRIT Awards, which took place at London's O2 Arena on February 21, also paid tribute to Houston by playing a 30-second video montage of her music videos with a snippet of "One Moment in Time" as the background music in the ceremony's first segment.[280] New Jersey Governor Chris Christie said that all New Jersey state flags would be flown at half-staff on Tuesday, February 21 to honor Houston.[281] Houston was also featured, alongside other recently deceased figures from the movie industry, in the In Memoriam montage at the 84th Academy Awards on February 26, 2012.[282][283]
Artistry and legacy
Voice




"I Will Always Love You" (1992)







One of Houston's best selling singles worldwide and recognized songs, "I Will Always Love You" prominently uses melismas.

Problems playing this file? See media help.
Houston was a mezzo-soprano,[284][285] and was commonly referred to as "The Voice" in reference to her exceptional vocal talent.[286] She was third in MTV's list of 22 Greatest Voices,[287] and sixth on Online Magazine COVE‍ '​s list of the 100 Best Pop Vocalists with a score of 48.5/50.[288] Jon Pareles of The New York Times stated she "always had a great big voice, a technical marvel from its velvety depths to its ballistic middle register to its ringing and airy heights".[289] In 2008, Rolling Stone listed Houston as the thirty-fourth of the 100 greatest singers of all time, stating, "Her voice is a mammoth, coruscating cry: Few vocalists could get away with opening a song with 45 unaccompanied seconds of singing, but Houston's powerhouse version of Dolly Parton's 'I Will Always Love You' is a tour de force."[105] Matthew Perpetua from Rolling Stone also eulogized Houston's vocal, enumerating ten performances, including "How Will I Know" from the 1986 MTV VMAs and "The Star Spangled Banner" at the 1991 Super Bowl. "Whitney Houston was blessed with an astonishing vocal range and extraordinary technical skill, but what truly made her a great singer was her ability to connect with a song and drive home its drama and emotion with incredible precision," he stated. "She was a brilliant performer, and her live shows often eclipsed her studio recordings."[290]
Jon Caramanica of The New York Times commented, "Her voice was clean and strong, with barely any grit, well suited to the songs of love and aspiration. [...] Hers was a voice of triumph and achievement, and it made for any number of stunning, time-stopping vocal performances."[291] Mariah Carey stated, "She [Whitney] has a really rich, strong mid-belt that very few people have. She sounds really good, really strong."[292] While in her review of I Look to You, music critic Ann Powers of the Los Angeles Times writes, "[Houston's voice] stands like monuments upon the landscape of 20th century pop, defining the architecture of their times, sheltering the dreams of millions and inspiring the climbing careers of countless imitators", adding "When she was at her best, nothing could match her huge, clean, cool mezzo-soprano."[285]
Lauren Everitt from BBC News Magazine commented on melisma used in Houston's recording and its influence. "An early 'I' in Whitney Houston's 'I Will Always Love You' takes nearly six seconds to sing. In those seconds the former gospel singer-turned-pop star packs a series of different notes into the single syllable," stated Everitt. "The technique is repeated throughout the song, most pronouncedly on every 'I' and 'you'. The vocal technique is called melisma, and it has inspired a host of imitators. Other artists may have used it before Houston, but it was her rendition of Dolly Parton's love song that pushed the technique into the mainstream in the 90s. [...] But perhaps what Houston nailed best was moderation." Everitt said that "[i]n a climate of reality shows ripe with 'oversinging,' it's easy to appreciate Houston's ability to save melisma for just the right moment."[293]
Houston's vocal stylings have had a significant impact on the music industry. According to Linda Lister in Divafication: The Deification of Modern Female Pop Stars, she has been called the "Queen of Pop" for her influence during the 1990s, commercially rivaling Mariah Carey and Celine Dion.[294] Stephen Holden from The New York Times, in his review of Houston's Radio City Music Hall concert on July 20, 1993, praised her attitude as a singer, writing, "Whitney Houston is one of the few contemporary pop stars of whom it might be said: the voice suffices. While almost every performer whose albums sell in the millions calls upon an entertainer's bag of tricks, from telling jokes to dancing to circus pyrotechnics, Ms. Houston would rather just stand there and sing." With regard to her singing style, he added: "Her [Houston's] stylistic trademarks – shivery melismas that ripple up in the middle of a song, twirling embellishments at the ends of phrases that suggest an almost breathless exhilaration – infuse her interpretations with flashes of musical and emotional lightning."[295]
Elysa Gardner of the Los Angeles Times in her review for The Preacher's Wife Soundtrack praised Houston's vocal ability highly, commenting, "She is first and foremost a pop diva – at that, the best one we have. No other female pop star – not Mariah Carey, not Celine Dion, not Barbra Streisand – quite rivals Houston in her exquisite vocal fluidity and purity of tone, and her ability to infuse a lyric with mesmerizing melodrama."[296]
Influence
During the 1980s, MTV was coming into its own and received criticism for not playing enough videos by black artists. With Michael Jackson breaking down the color barrier for black men, Houston did the same for black women. She became the first black woman to receive heavy rotation on the network following the success of the "How Will I Know" video.[297] Following Houston's breakthrough, other African-American women, such as Janet Jackson and Anita Baker, were successful in popular music.[56][57] Baker commented that "Because of what Whitney and Sade did, there was an opening for me... For radio stations, black women singers aren't taboo anymore."[298]
AllMusic noted her contribution to the success of black artists on the pop scene, commenting, "Houston was able to handle big adult contemporary ballads, effervescent, stylish dance-pop, and slick urban contemporary soul with equal dexterity" and that "the result was an across-the-board appeal that was matched by scant few artists of her era, and helped her become one of the first black artists to find success on MTV in Michael Jackson's wake".[299] The New York Times stated that "Houston was a major catalyst for a movement within black music that recognized the continuity of soul, pop, jazz and gospel vocal traditions".[300] Richard Corliss of Time magazine commented on her initial success breaking various barriers:

Of her first album's ten cuts, six were ballads. This chanteuse [Houston] had to fight for air play with hard rockers. The young lady had to stand uncowed in the locker room of macho rock. The soul strutter had to seduce a music audience that anointed few black artists with superstardom. [...] She was a phenomenon waiting to happen, a canny tapping of the listener's yen for a return to the musical middle. And because every new star creates her own genre, her success has helped other blacks, other women, other smooth singers find an avid reception in the pop marketplace.[301]
Stephen Holden of The New York Times said that Houston "revitalized the tradition of strong gospel-oriented pop-soul singing".[302] Ann Powers of the Los Angeles Times referred to the singer as a "national treasure".[285] Jon Caramanica, other music critic of The New York Times, called Houston "R&B's great modernizer," adding "slowly but surely reconciling the ambition and praise of the church with the movements and needs of the body and the glow of the mainstream".[291] He also drew comparisons between Houston's influence and other big names' on 1980s pop:

She was, alongside Michael Jackson and Madonna, one of the crucial figures to hybridize pop in the 1980s, though her strategy was far less radical than that of her peers. Jackson and Madonna were by turns lascivious and brutish and, crucially, willing to let their production speak more loudly than their voices, an option Ms. Houston never went for. Also, she was less prolific than either of them, achieving most of her renown on the strength of her first three solo albums and one soundtrack, released from 1985 to 1992. If she was less influential than they were in the years since, it was only because her gift was so rare, so impossible to mimic. Jackson and Madonna built worldviews around their voices; Ms. Houston’s voice was the worldview. She was someone more to be admired, like a museum piece, than to be emulated.[291]
The Independent‍ '​s music critic Andy Gill also wrote about Houston's influence on modern R&B and singing competitions, comparing it to Michael Jackson's. "Because Whitney, more than any other single artist ― Michael Jackson included ― effectively mapped out the course of modern R&B, setting the bar for standards of soul vocalese, and creating the original template for what we now routinely refer to as the 'soul diva'," stated Gill. "Jackson was a hugely talented icon, certainly, but he will be as well remembered (probably more so) for his presentational skills, his dazzling dance moves, as for his musical innovations. Whitney, on the other hand, just sang, and the ripples from her voice continue to dominate the pop landscape." Gill said that there "are few, if any, Jackson imitators on today's TV talent shows, but every other contestant is a Whitney wannabe, desperately attempting to emulate that wondrous combination of vocal effects – the flowing melisma, the soaring mezzo-soprano confidence, the tremulous fluttering that carried the ends of lines into realms of higher yearning".[303]
Houston was considered by many to be a "singer's singer", who had an influence on countless other vocalists, both female and male.[105][304] Similarly, Steve Huey from Allmusic wrote that the shadow of Houston's prodigious technique still looms large over nearly every pop diva and smooth urban soul singer – male or female – in her wake, and spawned a legion of imitators.[299] Rolling Stone, on her biography, stated that Houston "redefined the image of a female soul icon and inspired singers ranging from Mariah Carey to Rihanna".[305] Essence ranked Houston the fifth on their list of 50 Most Influential R&B Stars of all time, calling her "the diva to end all divas".[306]
A number of artists have acknowledged Houston as an influence, including Celine Dion,[307] Mariah Carey,[105] Toni Braxton,[308] Christina Aguilera,[309] LeAnn Rimes,[310] Jessica Simpson,[311] Nelly Furtado,[312] Kelly Clarkson, Britney Spears,[313] Ciara,[314] P!nk,[313] Aneeka,[315] Ashanti,[316] Robin Thicke,[317] Jennifer Hudson, Stacie Orrico, Amerie,[318] Destiny's Child,[313][319] and Ariana Grande.[320] Mariah Carey, who was often compared to Houston, said, "She [Houston] has been a big influence on me."[321] She later told USA Today that "none of us would sound the same if Aretha Franklin hadn't ever put out a record, or Whitney Houston hadn't."[322] Celine Dion who was the third member of the troika that dominated female pop singing in the 1990s, did a telephone interview with Good Morning America on February 13, 2012, telling "Whitney's been an amazing inspiration for me. I've been singing with her my whole career, actually. I wanted to have a career like hers, sing like her, look beautiful like her."[323] Beyoncé told the Globe and Mail that Houston "inspired [her] to get up there and do what [she] did".[324] She also wrote on her website on the day after Houston's death, "I, like every singer, always wanted to be just like [Houston]. Her voice was perfect. Strong but soothing. Soulful and classic. Her vibrato, her cadence, her control. So many of my life's memories are attached to a Whitney Houston song. She is our queen and she opened doors and provided a blueprint for all of us."[325]
Mary J. Blige said that Houston inviting her onstage during VH1's Divas Live show in 1999 "opened doors for [her] all over the world".[326] Brandy stated, "The first Whitney Houston CD was genius. That CD introduced the world to her angelic yet powerful voice. Without Whitney, half of this generation of singers wouldn't be singing."[327] Kelly Rowland, in an Ebony‍‍ '​‍s feature article celebrating black music in June 2006, recalled that "[I] wanted to be a singer after I saw Whitney Houston on TV singing 'Greatest Love of All'. I wanted to sing like Whitney Houston in that red dress." She added that "And I have never, ever forgotten that song [Greatest Love of All]. I learned it backward, forward, sideways. The video still brings chills to me. When you wish and pray for something as a kid, you never know what blessings God will give you."[328]
Alicia Keys said "Whitney is an artist who inspired me from [the time I was] a little girl."[329] Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson cites Houston as her biggest musical influence. She told Newsday that she learned from Houston the "difference between being able to sing and knowing how to sing."[330] Leona Lewis, who has been called "the new Whitney Houston", also cites her as an influence. Lewis stated that she idolized her as a little girl.[331][332]
Awards and achievements
Further information: List of awards and nominations received by Whitney Houston and Whitney Houston chart records and achievements
Houston was the most awarded female artist of all time, according to Guinness World Records,[1] with two Emmy Awards, six Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards, among a total of 415 career awards as of 2010. She held the all-time record for the most American Music Awards of any female solo artist and shared the record with Michael Jackson for the most AMAs ever won in a single year with eight wins in 1994.[333] Houston won a record 11 Billboard Music Awards at its fourth ceremony in 1993.[334] She also had the record for the most WMAs won in a single year, winning five awards at the 6th World Music Awards in 1994.[335]
In May 2003, Houston placed at number three on VH1's list of "50 Greatest Women of the Video Era", behind Madonna and Janet Jackson.[336] She was also ranked at number 116 on their list of the "200 Greatest Pop Culture Icons of All Time".[337] In 2008, Billboard magazine released a list of the Hot 100 All-Time Top Artists to celebrate the US singles chart's 50th anniversary, ranking Houston at number nine.[338][339] Similarly, she was ranked as one of the "Top 100 Greatest Artists of All Time" by VH1 in September 2010.[340] In November 2010, Billboard released its "Top 50 R&B/Hip-Hop Artists of the Past 25 Years" list and ranked Houston at number three who not only went on to earn eight number-one singles on the R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, but also landed five number ones on R&B/Hip-Hop Albums.[341]
Houston's debut album is listed as one of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time by Rolling Stone magazine[53] and is on Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's Definitive 200 list.[54] In 2004, Billboard picked the success of her first release on the charts as one of 110 Musical Milestones in its history.[342] Houston's entrance into the music industry is considered one of the 25 musical milestones of the last 25 years, according to USA Today in 2007. It stated that she paved the way for Mariah Carey's chart-topping vocal gymnastics.[55] In 1997, the Franklin School in East Orange, New Jersey was renamed to The Whitney E. Houston Academy School of Creative and Performing Arts. In 2001, Houston was the first artist to be given a BET Lifetime Achievement Award.[343] Houston is one of pop music's best-selling music artists of all-time, with an estimated 170–200 million records sold worldwide.[2][3] She was ranked as the fourth best-selling female artist in the United States by the Recording Industry Association of America, with 55 million certified albums sold in the US,[227][344] and held an Honorary Doctorate in Humanities from Grambling State University, Louisiana.[345] Houston was inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame in 2013.[346] In August 2014, Houston was inducted to the official Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame in its second class.[347]
Discography
Main articles: Whitney Houston discography and Whitney Houston videography
Whitney Houston (1985)
Whitney (1987)
I'm Your Baby Tonight (1990)
My Love Is Your Love (1998)
Just Whitney... (2002)
I Look to You (2009)
Filmography
Film roles

Year
Title
Role
Notes and awards
1992 The Bodyguard Rachel Marron Feature film Nominated – 1993 MTV Movie Award for Best Female Performance[348]
Nominated – 1993 MTV Movie Award for Best Breakthrough Performance[349]
Nominated – 1993 MTV Movie Award for Best On-Screen Duo with co-star Kevin Costner[350]

1995 Waiting to Exhale Savannah Jackson Feature film Nominated – 1996 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture[351]

1996 The Preacher's Wife Julia Biggs Feature film Won – 1997 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture[352]
Nominated – 1997 Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Female Actress(Comedy/Romance)[353]
Nominated – 1997 Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Movie Actress[354]

1997 Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella Fairy Godmother Made-for-television film, part of a revival of the Wonderful World of Disney.[355] Nominated – 1998 Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety, Music Or Comedy Special[356]
Nominated – 1998 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Television Movie/Mini-Series[357]

2004 Nora's Hair Salon Herself Direct-to-video
2007 The Last Days of Left Eye Herself Documentary cameo

2012 Sparkle Emma Feature film
2013 CrazySexyCool: The TLC Story Herself Television biographical film cameo

Television roles

Year
Title
Network
Role
Notes
1984 Gimme a Break! NBC Rita "Katie's College" (Season 3, Episode 20, air date: March 15, 1984)[358]
As the World Turns CBS Herself Houston appeared on the soap on August 1–2, 1984, with Jermaine Jackson singing two duets off a new album he was releasing at the time: "Take Good Care of My Heart" and "Nobody Loves Me Like You Do". They taped their appearance on July 25 at CBS Studios in New York City.
1985 Silver Spoons NBC Herself "Head Over Heels" (Season 4, Episode 1, air date: September 15, 1985)[358]
 She performed the edited version of "Saving All My Love for You", changing some of the words.
2003 Boston Public Fox Herself "Chapter Sixty-Six" (Season 3, Episode 22, air date: May 12, 2003)
 She performed "Try It On My Own" from the 2002 studio album Just Whitney.
Commercials

Year
Company
Promoting
Country
Notes
1983 Dr Pepper/Seven Up Canada Dry
 (soft drink beverage) United States Houston appeared in this commercial before debut as a professional singer and sang the praises of sugar-free Canada Dry Ginger Ale.[359][360]

1986 Coca-Cola Diet Coke
 (soft drink beverage) Houston sang the Diet Coke theme song, "Just for the taste of it".[361]

1988 Coca-Cola Diet Coke
 (soft drink beverage) Houston sang the other version of the Diet Coke advertising slogan at the time, "Just for the taste of it".[362]
Outside the United States, the second version of advertising was released, in which "Greatest Love of All" was used as background music.
1989 MTV Video of the Year winning "This Note's for You" by Neil Young, parodied parts of this advertising to criticize pop/rock stars who make commercial endorsements, most notably Michael Jackson for Pepsi and Houston for Diet Coke, using look-alikes for them.[363]

1989 Sanyo Electronics
 (the stereo, TV) Japan Houston was featured on print advertisements and sang the theme song for TV commercial, "Takin' A Chance", produced by Keith Thomas.[364] It was released as a CD single in Japan and included in Japanese edition of I'm Your Baby Tonight.[365]
Sanyo also sponsored Houston's 1990 Japan only Feels So Right Tour.[366]

1994
 1995 AT&T Telephone services United States Houston sang its theme song, "True Voice".[367][368]

1999 Nissin Consumer credit business Japan Houston appeared on both print advertisement and TV commercial for Nissin, a nonbank finance company that lends to consumers and small businesses in Japan, with then the company's slogan "Make it happen with Nissin"[369]

Film/TV productions

Year
Title
Director
Notes and awards
1997 Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella Robert Iscove Executive producer[370] Nominated – 1998 Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety, Music Or Comedy Special[356]
Nominated – 1998 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Television Movie/Mini-Series[357]

2001 The Princess Diaries Garry Marshall Producer[371] Won – 2002 Young Artist Award for Best Family Feature Film – Comedy[372]
Nominated – 2002 Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Family Film (Live Action)[373]
Nominated – 2002 Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best Family Film[374]
Nominated – 2002 Teen Choice Award for Film – Choice Movie, Comedy[375]

2003 The Cheetah Girls Oz Scott Producer[376]
2004 The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement Garry Marshall Producer[377]
2006 The Cheetah Girls 2: When in Spain Kenny Ortega Co-executive producer[378]
2012 Sparkle Salim Akil Producer[379]
Tours and concerts
Main article: List of Whitney Houston tours and concerts
World toursThe Greatest Love World Tour (1986)
Moment of Truth World Tour (1987–88)
I'm Your Baby Tonight World Tour (1991)
The Bodyguard World Tour (1993–94)
My Love Is Your Love World Tour (1999)
Nothing but Love World Tour (2010)
Regional toursFeels So Right Tour (1990)
Pacific Rim Tour (1997)
The European Tour (1998)
Soul Divas Tour (2004)
Televised concertsNelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute (1988)
Welcome Home Heroes with Whitney Houston (1991)
The Concert for a New South Africa (1994)
Classic Whitney Live from Washington, D.C. (1997)

See also

Portal icon Whitney Houston portal
Book icon Book: Whitney Houston

American Music Award nominations for Whitney Houston
Grammy Awards and nominations for Whitney Houston
Honorific nicknames in popular music
List of artists who reached number one in the United States
List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. dance chart
List of best-selling music artists
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182.Jump up ^ Reviews & Previews: Spotlight. Billboard. May 20, 2000 [Retrieved October 29, 2011];112(21):26.
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185.Jump up ^ Prometheus Global Media. Florida Orchestra Sues Arista Over Anthem; December 17, 2001 [Retrieved October 29, 2011].
186.Jump up ^ Whitney Houston biography. Rolling Stone. 2012 [archived 2009-12-09; Retrieved February 12, 2012].
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188.Jump up ^ "Fears for Whitney Houston Grow". TCM Breaking News. September 11, 2001. Archived from the original on 2009-09-24.
189.^ Jump up to: a b Dansby, Andrew (June 7, 2000). "Whitney Insider Tells of Drug Use, Failed Intervention". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 2009-05-27.
190.Jump up ^ Movie & TV News @ IMDb.com, "Houston's Oscar Confusion", December 23, 2004. Houston was replaced at that Oscar telecast by singer Faith Hill.
191.^ Jump up to: a b c Diane Sawyer, Interview, ABC Primetime, December 4, 2002 (transcript available here [1]).
192.Jump up ^ The Rolling Stone Money Report: The pop stars who earned the most last year – and how they did it. July 4, 2002 [Retrieved January 15, 2010]. Wenner Media, LLC.
193.Jump up ^ Whitney Houston Signs $100 Million Contract with Arista Records (p18). August 20, 2001 [Retrieved January 12, 2010].
194.Jump up ^ Arista Aims New Houston Album At 'Core Urban' Fans. Billboard. December 14, 2002 [Retrieved January 12, 2010].
195.Jump up ^ Reports of Whitney Houston's Death Denied. September 13, 2001 [Retrieved March 17, 2007]. ABC News.
196.Jump up ^ Lynette Holloway, "In Switch, Whitney Houston Has to Sell an Album", The New York Times, November 11, 2002.
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199.Jump up ^ Whitney Houston is sued for $100 million by her father's entertainment company – Entertainment. Jet Magazine. October 28, 2002 [Retrieved January 15, 2008].
200.Jump up ^ Friedman, Roger. Whitney and Bobby No-Shows at Dad's Funeral FOXNews.com. February 10, 2003
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203.Jump up ^ MetaCritic.com, "Just Whitney" by Whitney Houston (last visited February 15, 2008).
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208.Jump up ^ Barry Garron, "'Being Bobby Brown' Is Disgusting", MSNBC, July 7, 2005.
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210.Jump up ^ "Brown Reality Show Cancelled", SFGate, The Daily Dish, January 10, 2007.
211.Jump up ^ Whitney Houston Files for Divorce From Bobby Brown. September 13, 2006. Associated Press. Fox News.
212.Jump up ^ Whitney wants to speed up her divorce. USA Today. February 1, 2007 [Retrieved October 5, 2008].
213.Jump up ^ Whitney Houston Wins Custody in Divorce From Bobby Brown. April 5, 2007 [Retrieved October 5, 2008]. People.
214.Jump up ^ Listing for 1014 Tullamore Place in Fulton County, Georgia, tax records City-Data.com
215.Jump up ^ Bobby Brown Sues Whitney Houston for Custody, Spousal Support. May 11, 2007 [Retrieved October 5, 2008]. People.
216.Jump up ^ Brown Cannot Overturn Houston Divorce Terms After Court No-Show, "The Daily Dish!", SFGate, January 7, 2008
217.Jump up ^ Whitney Houston Starts Work on New Album Today. March 13, 2007 [Retrieved January 13, 2010]. Fox News.
218.Jump up ^ Amazon. Whitney Houston – The Ultimate Collection (CD); October 29, 2007 [Retrieved March 17, 2011].
219.Jump up ^ "Whitney Houston to Tell All On Oprah" CBS, August 20, 2009
220.Jump up ^ Contact Music. Whitney Houston – Houston Details Drug Use: 'We Laced Marijuana With Rock Cocaine; September 15, 2009 [Retrieved November 11, 2010].
221.Jump up ^ Nekesa Mumbi Moody (Associated Press), "Whitney Houston, pop superstar, dies in Beverly Hills hotel"[dead link] The Globe and Mail, February 11, 2012
222.Jump up ^ Voice of America. Whitney Houston Album Due Out Sept. 1; 'American Idol' Auditions Kick Off; June 9, 2009 [archived 2009-06-10; Retrieved January 13, 2010].
223.Jump up ^ Whitney Houston's weird performance on The X-Factor gives her top five hit. The Telegraph. October 20, 2009 [Retrieved October 20, 2009].
224.Jump up ^ Nearly 15m watch X Factor as Cheryl Cole performs solo single (apart from the bits she mimed). Mail Online. October 20, 2009 [Retrieved October 20, 2009]. Associated Newspapers Ltd.
225.Jump up ^ Whitney Houston sparkles on Italian X Factor. Metro.co.uk. October 23, 2009 [Retrieved February 12, 2012]. Associated Newspapers Ltd.
226.Jump up ^ Sony Music Entertainment. Whitney Conquers Italy – Again!; October 21, 2009 [Retrieved January 12, 2010].
227.^ Jump up to: a b whitneyhouston.com. 'I Look To You' Album Certified Platinum; December 1, 2009 [Retrieved January 13, 2010].
228.Jump up ^ Sony Music Entertainment. "Whitney Houston" 25th Anniversary; November 20, 2009 [Retrieved January 12, 2010].
229.Jump up ^ This just in: Whitney Houston disappoints in Australia, Charlie Sheen enters rehab, Placido Domingo to undergo surgery. The Washington Post. February 24, 2010 [Retrieved June 13, 2010].
230.Jump up ^ ITN. Whitney cancels more shows; April 7, 2010 [Retrieved June 13, 2010].[dead link]
231.Jump up ^ Belinda Goldsmit. Due To Illness; April 6, 201 [Retrieved February 12, 2012].
232.Jump up ^ Hearst Magazines UK. Houston eyes will.i.am collaboration; April 6, 2010 [Retrieved June 13, 2010].
233.Jump up ^ Whitney Houston in outpatient rehab for alcohol, drugs. Los Angeles Times. May 9, 2011 [Retrieved May 11, 2011].
234.Jump up ^ Billboard. September 12, 2011. Retrieved September 18, 2011
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236.Jump up ^ Whitney Houston in Talks to Star in Music-Themed Drama 'Sparkle' (Exclusive). The Hollywood Reporter. September 12, 2011.
237.Jump up ^ Cee-Lo Green joins 'Sparkle' cast – Entertainment News, Top News, Media. September 23, 2011 [Retrieved November 18, 2011]. Variety.
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239.Jump up ^ Volledige naam. "Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved March 28, 2013.
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242.Jump up ^ "Twitter / actorderekluke: Had an awesome day of shooting". Twitter.com. Retrieved August 14, 2012.
243.Jump up ^ "Twitter / deavanebersole: Guys!!! Don't forget! TONIGHT". Twitter.com. Retrieved August 14, 2012.
244.Jump up ^ Investigators seek answers to Houston's death. ABC News 4. February 13, 2012 [Retrieved February 14, 2012]. WorldNow.[dead link]
245.Jump up ^ Gerrick D. Kennedy. Grammys 2012: Clive Davis sets the stage for Brandy/Monica redux. Los Angeles Times Blogs. February 13, 2012 [Retrieved February 13, 2012].
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247.Jump up ^ Yahoo! News. Whitney Houston's 'haunting' last performance; February 13, 2012 [Retrieved February 13, 2012].
248.Jump up ^ Richard Winton. Whitney Houston was found underwater in bathtub, police say. February 13, 2012 [Retrieved February 13, 2012].
249.Jump up ^ Whitney: Tribute to a Music Legend. 2012. (one-time newsstand collector's publication) Pg. 37: "434: The room number at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles in which she was found dead on Feb 11, 2012."
250.^ Jump up to: a b Andrew Blankstein. Whitney Houston's death: Medics performed CPR for about 20 minutes. Los Angeles Times. [Retrieved February 12, 2012].
251.Jump up ^ Sheila Marikar. Whitney Houston, Iconic Pop Star, Dies at 48. ABC News. February 12, 2012 [Retrieved February 22, 2012].
252.Jump up ^ CNN. Music exec: Whitney Houston looked 'healthy and beautiful' days earlier; February 12, 2012 [Retrieved February 12, 2012].
253.Jump up ^ CNN. Coroner: Drowning, heart disease, cocaine use killed Houston; March 22, 2012 [Retrieved March 22, 2012].
254.Jump up ^ Whitney Houston drowned after cocaine use, says coroner. March 22, 2012 [Retrieved March 23, 2012]. BBC.
255.Jump up ^ MSNBC. Coroner: Whitney Houston died of accidental drowning; March 22, 2012 [archived March 23, 2012; Retrieved March 23, 2012].
256.Jump up ^ Houston died from drowning, coroner says. March 22, 2012 [Retrieved March 22, 2012]. Associated Press (via Y! Music).
257.Jump up ^ Whitney Houston: Final coroner’s report. April 4, 2012 [Retrieved April 6, 2012].
258.Jump up ^ abcnews.go.com. Whitney Houston Funeral: Singer Laid to Rest [Retrieved February 19, 2012].
259.Jump up ^ NJ.com. Whitney Houston's funeral: Love and humor dominate remembrances of pop superstar; November 1, 2011 [Retrieved February 19, 2012].
260.Jump up ^ Fred Groser. Whitney Houston funeral notable moments and celebrities; February 18, 2012 [Retrieved February 20, 2012].
261.Jump up ^ February 18, 2012 by Olivia Allin. OnTheRedCarpet.com. Whitney Houston funeral: Bobby Brown leaves shortly after service began – 02/19/2012 | Entertainment News from [Retrieved February 19, 2012].
262.Jump up ^ Whitney Houston to be buried in Westfield: A Jersey girl comes home. February 18, 2012 [Retrieved February 18, 2012].
263.Jump up ^ McCall, Tris (May 12, 2012), "At Gospelfest, big tributes for Whitney Houston", The Star-Ledger, retrieved October 15, 2012
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265.Jump up ^ Tony Bennett calls for legalization of drugs. Toronto Sun. February 12, 2012 [Retrieved February 14, 2012].
266.Jump up ^ BET Interactive, LLC. Chaka Khan: Clive Davis Should Have Canceled His Party; February 14, 2012 [Retrieved February 17, 2012].
267.Jump up ^ Digital Spy Ltd. Sharon Osbourne slams Clive Davis party after Whitney Houston death; February 16, 2012 [Retrieved February 17, 2012].
268.Jump up ^ Bob Considine/The Star-Ledger. "Whitney Houston's talent was evident in her childhood years, singer Darlene Love recalls". NJ.com. Retrieved August 14, 2012.
269.Jump up ^ Singer Whitney Houston dies at 48. February 12, 2012 [Retrieved February 12, 2012]. CNN.
270.Jump up ^ Rolling Stone. Mariah Carey, Diddy, Others React to Whitney Houston's Death; February 12, 2012 [Retrieved February 12, 2012].
271.Jump up ^ Celebs react to Whitney Houston death: 'Please tell me it's not true'. Entertainment Weekly. February 11, 2012 [Retrieved February 17, 2012]. Entertainment Weekly Inc..
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273.Jump up ^ The Daily Beast. 'SNL' Honors Whitney Houston; February 12, 2012 [Retrieved February 12, 2012].
274.Jump up ^ Bobby Brown Says 'I Love You, Whitney' During Emotional Concert; February 12, 2012 [Retrieved February 12, 2012].
275.Jump up ^ Singer Whitney Houston found dead. February 12, 2012 [Retrieved February 12, 2012]. FoxNews.
276.Jump up ^ Grammys honor 'fallen sister' Houston. February 13, 2012 [Retrieved February 17, 2012]. NYP Holdings, Inc..
277.Jump up ^ Grammys salute late icon: 'Whitney, we will always love you'. CNN. February 12, 2012 [Retrieved February 17, 2012]. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc..
278.Jump up ^ Kaufman, Gil (February 13, 2012). "Grammy Ratings Up Thanks To Adele, Whitney Houston Tribute". MTV.com. Retrieved September 6, 2012.
279.Jump up ^ Entertainment Weekly Inc.. NAACP Image Awards tributes Whitney Houston, hands prizes to 'The Help' and George Lucas; February 18, 2012 [Retrieved February 22, 2012].
280.Jump up ^ Telegraph Media Group Ltd. Brit Awards 2012: Rhianna and Bruno Mars win international gongs at Brit Awards 2012; February 22, 2012 [Retrieved February 22, 2012].
281.Jump up ^ Michigan man burns N.J. state flag to protest lowering of flags for Whitney Houston. February 20, 2012 [Retrieved February 21, 2012]. Associated Press.
282.Jump up ^ Viacom International Inc.. Whitney Houston, Elizabeth Taylor Remembered At Oscars; February 27, 2012 [Retrieved February 27, 2012].
283.Jump up ^ Guardian News and Media Ltd. Academy pays tribute to Whitney Houston at Oscars; February 27, 2012 [Retrieved February 27, 2012].
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290.Jump up ^ Jann S. Wenne. Photos: Ten Incredible Whitney Houston Performances; February 13, 2012 [Retrieved February 18, 2012].
291.^ Jump up to: a b c A Voice of Triumph, the Queen of Pain. February 12, 2012 [Retrieved February 18, 2012]. The New York Times Company.
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293.Jump up ^ BBC. Whitney Houston and the art of melisma; February 15, 2012 [Retrieved February 20, 2012].
294.Jump up ^ "If Ella Fitzgerald is the queen of jazz, Billie Holiday first lady of the blues, and Aretha Franklin the queen of soul, then who is the queen of pop? In the 1990s, it would seem to be a three-way tie between Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, and Celine Dion. Certainly all three have their devotees and detractors, but their presence has been inescapable." in Divafication: The Deification of Modern Female Pop Stars. 2001:1.
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303.Jump up ^ Whitney Houston, the greatest voice of her generation. The Independent. February 17, 2012 [Retrieved February 20, 2012]. Independent Print Ltd..
304.Jump up ^ Song Woong-ki. Whitney Houston to perform in Seoul. The Korea Herald. March 29, 2010 [Retrieved February 12, 2012].
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308.Jump up ^ Toni Braxton Talks About Her Hit Love Songs, Sexy Image and Religious Background. January 17, 1994 [Retrieved October 17, 2010].
309.Jump up ^ Rodman Sarah. "Teen queen Aguilera belts 'em out like Whitney Houston". Boston Herald. September 5, 1999. Page 064
310.Jump up ^ IBTimes Staff Reporter. The International Business Times Inc.. LeAnn Rimes Performs Whitney Houston Tribute of 'I Will Always Love You'; February 14, 2012 [Retrieved February 20, 2012].
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312.Jump up ^ Jessicasimpsonlive.info. Jessica simpson online – Actress Singer Photo gallery wallpapers biography [Retrieved January 2, 2012].
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314.Jump up ^ Good Morning America. ABC. August 20, 2009.
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316.Jump up ^ ABC News Internet Ventures. From Beyonce to Gaga: 8 Singers Influenced by Whitney Houston – Ashanti; February 16, 2012 [Retrieved February 20, 2012].
317.Jump up ^ Cordova, Randy. "R&B singer-songwriter Robin Thicke follows his own tune". Arizona Republic. March 4, 2009.
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322.Jump up ^ Gardner, Elysa. "Carey frees her spirit, and it is named 'Mimi'". USA Today. April 11, 2005.
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324.Jump up ^ Caldwell, Rebecca. "Destiny's Child". The Globe and Mail. July 21, 2001 page R1.
325.Jump up ^ ABC News Internet Ventures. Beyoncé From Beyonce to Gaga: 8 Singers Influenced by Whitney Houston – Beyoncé; February 16, 2012 [Retrieved February 20, 2012].
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332.Jump up ^ Newman, Melinda. "Jennifer Hudson to 'surprise duet' at Davis party". The Associated Press. February 6, 2008.
333.Jump up ^ Whitney Houston to Take the Stage at the AMAs; November 11, 2009 [archived 2011-08-16; Retrieved March 17, 2011].
334.Jump up ^ Pop Music Review: Houston Tops Off Record Night With Show's Highlight. Los Angeles Times. December 10, 1993 [Retrieved March 17, 2011].
335.Jump up ^ World Music Awards Gaining Stature. Billboard. May 21, 1994 [Retrieved February 9, 2010];106(21).
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340.Jump up ^ Blog.vh1.com. Who Will Come Out On Top Of VH1's 100 Greatest Artists Of All Time? | Vh1 Blog; August 25, 2010 [Retrieved November 11, 2010].
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357.^ Jump up to: a b The 29th NAACP Image Awards Official Ballot. The Crisis; December 1997 – January 1998 [Retrieved June 30, 2010].
358.^ Jump up to: a b filmreference.com. Whitney Houston Film Appearances [Retrieved September 26, 2009].
359.Jump up ^ television.aol.com. Commercial Breaks: Stars Who Made Their Screen Debuts in TV Commercials, Whitney Houston (3 of 13) [Retrieved January 11, 2010].
360.Jump up ^ Internet Movie Database. Other works for Whitney Houston [Retrieved January 11, 2010].
361.Jump up ^ starsinginglessons.com. Whitney Houston Diet Coke Commercial (1986) [Retrieved January 10, 2010].
362.Jump up ^ advertisementave.com. Whitney Houston Diet Coke Commercial "Just for the Taste of It" (1988) [Retrieved January 10, 2010].
363.Jump up ^ Lisa D. Campbell. Michael Jackson: the king of pop. Branden Books; 1993. ISBN 978-0-8283-1957-7. p. 185.
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365.Jump up ^ amazon.co.jp. アイム・ユア・ベイビー・トゥナイト ~ ホイットニー・ヒューストン(Whitney Houston's I'm Your Baby Tonght Japanese edition) [Retrieved January 11, 2010].
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367.Jump up ^ Whitney On Wheels. July 11, 1994 [Retrieved January 10, 2010].
368.Jump up ^ The Media Business: Advertising – Addenda; Whitney Houston In Deal With AT&T. The New York Times. June 15, 1994 [Retrieved January 15, 2010].
369.Jump up ^ Business Insider, Inc.. Whitney Houston's Early TV Commercials: She Could Really Sell It; February 12, 2012 [Retrieved February 22, 2012].
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371.Jump up ^ Allmovie. The Princess Diaries Production Credits [Retrieved January 11, 2010].
372.Jump up ^ Internet Movie Database. 2002 Young Artist Awards Winners & Nominees; April 7, 2002 [Retrieved October 16, 2010].
373.Jump up ^ Internet Movie Database. 2002 Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards Winners & Nominees; January 11, 2002 [Retrieved October 16, 2010].
374.Jump up ^ Internet Movie Database. 2002 Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards Winners & Nominees; January 29, 2002 [Retrieved October 16, 2010].
375.Jump up ^ Internet Movie Database. 2002 Teen Choice Awards Winners & Nominees; August 4, 2002 [Retrieved October 16, 2010].
376.Jump up ^ Allmovie. The Cheetah Girls Production Credits [Retrieved January 11, 2010].
377.Jump up ^ Allmovie. The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement Production Credits [Retrieved January 11, 2010].
378.Jump up ^ Allmovie. The Cheetah Girls 2: When in Spain Production Credits [Retrieved January 11, 2010].
379.Jump up ^ Kit, Borys (March 23, 2011). "BET's 'The Game' Showrunners to Remake 1976 Movie 'Sparkle' for Sony Pictures (Exclusive)". "BET's 'The Game' Showrunners to Remake 1976 Movie 'Sparkle' for Sony Pictures (Exclusive)" (Hollywood Reporter). Retrieved April 27, 2011.
Further reading
Whitney Houston. My love is your love: piano, vocal, chords. Alfred Publishing Co., Inc.; March 1999. ISBN 978-0-7692-7734-9.
Kevin Ammons. Good Girl, Bad Girl: An Insider's Biography of Whitney Houston. Carol Pub Group; April 1998. ISBN 978-0-8065-8012-8.
Jeffery Bowman. Diva: the totally unauthorized biography of Whitney Houston. Harper; February 1995. ISBN 978-0-06-100853-5.
Craig Halstead. Whitney Houston: For the Record. Authors OnLine, Limited; September 2010. ISBN 978-0-7552-1278-1.
James Robert Parish. Whitney Houston: The Unauthorized Biography. Aurum Press; September 2003. ISBN 978-1-85410-921-7.
James Robert Parish. Whitney Houston: Return of the Diva. John Blake; April 2010. ISBN 978-1-84454-919-1.
External links
 Wikiquote has quotations related to: Whitney Houston
 Wikimedia Commons has media related to Whitney Houston.
Official website
Whitney Houston at RollingStone
Whitney Houston at the Internet Movie Database
Whitney Houston collected news and commentary at The New York Times
Whitney Houston collected news and commentary at The Wall Street Journal
Whitney Houston collected news and commentary at The Guardian
Works by Whitney Houston at Open Library
Whitney Houston at MTV


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Categories: Whitney Houston
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Whitney Houston

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This article is about the entertainer. For her 1985 eponymous album, see Whitney Houston (album).

Whitney Houston
Whitney Houston Welcome Home Heroes 1 cropped.jpg
Houston performing at Welcome Home Heroes with Whitney Houston in 1991

Born
Whitney Elizabeth Houston
August 9, 1963
Newark, New Jersey, U.S.
Died
February 11, 2012 (aged 48)
Beverly Hills, California, U.S.

Cause of death
 Drowning/drug overdose

Resting place
 Fairview Cemetery, Westfield, New Jersey, U.S.
Occupation
Singer ·
 model ·
 actress ·
 producer
 
Religion
Baptist
Spouse(s)
Bobby Brown (m. 1992–2007)
Children
Bobbi Kristina Brown
Parent(s)
John Russell Houston, Jr.
Cissy Houston
Relatives
Gary Garland (half-brother)
Dionne Warwick (cousin)
Dee Dee Warwick (cousin)
Leontyne Price (cousin)
Damon Elliott (nephew)
Awards
List of awards and nominations
Musical career
Genres
R&B ·
 pop ·
 soul ·
 gospel
 
Instruments
Vocals ·
 piano
 
Years active
1977–2012
Labels
Arista ·
 RCA
 
Associated acts
Cissy Houston ·
 Jermaine Jackson ·
 Aretha Franklin ·
 Bobby Brown ·
 Mariah Carey ·
 George Michael ·
 Brandy Norwood
 
Signature
Whitney's Signature.png
Website
whitneyhouston.com
Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012) was an American singer, actress, producer, and model. In 2009, Guinness World Records cited her as the most awarded female act of all time.[1] Houston is one of pop music's best-selling music artists of all-time, with an estimated 170–200 million records sold worldwide.[2][3] She released six studio albums, one holiday album and three movie soundtrack albums, all of which have diamond, multi-platinum, platinum or gold certification. Houston's crossover appeal on the popular music charts, as well as her prominence on MTV, starting with her video for "How Will I Know",[4] influenced several African American women artists who follow in her footsteps.[5][6]
Houston is the only artist to chart seven consecutive No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 hits.[7] She is the second artist behind Elton John and the only woman to have two number-one Billboard 200 Album awards (formerly "Top Pop Albums") on the Billboard magazine year-end charts.[8] Houston's 1985 debut album Whitney Houston became the best-selling debut album by a woman in history.[9] Rolling Stone named it the best album of 1986, and ranked it at number 254 on the magazine's list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.[9] Her second studio album Whitney (1987) became the first album by a woman to debut at number one on the Billboard 200 albums chart.[9]
Houston's first acting role was as the star of the feature film The Bodyguard (1992). The film's original 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. With the album, Houston became the first act (solo or group, male or female) to sell more than a million copies of an album within a single week period under Nielsen SoundScan system.[9] The album makes her the top female act in the top 10 list of the best-selling albums of all time, at number four. Houston continued to star in movies and contribute to their soundtracks, including the films Waiting to Exhale (1995) and The Preacher's Wife (1996). The Preacher's Wife soundtrack became the best-selling gospel album in history.[10]
On February 11, 2012, Houston was found dead in her guest room at the Beverly Hilton, in Beverly Hills, California. The official coroner's report showed that she had accidentally drowned in the bathtub, with heart disease and cocaine use listed as contributing factors.[11] News of her death coincided with the 2012 Grammy Awards and featured prominently in American and international media.[12]


Contents  [hide]
1 Life and career 1.1 1963–84: Early life and career beginnings
1.2 1985–86: Rise to international prominence
1.3 1987–91: Whitney, I'm Your Baby Tonight and "The Star Spangled Banner"
1.4 1992–94: Marriage, motherhood, and The Bodyguard
1.5 1995–97: Waiting to Exhale, The Preacher's Wife, and Cinderella
1.6 1998–2000: My Love Is Your Love and Whitney: The Greatest Hits
1.7 2000–05: Just Whitney and personal struggles
1.8 2006–12: Return to music, I Look to You, tour and film comeback
2 Death 2.1 Reaction 2.1.1 Pre-Grammy party
2.1.2 Further reaction and tributes

3 Artistry and legacy 3.1 Voice
3.2 Influence
3.3 Awards and achievements
4 Discography
5 Filmography
6 Tours and concerts
7 See also
8 References
9 Further reading
10 External links

Life and career
1963–84: Early life and career beginnings
Whitney Houston was born on August 9, 1963 in what was then a middle-income neighborhood in Newark, New Jersey.[13] She was the daughter of Army serviceman and entertainment executive John Russell Houston, Jr. (September 13, 1920 – February 2, 2003), and gospel singer Emily "Cissy" (Drinkard) Houston.[14] Her elder brother Michael is a singer, and her elder half-brother is former basketball player Gary Garland.[15][16] Her parents were both African American, and she was also said to have Native American and Dutch ancestry.[17] Through her mother, Houston was a first cousin of singers Dionne Warwick and Dee Dee Warwick. Her godmother was Darlene Love[18] and her honorary aunt was Aretha Franklin.[19][20] She met her honorary aunt at age 8, or 9, when her mother took her to a recording studio.[21] Houston was raised a Baptist, but was also exposed to the Pentecostal church. After the 1967 Newark riots, the family moved to a middle-class area in East Orange, New Jersey, when she was four.[22]
At the age of 11, Houston started performing as a soloist in the junior gospel choir at the New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, where she also learned to play the piano.[23] Her first solo performance in the church was "Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah".[24] When Houston was a teenager, she attended Mount Saint Dominic Academy, a Catholic girls' high school in Caldwell, New Jersey, where she met her best friend Robyn Crawford, whom she described as the "sister she never had".[25] While Houston was still in school, her mother continued to teach her how to sing.[5] Houston was also exposed to the music of Chaka Khan, Gladys Knight, and Roberta Flack, most of whom would have an influence on her as a singer and performer.[26]
Houston spent some of her teenage years touring nightclubs where her mother Cissy was performing, and she would occasionally get on stage and perform with her. In 1977, at age 14, she became a backup singer on the Michael Zager Band's single "Life's a Party".[27] In 1978, at age 15, Houston sang background vocals on Chaka Khan's hit single "I'm Every Woman", a song she would later turn into a larger hit for herself on her monster-selling The Bodyguard soundtrack album.[28][29] She also sang back-up on albums by Lou Rawls and Jermaine Jackson.[28]
In the early 1980s, Houston started working as a fashion model after a photographer saw her at Carnegie Hall singing with her mother. She appeared in Seventeen[30] and became one of the first women of color to grace the cover of the magazine.[31] She was also featured in layouts in the pages of Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Young Miss, and appeared in a Canada Dry soft drink TV commercial.[28] Her looks and girl-next-door charm made her one of the most sought after teen models of that time.[28] While modeling, she continued her burgeoning recording career by working with producers Michael Beinhorn, Bill Laswell and Martin Bisi on an album they were spearheading called One Down, which was credited to the group Material. For that project, Houston contributed the ballad "Memories", a cover of a song by Hugh Hopper of Soft Machine. Robert Christgau of The Village Voice called her contribution "one of the most gorgeous ballads you've ever heard."[32] She also appeared as a lead vocalist on one track on a Paul Jabara album, entitled Paul Jabara and Friends, released by Columbia Records in 1983.[33]
Houston had previously been offered several recording agencies (Michael Zager in 1980, and Elektra Records in 1981), but her mother declined the offers stating her daughter must first complete high school.[27][34] In 1983, Gerry Griffith, an A&R representative from Arista Records, saw her performing with her mother in a New York City nightclub and was impressed. He convinced Arista's head Clive Davis to make time to see Houston perform. Davis too was impressed and offered a worldwide recording contract which Houston signed. Later that year, she made her national televised debut alongside Davis on The Merv Griffin Show.[35]
Houston signed with Arista in 1983, but did not begin work on her album immediately.[1] The label wanted to make sure no other label signed the singer away. Davis wanted to ensure he had the right material and producers for Houston's debut album. Some producers had to pass on the project due to prior commitments.[36] Houston first recorded a duet with Teddy Pendergrass entitled "Hold Me" which appeared on his album, Love Language.[37] The single was released in 1984 and gave Houston her first taste of success, becoming a Top 5 R&B hit.[38] It would also appear on her debut album in 1985.
1985–86: Rise to international prominence
With production from Michael Masser, Kashif, Jermaine Jackson, and Narada Michael Walden, Houston's debut album Whitney Houston was released in February 1985. Rolling Stone magazine praised Houston, calling her "one of the most exciting new voices in years" while The New York Times called the album "an impressive, musically conservative showcase for an exceptional vocal talent."[39][40] Arista Records promoted Houston's album with three different singles from the album in the US, UK and other European countries. In the UK, the dance-funk "Someone for Me", which failed to chart in the country, was the first single while "All at Once" was in such European countries as the Netherlands and Belgium, where the song reached the top 5 on the singles charts, respectively.[41]
In the US, the soulful ballad "You Give Good Love" was chosen as the lead single from Houston's debut to establish her in the black marketplace first.[42] Outside the US, the song failed to get enough attention to become a hit, but in the US, it gave the album its first major hit as it peaked at No. 3 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, and No. 1 on the Hot R&B chart.[36] As a result, the album began to sell strongly, and Houston continued promotion by touring nightclubs in the US. She also began performing on late-night television talk shows, which were not usually accessible to unestablished black acts. The jazzy ballad "Saving All My Love for You" was released next and it would become Houston's first No. 1 single in both the US and the UK. She was then an opening act for singer Jeffrey Osborne on his nationwide tour. "Thinking About You" was released as the promo single only to R&B-oriented radio stations, which peaked at number ten on the US R&B Chart. At the time, MTV had received harsh criticism for not playing enough videos by black, Latino, and other racial minorities while favoring white acts.[43] The third US single, "How Will I Know", peaked at No. 1 and introduced Houston to the MTV audience thanks to its video. Houston's subsequent singles from this, and future albums, would make her the first African-American woman to receive consistent heavy rotation on MTV.[31]
By 1986, a year after its initial release, Whitney Houston topped the Billboard 200 albums chart and stayed there for 14 non-consecutive weeks.[44] The final single, "Greatest Love of All", became Houston's biggest hit at the time after peaking No. 1 and remaining there for three weeks on the Hot 100 chart, which made her debut the first album by a woman to yield three No. 1 hits. Houston was No. 1 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 woman to earn that distinction.[44] At the time, Houston released the best-selling debut album by a solo artist.[45] Houston then embarked on her world tour, Greatest Love Tour. The album had become an international success, and was certified 13× platinum (diamond) in the United States alone, and has sold 25 million copies worldwide.[46]
At the 1986 Grammy Awards, Houston was nominated for three awards including Album of the Year.[47] She was not eligible for the Best New Artist category due to her previous hit R&B duet recording with Teddy Pendergrass in 1984.[48] She won her first Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female for "Saving All My Love for You".[49] Houston's performance of the song during the Grammy telecast later earned her an Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program.[50]
Houston won seven American Music Awards in total in 1986 and 1987, and an MTV Video Music Award.[51][52] The album's popularity would also carry over to the 1987 Grammy Awards when "Greatest Love of All" would receive a Record of the Year nomination. Houston's debut album is listed as one of Rolling Stone‍ '​s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time and on The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's Definitive 200 list.[53][54] Houston's grand entrance into the music industry is considered one of the 25 musical milestones of the last 25 years, according to USA Today.[55] Following Houston's breakthrough, doors were opened for other African-American women such as Janet Jackson and Anita Baker to find notable success in popular music and on MTV.[56][57]
1987–91: Whitney, I'm Your Baby Tonight and "The Star Spangled Banner"
With many expectations, Houston's second album, Whitney, was released in June 1987. The album again featured production from Masser, Kashif and Walden as well as Jellybean Benitez. Many critics complained that the material was too similar to her previous album. Rolling Stone said, "the narrow channel through which this talent has been directed is frustrating".[58] Still, the album enjoyed commercial success. Houston became the first woman in music history to debut at number one on the Billboard 200 albums chart, and the first artist to enter the albums chart at number one in both the US and UK, while also hitting number one or top ten in dozens of other countries around the world. The album's first single, "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)", was also a massive hit worldwide, peaking at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and topping the singles chart in many countries such as Australia, Germany and the UK. The next three singles, "Didn't We Almost Have It All", "So Emotional", and "Where Do Broken Hearts Go" all peaked at number one on the US Hot 100 chart, which gave her a total of seven consecutive number one hits, breaking the record of six previously shared by The Beatles and the Bee Gees.[59][60] Houston became the first woman to generate four number-one singles from one album. Whitney has been certified 9× Platinum in the US for shipments of over 9 million copies, and has sold a total of 20 million copies worldwide.[61]
At the 30th Grammy Awards in 1988, Houston was nominated for three awards, including Album of the Year, winning her second Grammy for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)".[62][63] Houston also won two American Music Awards in 1988 and 1989, respectively, and a Soul Train Music Award.[64][65][66] Following the release of the album, Houston embarked on the Moment of Truth World Tour, which was one of the ten highest grossing concert tours of 1987.[67] The success of the tours during 1986–87 and her two studio albums ranked Houston No. 8 for the highest earning entertainers list according to Forbes magazine.[68] She was the highest earning African-American woman overall and the third highest entertainer after Bill Cosby and Eddie Murphy.[68]
Houston was a supporter of Nelson Mandela and the anti-apartheid movement. During her modeling days, the singer refused to work with any agencies who did business with the then-apartheid South Africa.[69][70] On June 11, 1988, during the European leg of her tour, Houston joined other musicians to perform a set at Wembley Stadium in London to celebrate a then-imprisoned Nelson Mandela's 70th birthday.[69] Over 72,000 people attended Wembley Stadium, and over a billion people tuned in worldwide as the rock concert raised over $1 million for charities while bringing awareness to apartheid.[71] Houston then flew back to the US for a concert at Madison Square Garden in New York City in August. The show was a benefit concert that raised a quarter of a million dollars for the United Negro College Fund.[72] In the same year, she recorded a song for NBC's coverage of the 1988 Summer Olympics, "One Moment in Time", which became a Top 5 hit in the US, while reaching number one in the UK and Germany.[73][74][75] With her world tour continuing overseas, Houston was still one of the top 20 highest earning entertainers for 1987–88 according to Forbes magazine.[76][77]



 Houston performing "Saving All My Love for You" on the Welcome Home Heroes concert in 1991
In 1989, Houston formed The Whitney Houston Foundation For Children, a non-profit organization that has raised funds for the needs of children around the world. The organization cares for homelessness, children with cancer or AIDS, and other issues of self-empowerment.[78] With the success of her first two albums, Houston was undoubtedly an international crossover superstar, the most prominent since Michael Jackson, appealing to all demographics. However, some black critics believed she was "selling out".[6] They felt her singing on record lacked the soul that was present during her live concerts.[30]
At the 1989 Soul Train Music Awards, when Houston's name was called out for a nomination, a few in the audience jeered.[79][80] Houston defended herself against the criticism, stating, "If you're gonna have a long career, there's a certain way to do it, and I did it that way. I'm not ashamed of it."[30] Houston took a more urban direction with her third studio album, I'm Your Baby Tonight, released in November 1990. She produced and chose producers for this album and as a result, it featured production and collaborations with L.A. Reid and Babyface, Luther Vandross, and Stevie Wonder. The album showed Houston's versatility on a new batch of tough rhythmic grooves, soulful ballads and up-tempo dance tracks. Reviews were mixed. Rolling Stone felt it was her "best and most integrated album".[81] while Entertainment Weekly, at the time thought Houston's shift towards an urban direction was "superficial".[82]
The album contained several hits: the first two singles, "I'm Your Baby Tonight" and "All the Man That I Need" peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart; "Miracle" peaked at number nine; "My Name Is Not Susan" peaked in the top twenty; "I Belong to You" reached the top ten of the US R&B chart and garnered Houston a Grammy nomination; and the sixth single, the Stevie Wonder duet "We Didn't Know", reached the R&B top twenty. The album peaked at number three on the Billboard 200 and went on to be certified 4× platinum in the US while selling twelve million total worldwide.
In 1990, Houston 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.
During the Persian Gulf War, Houston performed "The Star Spangled Banner" at Super Bowl XXV at Tampa Stadium on January 27, 1991.[83] This performance was later reported by those involved in the performance to have been lip synced[84] or to have been sung into a dead microphone while a studio recording previously made by Houston was played. Dan Klores, a spokesman for Houston, explained: "This is not a Milli Vanilli thing. She sang live, but the microphone was turned off. It was a technical decision, partially based on the noise factor. This is standard procedure at these events."[85] (See also Star Spangled Banner lip sync controversy.) 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 (José Feliciano's version reached No. 50 in November 1968).[86][87] Houston 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.[83][88][89]
Her rendition was critically acclaimed and is considered the benchmark for singers.[84][90] Rolling Stone commented that "her singing stirs such strong patriotism. Unforgettable", and the performance ranked No. 1 on the 25 most memorable music moments in NFL history list. VH1 listed the performance as one of the greatest moments that rocked TV.[91][92] Following the attacks on 9/11, it was released again by Arista Records, all profits going towards 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.[93]
Later in 1991, Houston put together her 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.[94] Houston's concert gave HBO its highest ratings ever.[95] She then embarked on the I'm Your Baby Tonight World Tour.
1992–94: Marriage, motherhood, and The Bodyguard
Throughout the 1980s, Houston was romantically linked to American football star Randall Cunningham and actor Eddie Murphy, whom she dated.[96] She then met R&B singer Bobby Brown at the 1989 Soul Train Music Awards. After a three-year courtship, the two were married on July 18, 1992.[97] On March 4, 1993, Houston gave birth to their daughter Bobbi,[98] the couple's only child. Brown would go on to have several run-ins with the law, including some jail time.[97]
With the commercial success of her albums, movie offers poured in, including offers to work with Robert De Niro, Quincy Jones, and Spike Lee; but Houston felt the time wasn't right.[96] Houston's first film role was in The Bodyguard, released in 1992 and co-starring Kevin Costner. Houston played Rachel Marron, a star who is stalked by a crazed fan and hires a bodyguard to protect her. USA Today listed it as one of the 25 most memorable movie moments of the last 25 years in 2007.[99] Houston's mainstream appeal allowed people to look at the movie color-blind.[100]
Still, controversy arose as some felt the film's advertising intentionally hid Houston's face to hide the film's interracial relationship. In an interview with Rolling Stone in 1993, the singer commented that "people know who Whitney Houston is – I'm black. You can't hide that fact."[26] Houston received a Razzie Award nomination for Worst Actress. The Washington Post said Houston is "doing nothing more than playing Houston, comes out largely unscathed if that is possible in so cockamamie an undertaking",[101] and The New York Times commented that she lacked passion with her co-star.[102] Despite the film's mixed reviews, it was hugely successful at the box office, grossing more than $121 million in the U.S. and $410 million worldwide, making it one of the top 100 grossing films in film history at its time of release, though it is no longer in the top 100 due to rising ticket prices since the time the film was released.[103]
The film's soundtrack also enjoyed big success. Houston executive produced and contributed six songs for the motion picture's adjoining soundtrack album. Rolling Stone said it is "nothing more than pleasant, tasteful and urbane".[104] The soundtrack's lead single was "I Will Always Love You", written and originally recorded by Dolly Parton in 1974. Houston's version of the song was acclaimed by many critics, regarding it as her "signature song" or "iconic performance". Rolling Stone and USA Today called her rendition "the tour-de-force".[105][106] The single peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for a then-record-breaking 14 weeks, number one on the R&B chart for a then-record-breaking 11 weeks, and number one on the Adult Contemporary charts for five weeks.[107]
The single was certified 4× platinum by the RIAA, making Houston the first woman with a single to reach that level in the RIAA history and becoming the best-selling single by a woman in the US.[108][109][110] The song also became a global success, hitting number-one in almost all countries, and the best-selling single of all time by a female solo artist with 20 million copies sold.[111][112] The soundtrack topped the Billboard 200 chart and remained there for 20 non-consecutive weeks, the longest tenure by any album on the chart in the Nielsen SoundScan era, and became one of the fastest selling albums ever.[113] During Christmas week of 1992, the soundtrack sold over a million copies within a week, becoming the first album to achieve that feat under Nielsen SoundScan system.[114][115] With the follow-up singles "I'm Every Woman", a Chaka Khan cover, and "I Have Nothing" both reaching the top five, Houston became the first woman to ever have three singles in the Top 11 simultaneously.[116][117][118] The album was certified 17× platinum in the US alone,[119] with worldwide sales of 44 million,[120] making The Bodyguard the biggest-selling album by a female act on the list of the world's Top 10 best-selling albums, topping Shania Twain's 40 million sold for Come On Over.[121]
Houston won three Grammys for the album in 1994, including two of the Academy's highest honors, Album of the Year and Record of the Year. In addition, she won a record 8 American Music Awards at that year's ceremony including the Award of Merit,[122] 11 Billboard Music Awards, 3 Soul Train Music Awards in 1993–94 including Sammy Davis, Jr. Award as Entertainer of the Year,[123] 5 NAACP Image Awards including Entertainer of the Year,[124][125][126] a record 5 World Music Awards,[127] and a BRIT award.[128] Following the success of the project, Houston embarked on another expansive global tour, The Bodyguard World Tour, in 1993–94. Her concerts, movie, and recording grosses made her the third highest earning female entertainer of 1993–94, just behind Oprah Winfrey and Barbra Streisand according to Forbes magazine.[129] Houston placed in the top five of Entertainment Weekly‍ '​s annual "Entertainer of the Year" ranking[130] and was labeled by Premiere magazine as one of the 100 most powerful people in Hollywood.[131]
In October 1994, Houston attended and performed at a state dinner in the White House honoring newly elected South African president Nelson Mandela.[132][133] At the end of her world tour, Houston performed three concerts in South Africa to honor President Mandela, playing to over 200,000 people. This would make the singer the first major musician to visit the newly unified and apartheid free nation following Mandela's winning election.[134] The concert was broadcast live on HBO with funds of the concerts being donated to various charities in South Africa. The event was considered the nation's "biggest media event since the inauguration of Nelson Mandela".[135]
1995–97: Waiting to Exhale, The Preacher's Wife, and Cinderella
In 1995, Houston starred alongside Angela Bassett, Loretta Devine, and Lela Rochon in her second film, Waiting to Exhale, a motion picture about four African-American women struggling with relationships. Houston played the lead character Savannah Jackson, a TV producer in love with a married man. She chose the role because she saw the film as "a breakthrough for the image of black women because it presents them both as professionals and as caring mothers".[136] After opening at number one and grossing $67 million in the US at the box office and $81 million worldwide,[137] it proved that a movie primarily targeting a black audience can cross over to success, while paving the way for other all-black movies such as How Stella Got Her Groove Back and the Tyler Perry movies that became popular in the 2000s.[138][139][140] The film is also notable for its portrayal of black women as strong middle class citizens rather than as stereotypes.[141] The reviews were mainly positive for the ensemble cast. The New York Times said: "Ms. Houston has shed the defensive hauteur that made her portrayal of a pop star in 'The Bodyguard' seem so distant."[142] Houston was nominated for an NAACP Image Award for "Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture", but lost to her co-star Bassett.[143]
The film's accompanying soundtrack, Waiting to Exhale: Original Soundtrack Album, was produced by Houston and Babyface. Though Babyface originally wanted Houston to record the entire album, she declined. Instead, she "wanted it to be an album of women with vocal distinction", and thus gathered several African-American female artists for the soundtrack, to go along with the film's message about strong women.[136] Consequently, the album featured a range of contemporary R&B female recording artists along with Houston, such as Mary J. Blige, Brandy, Toni Braxton, Aretha Franklin, and Patti LaBelle. Houston's "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)" peaked at No. 1, and then spent a record eleven weeks at the No. 2 spot and eight weeks on top of the R&B Charts. "Count On Me", a duet with CeCe Winans, hit the US Top 10; and Houston's third contribution, "Why Does It Hurt So Bad", made the Top 30. The album debuted at No. 1, and was certified 7× Platinum in the United States, denoting shipments of seven million copies.[61] The soundtrack received strong reviews; as Entertainment Weekly stated: "the album goes down easy, just as you'd expect from a package framed by Whitney Houston tracks... the soundtrack waits to exhale, hovering in sensuous suspense"[144] and has since ranked it as one of the 100 Best Movie Soundtracks.[145] Later that year, Houston's children's charity organization was awarded a VH1 Honor for all the charitable work.[146]
In 1996, Houston starred in the holiday comedy The Preacher's Wife, with Denzel Washington. She plays a gospel-singing wife of a pastor (Courtney B. Vance). It was largely an updated remake of the film "The Bishop's Wife" (1948 in film|1948), which starred Loretta Young, David Niven, and Cary Grant. Houston earned $10 million for the role, making her one of the highest-paid actresses in Hollywood at the time and the highest earning African-American actress in Hollywood.[147] The movie, with its all African-American cast, was a moderate success, earning approximately $50 million at the U.S. box offices.[148] The movie gave Houston her strongest reviews so far. The San Francisco Chronicle said Houston "is rather angelic herself, displaying a divine talent for being virtuous and flirtatious at the same time", and she "exudes gentle yet spirited warmth, especially when praising the Lord in her gorgeous singing voice".[149] Houston was again nominated for an NAACP Image Award and won for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture.[150]
Houston recorded and co-produced, with Mervyn Warren, the film's accompanying gospel soundtrack. The Preacher's Wife: Original Soundtrack Album included six gospel songs with Georgia Mass Choir that were recorded at the Great Star Rising Baptist Church in Atlanta. Houston also duetted with gospel legend Shirley Caesar. The album sold six million copies worldwide and scored hit singles with "I Believe in You and Me" and "Step by Step", becoming the largest selling gospel album of all time.[151] The album received mainly positive reviews. Some critics, such as that of USA Today, noted the presence of her emotional depth,[152] while The Times said, "To hear Houston going at full throttle with the 35 piece Georgia Mass Choir struggling to keep up is to realise what her phenomenal voice was made for".[153]
In 1997, Houston's production company changed its name to BrownHouse Productions and was joined by Debra Martin Chase. Their goal was "to show 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.[154] Their first project was a made-for-television remake of Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella. In addition to co-producing, Houston starred in the movie as the Fairy Godmother along with Brandy, Jason Alexander, Whoopi Goldberg, and Bernadette Peters. Houston was initially offered the role of Cinderella in 1993, but other projects intervened.[155] The film is notable for its multi-racial cast and nonstereotypical message.[156] An estimated 60 million viewers tuned into the special giving ABC its highest TV ratings in 16 years.[157] The movie received seven Emmy nominations including Outstanding Variety, Musical or Comedy, while winning Outstanding Art Direction in a Variety, Musical or Comedy Special.[158]
Houston and 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. Houston wanted the story told with dignity and honor.[154] However, Halle Berry also had rights to the project and got her version going first.[159] Later that year, Houston paid tribute to her idols, such as Aretha Franklin, Diana Ross, and Dionne Warwick, by performing their hits during the three-night HBO Concert Classic Whitney Live from Washington, D.C.. The special raised over $300,000 for the Children's Defense Fund.[160] Houston received the Quincy Jones Award for outstanding career achievements in the field of entertainment at the 12th Soul Train Music Awards.[161][162]
1998–2000: My Love Is Your Love and Whitney: The Greatest Hits
After spending much of the early and mid-1990s working on motion pictures and their soundtrack albums, Houston's first studio album in eight years, the critically acclaimed My Love Is Your Love, was released in November 1998. Though originally slated to be a greatest hits album with a handful of new songs, recording sessions were so fruitful that a new full-length studio album was released. Recorded and mixed in only six weeks, it featured production from Rodney Jerkins, Wyclef Jean and Missy Elliott. The album debuted at number thirteen, its peak position, on the Billboard 200 chart.[163] It had a funkier and edgier sound than past releases and saw Houston handling urban dance, hip hop, mid-tempo R&B, reggae, torch songs, and ballads all with great dexterity.[164]
From late 1998 to early 2000, the album spawned several hit singles: "When You Believe" (US No. 15, UK No. 4), a duet with Mariah Carey for 1998's The Prince of Egypt soundtrack, which also became an international hit as it peaked in the Top 10 in several countries and won an Academy Award for Best Original Song;[165] "Heartbreak Hotel" (US No. 2, UK No. 25) featured Faith Evans and Kelly Price, received a 1999 MTV VMA nomination for Best R&B Video,[166] and number one on the US R&B chart for seven weeks; "It's Not Right but It's Okay" (US No. 4, UK No. 3) won Houston her sixth Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance;[167] "My Love Is Your Love" (US No. 4, UK No. 2) with 3 million copies sold worldwide;[168] and "I Learned from the Best" (US No. 27, UK No. 19).[169][170] These singles became international hits as well, and all the singles, except "When You Believe", became number one hits on the Billboard Hot Dance/Club Play chart. The album sold four million copies in America, making it certified 4× platinum, and a total of eleven million copies worldwide.[46]
The album gave Houston some of her strongest reviews ever. Rolling Stone said Houston was singing "with a bite in her voice"[171] and The Village Voice called it "Whitney's sharpest and most satisfying so far".[172] In 1999, Houston participated in VH-1's Divas Live '99, alongside Brandy, Mary J. Blige, Tina Turner, and Cher. The same year, Houston hit the road with her 70 date My Love Is Your Love World Tour. The European leg of the tour was Europe's highest grossing arena tour of the year.[173] In November 1999, Houston was named Top-selling R&B Female Artist of the Century with certified US sales of 51 million copies at the time and The Bodyguard Soundtrack was named the Top-selling Soundtrack Album of the Century by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[174] She also won The Artist of the Decade, Female award for extraordinary artistic contributions during the 1990s at the 14th Soul Train Music Awards, and an MTV Europe Music Award for Best R&B.[175][176][177][178][179]
In May 2000, Whitney: The Greatest Hits was released worldwide. The double disc set peaked at number five in the United States, reaching number one in the United Kingdom.[170][180] In addition, the album reached the Top 10 in many other countries.[181] While ballad songs were left unchanged, the album features house/club remixes of many of Houston's up-tempo hits. Included on the album were four new songs: "Could I Have This Kiss Forever" (a duet with Enrique Iglesias), "Same Script, Different Cast" (a duet with Deborah Cox), "If I Told You That" (a duet with George Michael), and "Fine", and three hits that had never appeared on a Houston album: "One Moment in Time", "The Star Spangled Banner", and "If You Say My Eyes Are Beautiful", a duet with Jermaine Jackson from his 1986 Precious Moments album.[182] Along with the album, an accompanying VHS and DVD was released featuring the music videos to Houston's greatest hits, as well as several hard-to-find live performances including her 1983 debut on The Merv Griffin Show, and interviews.[183] The greatest hits album was certified 3× platinum in the US, with worldwide sales of 10 million.[184][185]
2000–05: Just Whitney and personal struggles
Though Houston was seen as a "good girl" with a perfect image in the 1980s and early 1990s, by the late 1990s, her behavior changed. She was often hours late for interviews, photo shoots and rehearsals, and canceling concerts and talk-show appearances.[186][187] With the missed performances and weight loss, rumors about Houston using drugs with her husband circulated. On January 11, 2000, airport security guards discovered marijuana in both Houston's and husband Bobby Brown's luggage at a Hawaii airport, but the two boarded the plane and departed before authorities could arrive. Charges were later dropped against them,[188] but rumors of drug usage between the couple would continue to surface. Two months later, Clive Davis was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Houston had been scheduled to perform at the event, but failed to show up.[189]
Shortly thereafter, Houston was scheduled to perform at the Academy Awards but was fired from the event by musical director and longtime friend Burt Bacharach. Her publicist cited throat problems as the reason for the cancellation. In his book The Big Show: High Times and Dirty Dealings Backstage at the Academy Awards, author Steve Pond revealed that "Houston's voice was shaky, she seemed distracted and jittery, and her attitude was casual, almost defiant", and that while Houston was to sing "Over the Rainbow", she would start singing a different song.[190] Houston later admitted to having been fired.[191] Later that year, Houston's long-time executive assistant and friend, Robyn Crawford, resigned from Houston's management company.[189]
In August 2001, Houston signed the biggest record deal in music history with Arista/BMG. She renewed her contract for $100 million to deliver six new albums, on which she would also earn royalties.[192][193][194] She later made an appearance on Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Special. Her extremely thin frame further spurred rumors of drug use. Houston's publicist said, "Whitney has been under stress due to family matters, and when she is under stress she doesn't eat."[195] The singer was scheduled for a second performance the following night but canceled.[196] Within weeks, Houston's rendition of "The Star Spangled Banner" would be re-released after the September 11 attacks, with the proceeds donated to the New York Firefighters 9/11 Disaster Relief Fund and the New York Fraternal Order of Police.[197] The song peaked at No. 6 this time on the US Hot 100, topping its previous position.[169]
In 2002, Houston became involved in a legal dispute with John Houston Enterprise. Although the company was started by her father to manage her career, it was actually run by company president Kevin Skinner. Skinner filed a breach-of-contract lawsuit and sued for $100 million (but lost), stating that Houston owed the company previously unpaid compensation for helping to negotiate her $100 million contract with Arista Records and for sorting out legal matters.[198] Houston stated that her 81-year-old father had nothing to do with the lawsuit. Although Skinner tried to claim otherwise, John Houston never appeared in court.[199] Houston's father later died in February 2003.[200] The lawsuit was dismissed on April 5, 2004, and Skinner was awarded nothing.[201]
Also in 2002, Houston did an interview with Diane Sawyer to promote her then-upcoming album. During the prime-time special, Houston spoke on topics including rumored drug use and marriage. She was asked about the ongoing drug rumors and replied, "First of all, let's get one thing straight. Crack is cheap. I make too much money to ever smoke crack. Let's get that straight. Okay? We don't do crack. We don't do that. Crack is whack."[191] The line was from Keith Haring's mural which was painted in 1986 on the handball court at 128th Street and 2nd Avenue.[202] Houston did, however, admit to using other substances at times, including cocaine.[191]
In December 2002, Houston released her fifth studio album, Just Whitney.... The album included productions from then-husband Bobby Brown, as well as Missy Elliott and Babyface, and marked the first time that Houston did not produce with Clive Davis as Davis had been released by top management at BMG. Upon its release, Just Whitney... received mixed reviews.[203] The album debuted at number 9 on the Billboard 200 chart and it had the highest first week sales of any album Houston had ever released.[204] The four singles released from the album did not fare well on the Billboard Hot 100, but became dance chart hits. Just Whitney... was certified platinum in the United States, and sold approximately three million worldwide.[205]
On a June 2003 trip to Israel, Houston said of her visit, "I've never felt like this in any other country. I feel at home, I feel wonderful."[206]
In late 2003, Houston released her first Christmas album One Wish: The Holiday Album, with a collection of traditional holiday songs. Houston produced the album with Mervyn Warren and Gordon Chambers. A single titled "One Wish (for Christmas)" reached the Top 20 on the Adult Contemporary chart, and the album was certified gold in the US. Having always been a touring artist, Houston spent most of 2004 touring and performing in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Russia. In September 2004, she gave a surprise performance at the World Music Awards in a tribute to long-time friend Clive Davis. After the show, Davis and Houston announced plans to go into the studio to work on her new album.[207]
In early 2004, husband Bobby Brown starred in his own reality TV program, Being Bobby Brown on the Bravo network, which provided a view into the domestic goings-on in the Brown household. Though it was Brown's vehicle, Houston was a prominent figure throughout the show, receiving as much screen time as Brown. The series aired in 2005 and featured Houston in, what some would say, not her most flattering moments. The Hollywood Reporter said it was "undoubtedly the most disgusting and execrable series ever to ooze its way onto television."[208] Despite the perceived train-wreck nature of the show, the series gave Bravo its highest ratings in its time slot and continued Houston's successful forays into film and television.[209] The show was not renewed for a second season after Houston stated that she would no longer appear in it, and Brown and Bravo could not come to an agreement for another season.[210]
2006–12: Return to music, I Look to You, tour and film comeback
After years of controversy and turmoil, Houston separated from Bobby Brown in September 2006, filing for divorce the following month.[211] On February 1, 2007, Houston asked the court to fast track their divorce.[212] The divorce was finalized on April 24, 2007, with Houston granted custody of the couple's daughter.[213] On May 4, Houston sold the suburban Atlanta home featured in Being Bobby Brown for $1.19 million.[214] A few days later, Brown sued Houston in Orange County, California court in an attempt to change the terms of their custody agreement. Brown also sought child and spousal support from Houston. In the lawsuit, Brown claimed that financial and emotional problems prevented him from properly responding to Houston's divorce petition.[215] Brown lost at his court hearing as the judge dismissed his appeal to overrule the custody terms, leaving Houston with full custody and Brown with no spousal support.[216] In March 2007, Clive Davis of Arista Records announced that Houston would begin recording a new album.[217] In October 2007, Arista released another compilation The Ultimate Collection outside the United States.[218]



 Houston performing "My Love Is Your Love" with her daughter Bobbi Kristina Brown on Good Morning America, September 1, 2009
Houston gave her first interview in seven years in September 2009, appearing on Oprah Winfrey's season premiere. The interview was billed as "the most anticipated music interview of the decade".[219] Whitney admitted on the show to using drugs with former husband Bobby Brown, who "laced marijuana with rock cocaine".[220] She told Oprah that before The Bodyguard her drug use was light, but after the film's success and the birth of her daughter it got heavier, and by 1996 "[doing drugs] was an everyday thing... I wasn't happy by that point in time. I was losing myself."[221]
Houston released her new album, I Look to You, in August 2009.[222] The album's first two singles were the title track "I Look to You" and "Million Dollar Bill". The album entered the Billboard 200 at No. 1, with Houston's best opening week sales of 305,000 copies, marking Houston's first number one album since The Bodyguard, and Houston's first studio album to reach number one since 1987's Whitney. Houston also appeared on European television programs 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 guest mentor on The X Factor in the United Kingdom. She performed "Million Dollar Bill" on the following day's results show, completing the song even as a strap in the back of her dress popped open two minutes into the performance. She later commented that she "sang [herself] out of [her] clothes".
The performance was poorly received by the British media, and was variously described as "weird" and "ungracious",[223] "shambolic"[224] and a "flop". Despite this reception, "Million Dollar Bill" jumped to its peak from 14 to number 5 (her first UK top 5 for over a decade), and three weeks after release I Look to You went gold. Houston appeared on the Italian version of The X Factor, also performing "Million Dollar Bill", this time to excellent reviews.[225] Houston was later awarded a Gold certificate for achieving over 50,000 CD sales of I Look to You in Italy.[226] In November, Houston performed "I Didn't Know My Own Strength" at the 2009 American Music Awards in Los Angeles, California. Two days later, Houston performed "Million Dollar Bill" and "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)" on the Dancing with the Stars season 9 finale. As of December 2009, I Look to You has been certified platinum by the RIAA for sales of more than one million copies in the United States.[227] On January 26, 2010, her debut album was re-released in a special edition entitled Whitney Houston – The Deluxe Anniversary Edition.[228]



 Whitney Houston at the O2 Arena, April 28, 2010, as part of her Nothing but Love World Tour
Houston later embarked 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. However, some poor reviews and rescheduled concerts brought some negative media attention.[229][230] Houston canceled some concerts due to illness and received widespread negative reviews from fans who were disappointed in the quality of her voice and performance. Some fans reportedly walked out of her concerts.[231]
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. In April 2010, the UK newspaper The Mirror reported that Houston was thinking about recording her eighth studio album and wanted to collaborate with will.i.am (of The Black Eyed Peas), her first choice for a collaboration.[232]
Houston also performed the song "I Look to You" on the 2011 BET Celebration of Gospel, with gospel–jazz singer Kim Burrell, held at the Staples Center, Los Angeles. The performance aired on January 30, 2011. Early in 2011, she gave an uneven performance in tribute to cousin Dionne Warwick at music mogul Clive Davis' annual pre-Grammy gala. In May 2011, Houston enrolled in a rehabilitation center again, as an out-patient, citing drug and alcohol problems. A representative for Houston said that it was a part of Houston's "longstanding recovery process".[233]
In September 2011, The Hollywood Reporter announced that Houston would produce and star alongside Jordin Sparks and Mike Epps in the remake of the 1976 film Sparkle. In the film, Houston portrays Sparks' "not-so encouraging" mother. Houston is also credited as an executive producer of the film. Debra Martin Chase, producer of Sparkle, stated that Houston deserved the title considering she had been there from the beginning in 2001, when Houston obtained Sparkle production rights. R&B singer Aaliyah – originally tapped to star as Sparkle – died in a 2001 plane crash. Her death derailed production, which would have begun in 2002.[234][235][236] Houston's remake of Sparkle was filmed in the fall of 2011 over a two-month period,[237] and was released by TriStar Pictures.[238] On May 21, 2012, "Celebrate", the last song Houston recorded with Sparks, premiered at RyanSeacrest.com. It was made available for digital download on iTunes on June 5.[239] The song was featured on the Sparkle: Music from the Motion Picture soundtrack as the first official single.[240] The movie was released on August 17, 2012 in the United States. The accompanying music video for "Celebrate" was filmed on May 30, 2012.[241] The video was shot over 2 days,[242] and a sneak peek of the video premiered on Entertainment Tonight on June 4, 2012.[243]
Death



The Beverly Hilton Hotel, where Houston's body was found.


 "We miss you" message at a Los Angeles cinema.


 Flowers near the Beverly Hilton Hotel.


 New Hope Baptist Church
 Wikinews has related news: American pop star Whitney Houston dies at 48
On February 9, 2012, Houston visited singers Brandy and Monica, together with Clive Davis, at their rehearsals for Davis' pre-Grammy Awards party at The Beverly Hilton hotel in Beverly Hills.[244][245] That same day, she made her last public performance, when she joined Kelly Price on stage in Hollywood, California, and sang "Jesus Loves Me".[246][247]
Two days later, on February 11, Houston was found unconscious in Suite 434 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, submerged in the bathtub.[248][249] Beverly Hills paramedics arrived at approximately 3:30 p.m. and found the singer unresponsive and performed CPR. Houston was pronounced dead at 3:55 p.m. PST.[250][251] The cause of death was not immediately known.[13][250] Local police said there were "no obvious signs of criminal intent."[252] On March 22, 2012, the Los Angeles County coroner's office reported the cause of Houston's death was drowning and the "effects of atherosclerotic heart disease and cocaine use".[253][254] The office stated the amount of cocaine found in Houston's body indicated that she used the substance shortly before her death.[255] Toxicology results revealed additional drugs in her system: diphenhydramine, alprazolam, cannabis and cyclobenzaprine.[256] The manner of death was listed as an "accident".[257]
Houston had an invitation-only memorial on Saturday, February 18, 2012, at the New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, New Jersey. The service was scheduled for two hours, but lasted four.[258] Among those who performed at the funeral were Stevie Wonder (rewritten version of "Ribbon in the Sky", and "Love's in Need of Love Today"), CeCe Winans ("Don't Cry", and "Jesus Loves Me"), Alicia Keys ("Send Me an Angel"), Kim Burrell (rewritten version of "A Change Is Gonna Come"), and R. Kelly ("I Look to You"). The performances were interspersed with hymns by the church choir and remarks by Clive Davis, Houston's record producer; Kevin Costner; Rickey Minor, her music director; her cousin, Dionne Warwick; and Ray Watson, her security guard for the past 11 years. Aretha Franklin was listed on the program and was expected to sing, but was unable to attend the service.[259][260] Bobby Brown, Houston's ex-husband, was also invited to the funeral but he left before the service began.[261] Houston was buried on Sunday, February 19, 2012, in Fairview Cemetery, in Westfield, New Jersey, next to her father, John Russell Houston, who died in 2003.[262] In June 2012, the McDonald's Gospelfest in Newark became a tribute to Houston.[263]
Reaction
Pre-Grammy party
The Clive Davis' pre-Grammy party that Houston was expected to attend, which featured many of the biggest names in music and movies, went on as scheduled although it was quickly turned into a tribute to Houston. Davis spoke about Houston's death at the evening's start: "By now you have all learned of the unspeakably tragic news of our beloved Whitney's passing. I don't have to mask my emotion in front of a room full of so many dear friends. I am personally devastated by the loss of someone who has meant so much to me for so many years. Whitney was so full of life. She was so looking forward to tonight even though she wasn't scheduled to perform. Whitney was a beautiful person and a talent beyond compare. She graced this stage with her regal presence and gave so many memorable performances here over the years. Simply put, Whitney would have wanted the music to go on and her family asked that we carry on."[264]
Tony Bennett spoke of Houston's death before performing at Davis' party. He said, "First, it was Michael Jackson, then Amy Winehouse, now, the magnificent Whitney Houston." Bennett sang "How Do You Keep the Music Playing?" and said of Houston, "When I first heard her, I called Clive Davis and said, 'You finally found the greatest singer I've ever heard in my life.'"[265]
Some celebrities opposed Davis' decision to continue on the party while a police investigation was being conducted in Houston's hotel room and her body was still in the building. Chaka Khan, in an interview with CNN's Piers Morgan on February 13, 2012, shared that she felt the party should have been canceled, saying: "I thought that was complete insanity. And knowing Whitney I don't believe that she would have said 'the show must go on.' She's the kind of woman that would've said 'Stop everything! Un-unh. I'm not going to be there.' [...] I don't know what could motivate a person to have a party in a building where the person whose life he had influenced so enormously and whose life had been affected by hers. They were like... I don't understand how that party went on."[266] Sharon Osbourne condemned the Davis party, declaring: "I think it was disgraceful that the party went on. I don't want to be in a hotel room when there's someone you admire who's tragically lost their life four floors up. I'm not interested in being in that environment and I think when you grieve someone, you do it privately, you do it with people who understand you. I thought it was so wrong."[267]
Further reaction and tributes
Many other celebrities released statements responding to Houston's death. Darlene Love, Houston's godmother, hearing the news of her death, said, "It felt like I had been struck by a lightning bolt in my gut."[268] Dolly Parton, whose song "I Will Always Love You" was covered by Houston, said, "I will always be grateful and in awe of the wonderful performance she did on my song, and I can truly say from the bottom of my heart, 'Whitney, I will always love you. You will be missed.'" Aretha Franklin said, "It's so stunning and unbelievable. I couldn't believe what I was reading coming across the TV screen."[269] Others paying tribute included Mariah Carey, Quincy Jones and Oprah Winfrey.[270][271]
Moments after news of her death emerged, CNN, MSNBC and Fox News all broke from their regularly scheduled programming to dedicate time to non-stop coverage of Houston's death. All three featured live interviews with people who had known Houston including those that had worked with her, interviewed her along with some of her peers in the music industry. Saturday Night Live displayed a photo of a smiling Houston, alongside Molly Shannon, from her 1996 appearance.[272][273] MTV and VH-1 interrupted their regularly scheduled programming on Sunday February 12 to air many of Houston's classic videos with MTV often airing news segments in between and featuring various reactions from fans and celebrities.
Houston's former husband, Bobby Brown, was reported to be "in and out of crying fits" since receiving the news. He did not cancel a scheduled performance and within hours of his ex-wife's sudden death, an audience in Mississippi observed as Brown blew kisses skyward, tearfully saying: "I love you, Whitney."[274]
Ken Ehrlich, executive producer of the 54th Grammy Awards, announced that Jennifer Hudson would perform a tribute to Houston at the February 12, 2012 ceremony. He said "event organizers believed Hudson – an Academy Award-winning actress and Grammy Award-winning artist – could perform a respectful musical tribute to Houston". Ehrlich went on to say: "It's too fresh in everyone's memory to do more at this time, but we would be remiss if we didn't recognize Whitney's remarkable contribution to music fans in general, and in particular her close ties with the Grammy telecast and her Grammy wins and nominations over the years".[275] At the start of the awards ceremony, footage of Houston performing "I Will Always Love You" from the 1994 Grammys was shown following a prayer read by host LL Cool J. Later in the program, following a montage of photos of musicians who died in 2011 with Houston singing "Saving All My Love for You" at the 1986 Grammys, Hudson paid tribute to Houston and the other artists by performing "I Will Always Love You".[276][277] The tribute was partially credited for the Grammys telecast getting its second highest ratings in history.[278]
Houston was honored in the form of various tributes at the 43rd NAACP Image Awards, held on February 17. An image montage of Houston and important black figures who died in 2011 was followed by video footage from the 1994 ceremony, which depicted her accepting two Image Awards for outstanding female artist and entertainer of the year. Following the video tribute, Yolanda Adams delivered a rendition of "I Love the Lord" from The Preacher's Wife Soundtrack. In the finale of the ceremony, Kirk Franklin and the Family started their performance with "The Greatest Love of All".[279] The 2012 BRIT Awards, which took place at London's O2 Arena on February 21, also paid tribute to Houston by playing a 30-second video montage of her music videos with a snippet of "One Moment in Time" as the background music in the ceremony's first segment.[280] New Jersey Governor Chris Christie said that all New Jersey state flags would be flown at half-staff on Tuesday, February 21 to honor Houston.[281] Houston was also featured, alongside other recently deceased figures from the movie industry, in the In Memoriam montage at the 84th Academy Awards on February 26, 2012.[282][283]
Artistry and legacy
Voice




"I Will Always Love You" (1992)







One of Houston's best selling singles worldwide and recognized songs, "I Will Always Love You" prominently uses melismas.

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Houston was a mezzo-soprano,[284][285] and was commonly referred to as "The Voice" in reference to her exceptional vocal talent.[286] She was third in MTV's list of 22 Greatest Voices,[287] and sixth on Online Magazine COVE‍ '​s list of the 100 Best Pop Vocalists with a score of 48.5/50.[288] Jon Pareles of The New York Times stated she "always had a great big voice, a technical marvel from its velvety depths to its ballistic middle register to its ringing and airy heights".[289] In 2008, Rolling Stone listed Houston as the thirty-fourth of the 100 greatest singers of all time, stating, "Her voice is a mammoth, coruscating cry: Few vocalists could get away with opening a song with 45 unaccompanied seconds of singing, but Houston's powerhouse version of Dolly Parton's 'I Will Always Love You' is a tour de force."[105] Matthew Perpetua from Rolling Stone also eulogized Houston's vocal, enumerating ten performances, including "How Will I Know" from the 1986 MTV VMAs and "The Star Spangled Banner" at the 1991 Super Bowl. "Whitney Houston was blessed with an astonishing vocal range and extraordinary technical skill, but what truly made her a great singer was her ability to connect with a song and drive home its drama and emotion with incredible precision," he stated. "She was a brilliant performer, and her live shows often eclipsed her studio recordings."[290]
Jon Caramanica of The New York Times commented, "Her voice was clean and strong, with barely any grit, well suited to the songs of love and aspiration. [...] Hers was a voice of triumph and achievement, and it made for any number of stunning, time-stopping vocal performances."[291] Mariah Carey stated, "She [Whitney] has a really rich, strong mid-belt that very few people have. She sounds really good, really strong."[292] While in her review of I Look to You, music critic Ann Powers of the Los Angeles Times writes, "[Houston's voice] stands like monuments upon the landscape of 20th century pop, defining the architecture of their times, sheltering the dreams of millions and inspiring the climbing careers of countless imitators", adding "When she was at her best, nothing could match her huge, clean, cool mezzo-soprano."[285]
Lauren Everitt from BBC News Magazine commented on melisma used in Houston's recording and its influence. "An early 'I' in Whitney Houston's 'I Will Always Love You' takes nearly six seconds to sing. In those seconds the former gospel singer-turned-pop star packs a series of different notes into the single syllable," stated Everitt. "The technique is repeated throughout the song, most pronouncedly on every 'I' and 'you'. The vocal technique is called melisma, and it has inspired a host of imitators. Other artists may have used it before Houston, but it was her rendition of Dolly Parton's love song that pushed the technique into the mainstream in the 90s. [...] But perhaps what Houston nailed best was moderation." Everitt said that "[i]n a climate of reality shows ripe with 'oversinging,' it's easy to appreciate Houston's ability to save melisma for just the right moment."[293]
Houston's vocal stylings have had a significant impact on the music industry. According to Linda Lister in Divafication: The Deification of Modern Female Pop Stars, she has been called the "Queen of Pop" for her influence during the 1990s, commercially rivaling Mariah Carey and Celine Dion.[294] Stephen Holden from The New York Times, in his review of Houston's Radio City Music Hall concert on July 20, 1993, praised her attitude as a singer, writing, "Whitney Houston is one of the few contemporary pop stars of whom it might be said: the voice suffices. While almost every performer whose albums sell in the millions calls upon an entertainer's bag of tricks, from telling jokes to dancing to circus pyrotechnics, Ms. Houston would rather just stand there and sing." With regard to her singing style, he added: "Her [Houston's] stylistic trademarks – shivery melismas that ripple up in the middle of a song, twirling embellishments at the ends of phrases that suggest an almost breathless exhilaration – infuse her interpretations with flashes of musical and emotional lightning."[295]
Elysa Gardner of the Los Angeles Times in her review for The Preacher's Wife Soundtrack praised Houston's vocal ability highly, commenting, "She is first and foremost a pop diva – at that, the best one we have. No other female pop star – not Mariah Carey, not Celine Dion, not Barbra Streisand – quite rivals Houston in her exquisite vocal fluidity and purity of tone, and her ability to infuse a lyric with mesmerizing melodrama."[296]
Influence
During the 1980s, MTV was coming into its own and received criticism for not playing enough videos by black artists. With Michael Jackson breaking down the color barrier for black men, Houston did the same for black women. She became the first black woman to receive heavy rotation on the network following the success of the "How Will I Know" video.[297] Following Houston's breakthrough, other African-American women, such as Janet Jackson and Anita Baker, were successful in popular music.[56][57] Baker commented that "Because of what Whitney and Sade did, there was an opening for me... For radio stations, black women singers aren't taboo anymore."[298]
AllMusic noted her contribution to the success of black artists on the pop scene, commenting, "Houston was able to handle big adult contemporary ballads, effervescent, stylish dance-pop, and slick urban contemporary soul with equal dexterity" and that "the result was an across-the-board appeal that was matched by scant few artists of her era, and helped her become one of the first black artists to find success on MTV in Michael Jackson's wake".[299] The New York Times stated that "Houston was a major catalyst for a movement within black music that recognized the continuity of soul, pop, jazz and gospel vocal traditions".[300] Richard Corliss of Time magazine commented on her initial success breaking various barriers:

Of her first album's ten cuts, six were ballads. This chanteuse [Houston] had to fight for air play with hard rockers. The young lady had to stand uncowed in the locker room of macho rock. The soul strutter had to seduce a music audience that anointed few black artists with superstardom. [...] She was a phenomenon waiting to happen, a canny tapping of the listener's yen for a return to the musical middle. And because every new star creates her own genre, her success has helped other blacks, other women, other smooth singers find an avid reception in the pop marketplace.[301]
Stephen Holden of The New York Times said that Houston "revitalized the tradition of strong gospel-oriented pop-soul singing".[302] Ann Powers of the Los Angeles Times referred to the singer as a "national treasure".[285] Jon Caramanica, other music critic of The New York Times, called Houston "R&B's great modernizer," adding "slowly but surely reconciling the ambition and praise of the church with the movements and needs of the body and the glow of the mainstream".[291] He also drew comparisons between Houston's influence and other big names' on 1980s pop:

She was, alongside Michael Jackson and Madonna, one of the crucial figures to hybridize pop in the 1980s, though her strategy was far less radical than that of her peers. Jackson and Madonna were by turns lascivious and brutish and, crucially, willing to let their production speak more loudly than their voices, an option Ms. Houston never went for. Also, she was less prolific than either of them, achieving most of her renown on the strength of her first three solo albums and one soundtrack, released from 1985 to 1992. If she was less influential than they were in the years since, it was only because her gift was so rare, so impossible to mimic. Jackson and Madonna built worldviews around their voices; Ms. Houston’s voice was the worldview. She was someone more to be admired, like a museum piece, than to be emulated.[291]
The Independent‍ '​s music critic Andy Gill also wrote about Houston's influence on modern R&B and singing competitions, comparing it to Michael Jackson's. "Because Whitney, more than any other single artist ― Michael Jackson included ― effectively mapped out the course of modern R&B, setting the bar for standards of soul vocalese, and creating the original template for what we now routinely refer to as the 'soul diva'," stated Gill. "Jackson was a hugely talented icon, certainly, but he will be as well remembered (probably more so) for his presentational skills, his dazzling dance moves, as for his musical innovations. Whitney, on the other hand, just sang, and the ripples from her voice continue to dominate the pop landscape." Gill said that there "are few, if any, Jackson imitators on today's TV talent shows, but every other contestant is a Whitney wannabe, desperately attempting to emulate that wondrous combination of vocal effects – the flowing melisma, the soaring mezzo-soprano confidence, the tremulous fluttering that carried the ends of lines into realms of higher yearning".[303]
Houston was considered by many to be a "singer's singer", who had an influence on countless other vocalists, both female and male.[105][304] Similarly, Steve Huey from Allmusic wrote that the shadow of Houston's prodigious technique still looms large over nearly every pop diva and smooth urban soul singer – male or female – in her wake, and spawned a legion of imitators.[299] Rolling Stone, on her biography, stated that Houston "redefined the image of a female soul icon and inspired singers ranging from Mariah Carey to Rihanna".[305] Essence ranked Houston the fifth on their list of 50 Most Influential R&B Stars of all time, calling her "the diva to end all divas".[306]
A number of artists have acknowledged Houston as an influence, including Celine Dion,[307] Mariah Carey,[105] Toni Braxton,[308] Christina Aguilera,[309] LeAnn Rimes,[310] Jessica Simpson,[311] Nelly Furtado,[312] Kelly Clarkson, Britney Spears,[313] Ciara,[314] P!nk,[313] Aneeka,[315] Ashanti,[316] Robin Thicke,[317] Jennifer Hudson, Stacie Orrico, Amerie,[318] Destiny's Child,[313][319] and Ariana Grande.[320] Mariah Carey, who was often compared to Houston, said, "She [Houston] has been a big influence on me."[321] She later told USA Today that "none of us would sound the same if Aretha Franklin hadn't ever put out a record, or Whitney Houston hadn't."[322] Celine Dion who was the third member of the troika that dominated female pop singing in the 1990s, did a telephone interview with Good Morning America on February 13, 2012, telling "Whitney's been an amazing inspiration for me. I've been singing with her my whole career, actually. I wanted to have a career like hers, sing like her, look beautiful like her."[323] Beyoncé told the Globe and Mail that Houston "inspired [her] to get up there and do what [she] did".[324] She also wrote on her website on the day after Houston's death, "I, like every singer, always wanted to be just like [Houston]. Her voice was perfect. Strong but soothing. Soulful and classic. Her vibrato, her cadence, her control. So many of my life's memories are attached to a Whitney Houston song. She is our queen and she opened doors and provided a blueprint for all of us."[325]
Mary J. Blige said that Houston inviting her onstage during VH1's Divas Live show in 1999 "opened doors for [her] all over the world".[326] Brandy stated, "The first Whitney Houston CD was genius. That CD introduced the world to her angelic yet powerful voice. Without Whitney, half of this generation of singers wouldn't be singing."[327] Kelly Rowland, in an Ebony‍‍ '​‍s feature article celebrating black music in June 2006, recalled that "[I] wanted to be a singer after I saw Whitney Houston on TV singing 'Greatest Love of All'. I wanted to sing like Whitney Houston in that red dress." She added that "And I have never, ever forgotten that song [Greatest Love of All]. I learned it backward, forward, sideways. The video still brings chills to me. When you wish and pray for something as a kid, you never know what blessings God will give you."[328]
Alicia Keys said "Whitney is an artist who inspired me from [the time I was] a little girl."[329] Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson cites Houston as her biggest musical influence. She told Newsday that she learned from Houston the "difference between being able to sing and knowing how to sing."[330] Leona Lewis, who has been called "the new Whitney Houston", also cites her as an influence. Lewis stated that she idolized her as a little girl.[331][332]
Awards and achievements
Further information: List of awards and nominations received by Whitney Houston and Whitney Houston chart records and achievements
Houston was the most awarded female artist of all time, according to Guinness World Records,[1] with two Emmy Awards, six Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards, among a total of 415 career awards as of 2010. She held the all-time record for the most American Music Awards of any female solo artist and shared the record with Michael Jackson for the most AMAs ever won in a single year with eight wins in 1994.[333] Houston won a record 11 Billboard Music Awards at its fourth ceremony in 1993.[334] She also had the record for the most WMAs won in a single year, winning five awards at the 6th World Music Awards in 1994.[335]
In May 2003, Houston placed at number three on VH1's list of "50 Greatest Women of the Video Era", behind Madonna and Janet Jackson.[336] She was also ranked at number 116 on their list of the "200 Greatest Pop Culture Icons of All Time".[337] In 2008, Billboard magazine released a list of the Hot 100 All-Time Top Artists to celebrate the US singles chart's 50th anniversary, ranking Houston at number nine.[338][339] Similarly, she was ranked as one of the "Top 100 Greatest Artists of All Time" by VH1 in September 2010.[340] In November 2010, Billboard released its "Top 50 R&B/Hip-Hop Artists of the Past 25 Years" list and ranked Houston at number three who not only went on to earn eight number-one singles on the R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, but also landed five number ones on R&B/Hip-Hop Albums.[341]
Houston's debut album is listed as one of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time by Rolling Stone magazine[53] and is on Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's Definitive 200 list.[54] In 2004, Billboard picked the success of her first release on the charts as one of 110 Musical Milestones in its history.[342] Houston's entrance into the music industry is considered one of the 25 musical milestones of the last 25 years, according to USA Today in 2007. It stated that she paved the way for Mariah Carey's chart-topping vocal gymnastics.[55] In 1997, the Franklin School in East Orange, New Jersey was renamed to The Whitney E. Houston Academy School of Creative and Performing Arts. In 2001, Houston was the first artist to be given a BET Lifetime Achievement Award.[343] Houston is one of pop music's best-selling music artists of all-time, with an estimated 170–200 million records sold worldwide.[2][3] She was ranked as the fourth best-selling female artist in the United States by the Recording Industry Association of America, with 55 million certified albums sold in the US,[227][344] and held an Honorary Doctorate in Humanities from Grambling State University, Louisiana.[345] Houston was inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame in 2013.[346] In August 2014, Houston was inducted to the official Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame in its second class.[347]
Discography
Main articles: Whitney Houston discography and Whitney Houston videography
Whitney Houston (1985)
Whitney (1987)
I'm Your Baby Tonight (1990)
My Love Is Your Love (1998)
Just Whitney... (2002)
I Look to You (2009)
Filmography
Film roles

Year
Title
Role
Notes and awards
1992 The Bodyguard Rachel Marron Feature film Nominated – 1993 MTV Movie Award for Best Female Performance[348]
Nominated – 1993 MTV Movie Award for Best Breakthrough Performance[349]
Nominated – 1993 MTV Movie Award for Best On-Screen Duo with co-star Kevin Costner[350]

1995 Waiting to Exhale Savannah Jackson Feature film Nominated – 1996 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture[351]

1996 The Preacher's Wife Julia Biggs Feature film Won – 1997 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture[352]
Nominated – 1997 Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Female Actress(Comedy/Romance)[353]
Nominated – 1997 Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Movie Actress[354]

1997 Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella Fairy Godmother Made-for-television film, part of a revival of the Wonderful World of Disney.[355] Nominated – 1998 Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety, Music Or Comedy Special[356]
Nominated – 1998 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Television Movie/Mini-Series[357]

2004 Nora's Hair Salon Herself Direct-to-video
2007 The Last Days of Left Eye Herself Documentary cameo

2012 Sparkle Emma Feature film
2013 CrazySexyCool: The TLC Story Herself Television biographical film cameo

Television roles

Year
Title
Network
Role
Notes
1984 Gimme a Break! NBC Rita "Katie's College" (Season 3, Episode 20, air date: March 15, 1984)[358]
As the World Turns CBS Herself Houston appeared on the soap on August 1–2, 1984, with Jermaine Jackson singing two duets off a new album he was releasing at the time: "Take Good Care of My Heart" and "Nobody Loves Me Like You Do". They taped their appearance on July 25 at CBS Studios in New York City.
1985 Silver Spoons NBC Herself "Head Over Heels" (Season 4, Episode 1, air date: September 15, 1985)[358]
 She performed the edited version of "Saving All My Love for You", changing some of the words.
2003 Boston Public Fox Herself "Chapter Sixty-Six" (Season 3, Episode 22, air date: May 12, 2003)
 She performed "Try It On My Own" from the 2002 studio album Just Whitney.
Commercials

Year
Company
Promoting
Country
Notes
1983 Dr Pepper/Seven Up Canada Dry
 (soft drink beverage) United States Houston appeared in this commercial before debut as a professional singer and sang the praises of sugar-free Canada Dry Ginger Ale.[359][360]

1986 Coca-Cola Diet Coke
 (soft drink beverage) Houston sang the Diet Coke theme song, "Just for the taste of it".[361]

1988 Coca-Cola Diet Coke
 (soft drink beverage) Houston sang the other version of the Diet Coke advertising slogan at the time, "Just for the taste of it".[362]
Outside the United States, the second version of advertising was released, in which "Greatest Love of All" was used as background music.
1989 MTV Video of the Year winning "This Note's for You" by Neil Young, parodied parts of this advertising to criticize pop/rock stars who make commercial endorsements, most notably Michael Jackson for Pepsi and Houston for Diet Coke, using look-alikes for them.[363]

1989 Sanyo Electronics
 (the stereo, TV) Japan Houston was featured on print advertisements and sang the theme song for TV commercial, "Takin' A Chance", produced by Keith Thomas.[364] It was released as a CD single in Japan and included in Japanese edition of I'm Your Baby Tonight.[365]
Sanyo also sponsored Houston's 1990 Japan only Feels So Right Tour.[366]

1994
 1995 AT&T Telephone services United States Houston sang its theme song, "True Voice".[367][368]

1999 Nissin Consumer credit business Japan Houston appeared on both print advertisement and TV commercial for Nissin, a nonbank finance company that lends to consumers and small businesses in Japan, with then the company's slogan "Make it happen with Nissin"[369]

Film/TV productions

Year
Title
Director
Notes and awards
1997 Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella Robert Iscove Executive producer[370] Nominated – 1998 Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety, Music Or Comedy Special[356]
Nominated – 1998 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Television Movie/Mini-Series[357]

2001 The Princess Diaries Garry Marshall Producer[371] Won – 2002 Young Artist Award for Best Family Feature Film – Comedy[372]
Nominated – 2002 Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Family Film (Live Action)[373]
Nominated – 2002 Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best Family Film[374]
Nominated – 2002 Teen Choice Award for Film – Choice Movie, Comedy[375]

2003 The Cheetah Girls Oz Scott Producer[376]
2004 The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement Garry Marshall Producer[377]
2006 The Cheetah Girls 2: When in Spain Kenny Ortega Co-executive producer[378]
2012 Sparkle Salim Akil Producer[379]
Tours and concerts
Main article: List of Whitney Houston tours and concerts
World toursThe Greatest Love World Tour (1986)
Moment of Truth World Tour (1987–88)
I'm Your Baby Tonight World Tour (1991)
The Bodyguard World Tour (1993–94)
My Love Is Your Love World Tour (1999)
Nothing but Love World Tour (2010)
Regional toursFeels So Right Tour (1990)
Pacific Rim Tour (1997)
The European Tour (1998)
Soul Divas Tour (2004)
Televised concertsNelson Mandela 70th Birthday Tribute (1988)
Welcome Home Heroes with Whitney Houston (1991)
The Concert for a New South Africa (1994)
Classic Whitney Live from Washington, D.C. (1997)

See also

Portal icon Whitney Houston portal
Book icon Book: Whitney Houston

American Music Award nominations for Whitney Houston
Grammy Awards and nominations for Whitney Houston
Honorific nicknames in popular music
List of artists who reached number one in the United States
List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. dance chart
List of best-selling music artists
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156.Jump up ^ "Whitney & Brandy in 'Cinderella.' – updated version of 'Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella' – includes related article on producer and actress Whitney Houston". Ebony. November 1997.
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159.Jump up ^ "Whitney Houston To Take On "Christie Love". MTV News. April 9, 1997.
160.Jump up ^ "Streetwise Houston tries new approach Singer's tour hits town Monday" (ARTICLE ID: R00018180056). The Washington Times. July 3, 1999.
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164.Jump up ^ Melinda Newman. Houston Finds a New Groove with Arista Set. Billboard. October 31, 1998 [Retrieved October 29, 2011];110(44):1, 86.
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167.Jump up ^ National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Past Winners Search: Whitney Houston; February 23, 2000 [Retrieved October 29, 2011].
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170.^ Jump up to: a b The Official Charts Company. Artist Chart History: Whitney Houston [Retrieved October 29, 2011].
171.Jump up ^ Vibe Media Group. Vibe. Vibe Media Group; April 1999. p. 60.
172.Jump up ^ Vince Aletti, "Look Who's Ticking", The Village Voice, December 8, 1998
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176.Jump up ^ Gail Mitchell. TLC Rides Soul Train. Billboard. March 18, 2000 [Retrieved July 4, 2010];112(12):20.
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182.Jump up ^ Reviews & Previews: Spotlight. Billboard. May 20, 2000 [Retrieved October 29, 2011];112(21):26.
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190.Jump up ^ Movie & TV News @ IMDb.com, "Houston's Oscar Confusion", December 23, 2004. Houston was replaced at that Oscar telecast by singer Faith Hill.
191.^ Jump up to: a b c Diane Sawyer, Interview, ABC Primetime, December 4, 2002 (transcript available here [1]).
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194.Jump up ^ Arista Aims New Houston Album At 'Core Urban' Fans. Billboard. December 14, 2002 [Retrieved January 12, 2010].
195.Jump up ^ Reports of Whitney Houston's Death Denied. September 13, 2001 [Retrieved March 17, 2007]. ABC News.
196.Jump up ^ Lynette Holloway, "In Switch, Whitney Houston Has to Sell an Album", The New York Times, November 11, 2002.
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198.Jump up ^ MTV. Whitney Houston Sued For $100 Million By Dad's Company; October 8, 2002 [Retrieved January 15, 2008].
199.Jump up ^ Whitney Houston is sued for $100 million by her father's entertainment company – Entertainment. Jet Magazine. October 28, 2002 [Retrieved January 15, 2008].
200.Jump up ^ Friedman, Roger. Whitney and Bobby No-Shows at Dad's Funeral FOXNews.com. February 10, 2003
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208.Jump up ^ Barry Garron, "'Being Bobby Brown' Is Disgusting", MSNBC, July 7, 2005.
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210.Jump up ^ "Brown Reality Show Cancelled", SFGate, The Daily Dish, January 10, 2007.
211.Jump up ^ Whitney Houston Files for Divorce From Bobby Brown. September 13, 2006. Associated Press. Fox News.
212.Jump up ^ Whitney wants to speed up her divorce. USA Today. February 1, 2007 [Retrieved October 5, 2008].
213.Jump up ^ Whitney Houston Wins Custody in Divorce From Bobby Brown. April 5, 2007 [Retrieved October 5, 2008]. People.
214.Jump up ^ Listing for 1014 Tullamore Place in Fulton County, Georgia, tax records City-Data.com
215.Jump up ^ Bobby Brown Sues Whitney Houston for Custody, Spousal Support. May 11, 2007 [Retrieved October 5, 2008]. People.
216.Jump up ^ Brown Cannot Overturn Houston Divorce Terms After Court No-Show, "The Daily Dish!", SFGate, January 7, 2008
217.Jump up ^ Whitney Houston Starts Work on New Album Today. March 13, 2007 [Retrieved January 13, 2010]. Fox News.
218.Jump up ^ Amazon. Whitney Houston – The Ultimate Collection (CD); October 29, 2007 [Retrieved March 17, 2011].
219.Jump up ^ "Whitney Houston to Tell All On Oprah" CBS, August 20, 2009
220.Jump up ^ Contact Music. Whitney Houston – Houston Details Drug Use: 'We Laced Marijuana With Rock Cocaine; September 15, 2009 [Retrieved November 11, 2010].
221.Jump up ^ Nekesa Mumbi Moody (Associated Press), "Whitney Houston, pop superstar, dies in Beverly Hills hotel"[dead link] The Globe and Mail, February 11, 2012
222.Jump up ^ Voice of America. Whitney Houston Album Due Out Sept. 1; 'American Idol' Auditions Kick Off; June 9, 2009 [archived 2009-06-10; Retrieved January 13, 2010].
223.Jump up ^ Whitney Houston's weird performance on The X-Factor gives her top five hit. The Telegraph. October 20, 2009 [Retrieved October 20, 2009].
224.Jump up ^ Nearly 15m watch X Factor as Cheryl Cole performs solo single (apart from the bits she mimed). Mail Online. October 20, 2009 [Retrieved October 20, 2009]. Associated Newspapers Ltd.
225.Jump up ^ Whitney Houston sparkles on Italian X Factor. Metro.co.uk. October 23, 2009 [Retrieved February 12, 2012]. Associated Newspapers Ltd.
226.Jump up ^ Sony Music Entertainment. Whitney Conquers Italy – Again!; October 21, 2009 [Retrieved January 12, 2010].
227.^ Jump up to: a b whitneyhouston.com. 'I Look To You' Album Certified Platinum; December 1, 2009 [Retrieved January 13, 2010].
228.Jump up ^ Sony Music Entertainment. "Whitney Houston" 25th Anniversary; November 20, 2009 [Retrieved January 12, 2010].
229.Jump up ^ This just in: Whitney Houston disappoints in Australia, Charlie Sheen enters rehab, Placido Domingo to undergo surgery. The Washington Post. February 24, 2010 [Retrieved June 13, 2010].
230.Jump up ^ ITN. Whitney cancels more shows; April 7, 2010 [Retrieved June 13, 2010].[dead link]
231.Jump up ^ Belinda Goldsmit. Due To Illness; April 6, 201 [Retrieved February 12, 2012].
232.Jump up ^ Hearst Magazines UK. Houston eyes will.i.am collaboration; April 6, 2010 [Retrieved June 13, 2010].
233.Jump up ^ Whitney Houston in outpatient rehab for alcohol, drugs. Los Angeles Times. May 9, 2011 [Retrieved May 11, 2011].
234.Jump up ^ Billboard. September 12, 2011. Retrieved September 18, 2011
235.Jump up ^ Entertainment Weekly Inc. Whitney Houston circling 'Sparkle' musical remake with Jordin Sparks; September 12, 2011 [Retrieved January 2, 2012].
236.Jump up ^ Whitney Houston in Talks to Star in Music-Themed Drama 'Sparkle' (Exclusive). The Hollywood Reporter. September 12, 2011.
237.Jump up ^ Cee-Lo Green joins 'Sparkle' cast – Entertainment News, Top News, Media. September 23, 2011 [Retrieved November 18, 2011]. Variety.
238.Jump up ^ Sony dates a trio of pics. Variety. December 8, 2011.
239.Jump up ^ Volledige naam. "Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved March 28, 2013.
240.Jump up ^ ryanseacrest.com. WORLD PREMIERE: Whitney Houston & Jordin Sparks Duet ‘Celebrate’ From ‘Sparkle’ [AUDIO]; May 21, 2012 [Retrieved May 21, 2012].[dead link]
241.Jump up ^ "Twitter / iamtikasumpter: Havin a fun day/nite on#celebrate". Twitter.com. Retrieved August 14, 2012.
242.Jump up ^ "Twitter / actorderekluke: Had an awesome day of shooting". Twitter.com. Retrieved August 14, 2012.
243.Jump up ^ "Twitter / deavanebersole: Guys!!! Don't forget! TONIGHT". Twitter.com. Retrieved August 14, 2012.
244.Jump up ^ Investigators seek answers to Houston's death. ABC News 4. February 13, 2012 [Retrieved February 14, 2012]. WorldNow.[dead link]
245.Jump up ^ Gerrick D. Kennedy. Grammys 2012: Clive Davis sets the stage for Brandy/Monica redux. Los Angeles Times Blogs. February 13, 2012 [Retrieved February 13, 2012].
246.Jump up ^ MSNBC. Watch Whitney Houston's final performance; February 12, 2012 [archived 2012-02-14; Retrieved February 13, 2012].
247.Jump up ^ Yahoo! News. Whitney Houston's 'haunting' last performance; February 13, 2012 [Retrieved February 13, 2012].
248.Jump up ^ Richard Winton. Whitney Houston was found underwater in bathtub, police say. February 13, 2012 [Retrieved February 13, 2012].
249.Jump up ^ Whitney: Tribute to a Music Legend. 2012. (one-time newsstand collector's publication) Pg. 37: "434: The room number at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles in which she was found dead on Feb 11, 2012."
250.^ Jump up to: a b Andrew Blankstein. Whitney Houston's death: Medics performed CPR for about 20 minutes. Los Angeles Times. [Retrieved February 12, 2012].
251.Jump up ^ Sheila Marikar. Whitney Houston, Iconic Pop Star, Dies at 48. ABC News. February 12, 2012 [Retrieved February 22, 2012].
252.Jump up ^ CNN. Music exec: Whitney Houston looked 'healthy and beautiful' days earlier; February 12, 2012 [Retrieved February 12, 2012].
253.Jump up ^ CNN. Coroner: Drowning, heart disease, cocaine use killed Houston; March 22, 2012 [Retrieved March 22, 2012].
254.Jump up ^ Whitney Houston drowned after cocaine use, says coroner. March 22, 2012 [Retrieved March 23, 2012]. BBC.
255.Jump up ^ MSNBC. Coroner: Whitney Houston died of accidental drowning; March 22, 2012 [archived March 23, 2012; Retrieved March 23, 2012].
256.Jump up ^ Houston died from drowning, coroner says. March 22, 2012 [Retrieved March 22, 2012]. Associated Press (via Y! Music).
257.Jump up ^ Whitney Houston: Final coroner’s report. April 4, 2012 [Retrieved April 6, 2012].
258.Jump up ^ abcnews.go.com. Whitney Houston Funeral: Singer Laid to Rest [Retrieved February 19, 2012].
259.Jump up ^ NJ.com. Whitney Houston's funeral: Love and humor dominate remembrances of pop superstar; November 1, 2011 [Retrieved February 19, 2012].
260.Jump up ^ Fred Groser. Whitney Houston funeral notable moments and celebrities; February 18, 2012 [Retrieved February 20, 2012].
261.Jump up ^ February 18, 2012 by Olivia Allin. OnTheRedCarpet.com. Whitney Houston funeral: Bobby Brown leaves shortly after service began – 02/19/2012 | Entertainment News from [Retrieved February 19, 2012].
262.Jump up ^ Whitney Houston to be buried in Westfield: A Jersey girl comes home. February 18, 2012 [Retrieved February 18, 2012].
263.Jump up ^ McCall, Tris (May 12, 2012), "At Gospelfest, big tributes for Whitney Houston", The Star-Ledger, retrieved October 15, 2012
264.Jump up ^ Clive Davis: Whitney Houston would have wanted the music to go on. Los Angeles Times. February 12, 2012 [Retrieved February 12, 2012].
265.Jump up ^ Tony Bennett calls for legalization of drugs. Toronto Sun. February 12, 2012 [Retrieved February 14, 2012].
266.Jump up ^ BET Interactive, LLC. Chaka Khan: Clive Davis Should Have Canceled His Party; February 14, 2012 [Retrieved February 17, 2012].
267.Jump up ^ Digital Spy Ltd. Sharon Osbourne slams Clive Davis party after Whitney Houston death; February 16, 2012 [Retrieved February 17, 2012].
268.Jump up ^ Bob Considine/The Star-Ledger. "Whitney Houston's talent was evident in her childhood years, singer Darlene Love recalls". NJ.com. Retrieved August 14, 2012.
269.Jump up ^ Singer Whitney Houston dies at 48. February 12, 2012 [Retrieved February 12, 2012]. CNN.
270.Jump up ^ Rolling Stone. Mariah Carey, Diddy, Others React to Whitney Houston's Death; February 12, 2012 [Retrieved February 12, 2012].
271.Jump up ^ Celebs react to Whitney Houston death: 'Please tell me it's not true'. Entertainment Weekly. February 11, 2012 [Retrieved February 17, 2012]. Entertainment Weekly Inc..
272.Jump up ^ Idolator. 'SNL' Showcases Karmin, Honors Whitney Houston; February 12, 2012 [Retrieved February 12, 2012].
273.Jump up ^ The Daily Beast. 'SNL' Honors Whitney Houston; February 12, 2012 [Retrieved February 12, 2012].
274.Jump up ^ Bobby Brown Says 'I Love You, Whitney' During Emotional Concert; February 12, 2012 [Retrieved February 12, 2012].
275.Jump up ^ Singer Whitney Houston found dead. February 12, 2012 [Retrieved February 12, 2012]. FoxNews.
276.Jump up ^ Grammys honor 'fallen sister' Houston. February 13, 2012 [Retrieved February 17, 2012]. NYP Holdings, Inc..
277.Jump up ^ Grammys salute late icon: 'Whitney, we will always love you'. CNN. February 12, 2012 [Retrieved February 17, 2012]. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc..
278.Jump up ^ Kaufman, Gil (February 13, 2012). "Grammy Ratings Up Thanks To Adele, Whitney Houston Tribute". MTV.com. Retrieved September 6, 2012.
279.Jump up ^ Entertainment Weekly Inc.. NAACP Image Awards tributes Whitney Houston, hands prizes to 'The Help' and George Lucas; February 18, 2012 [Retrieved February 22, 2012].
280.Jump up ^ Telegraph Media Group Ltd. Brit Awards 2012: Rhianna and Bruno Mars win international gongs at Brit Awards 2012; February 22, 2012 [Retrieved February 22, 2012].
281.Jump up ^ Michigan man burns N.J. state flag to protest lowering of flags for Whitney Houston. February 20, 2012 [Retrieved February 21, 2012]. Associated Press.
282.Jump up ^ Viacom International Inc.. Whitney Houston, Elizabeth Taylor Remembered At Oscars; February 27, 2012 [Retrieved February 27, 2012].
283.Jump up ^ Guardian News and Media Ltd. Academy pays tribute to Whitney Houston at Oscars; February 27, 2012 [Retrieved February 27, 2012].
284.Jump up ^ Maury Dean. Rock 'n' roll: Gold rush: a singles un-encyclopedia. Algora Publishing; June 1, 2003. ISBN 978-0-87586-207-1. p. 87.
285.^ Jump up to: a b c Powers, Ann. "Album Review: Whitney Houston's 'I Look To You'". Los Angeles Times. August 25, 2009
286.Jump up ^ Times UK. Whitney Houston: the life, death and rebirth of a pop princess [Retrieved February 5, 2012].
287.Jump up ^ Blender Magazine's 22 Greatest Voices [Retrieved January 13, 2010].
288.Jump up ^ COVE. 100 Outstanding Pop Vocalists [Retrieved January 13, 2010].
289.Jump up ^ New York Times. POP REVIEWS: Part Divas, Part Goddesses: 2 Women of Glamour and Music; Whitney Houston At Radio City [Retrieved June 4, 2012].
290.Jump up ^ Jann S. Wenne. Photos: Ten Incredible Whitney Houston Performances; February 13, 2012 [Retrieved February 18, 2012].
291.^ Jump up to: a b c A Voice of Triumph, the Queen of Pain. February 12, 2012 [Retrieved February 18, 2012]. The New York Times Company.
292.Jump up ^ "Higher and Higher". VIBE (in 영어) (Published by Vibe Media Group) 6 (9): 95. November 1998. ISSN 1070-4701. Retrieved November 7, 2014.
293.Jump up ^ BBC. Whitney Houston and the art of melisma; February 15, 2012 [Retrieved February 20, 2012].
294.Jump up ^ "If Ella Fitzgerald is the queen of jazz, Billie Holiday first lady of the blues, and Aretha Franklin the queen of soul, then who is the queen of pop? In the 1990s, it would seem to be a three-way tie between Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, and Celine Dion. Certainly all three have their devotees and detractors, but their presence has been inescapable." in Divafication: The Deification of Modern Female Pop Stars. 2001:1.
295.Jump up ^ Holden, Stephen. Review/Pop; For Whitney Houston, Showy Doesn't Count: The Show Is the Voice. The New York Times. July 22, 1993 [Retrieved March 13, 2011].
296.Jump up ^ Oh, Whitney – for Heaven's Sake; November 24, 1996 [Retrieved March 6, 2011].
297.Jump up ^ "Whitney Houston". Headliners and Legends. NBC. August 8, 2000.
298.Jump up ^ Baker And The Rise Of Black Women In Pop. Los Angeles Times. January 18, 1987 [Retrieved March 26, 2011]. Tribune Company.
299.^ Jump up to: a b AllMusic. Whitney Houston Biography [Retrieved October 16, 2010].
300.Jump up ^ Holden, Stephen. "The Pop Life; 1986, A Musically Conservative Year". The New York Times. December 31, 1986.
301.Jump up ^ Corliss, Richard, Elizabeth L. Bland, and Elaine Dutka. Show Business: The Prom Queen of Soul. Time. July 13, 1987 [Retrieved October 16, 2010].
302.Jump up ^ Holden, Stephen. "Review/Pop; Diana Ross Flirts With a Willing Audience". The New York Times. June 16, 1989.
303.Jump up ^ Whitney Houston, the greatest voice of her generation. The Independent. February 17, 2012 [Retrieved February 20, 2012]. Independent Print Ltd..
304.Jump up ^ Song Woong-ki. Whitney Houston to perform in Seoul. The Korea Herald. March 29, 2010 [Retrieved February 12, 2012].
305.Jump up ^ Jann S. Wenner. Whitney Houston Biography; 2001 [Retrieved October 16, 2010].
306.Jump up ^ 50 Most Influential RnB Stars; June 21, 2011 [Retrieved July 1, 2011].
307.Jump up ^ Whitney Houston obituary; February 2012 [Retrieved February 12, 2012].
308.Jump up ^ Toni Braxton Talks About Her Hit Love Songs, Sexy Image and Religious Background. January 17, 1994 [Retrieved October 17, 2010].
309.Jump up ^ Rodman Sarah. "Teen queen Aguilera belts 'em out like Whitney Houston". Boston Herald. September 5, 1999. Page 064
310.Jump up ^ IBTimes Staff Reporter. The International Business Times Inc.. LeAnn Rimes Performs Whitney Houston Tribute of 'I Will Always Love You'; February 14, 2012 [Retrieved February 20, 2012].
311.Jump up ^ Bandbiographies.com. Jessica Simpson Biography; July 10, 1980 [Retrieved February 12, 2012].
312.Jump up ^ Jessicasimpsonlive.info. Jessica simpson online – Actress Singer Photo gallery wallpapers biography [Retrieved January 2, 2012].
313.^ Jump up to: a b c "Everybody Talk About Pop Music!". MTV. August 2001.
314.Jump up ^ Good Morning America. ABC. August 20, 2009.
315.Jump up ^ Vera, Hernán (November 11, 2014). "Aneeka, una nueva voz venezolana al mundo". El Nuevo Herald (in Spanish). The McClatchy Company. Retrieved January 29, 2015.
316.Jump up ^ ABC News Internet Ventures. From Beyonce to Gaga: 8 Singers Influenced by Whitney Houston – Ashanti; February 16, 2012 [Retrieved February 20, 2012].
317.Jump up ^ Cordova, Randy. "R&B singer-songwriter Robin Thicke follows his own tune". Arizona Republic. March 4, 2009.
318.Jump up ^ Amerie Offers 'All' She Has. July 27, 2002 [Retrieved October 19, 2010].
319.Jump up ^ Beauty 101: Kelly Rowland's Next Chapter; October 7, 2010 [archived 2010-11-12; Retrieved October 17, 2010].
320.Jump up ^ "ARIANA GRANDE COVERS WHITNEY HOUSTON AT THE WHITE HOUSE". rap-up.com. Rap-Up.com. 7 March 2014. Retrieved 9 May 2015.
321.Jump up ^ Mariah Calls, Whitney Falls. December 18, 2002 [Retrieved April 25, 2009]. Fox News.
322.Jump up ^ Gardner, Elysa. "Carey frees her spirit, and it is named 'Mimi'". USA Today. April 11, 2005.
323.Jump up ^ ABC News Internet Ventures. From Beyonce to Gaga: 8 Singers Influenced by Whitney Houston – Celine Dion; February 16, 2012 [Retrieved February 20, 2012].
324.Jump up ^ Caldwell, Rebecca. "Destiny's Child". The Globe and Mail. July 21, 2001 page R1.
325.Jump up ^ ABC News Internet Ventures. Beyoncé From Beyonce to Gaga: 8 Singers Influenced by Whitney Houston – Beyoncé; February 16, 2012 [Retrieved February 20, 2012].
326.Jump up ^ 1st Annual BET Awards. Black Entertainment Television. June 19, 2001.
327.Jump up ^ Yahoo! Music. Brandy On Whitney Houston's Self-Titled Debut: Black Music Month Album Spotlight No. 15; June 25, 2010 [Retrieved October 17, 2010].
328.Jump up ^ Celebrating Black Music. EBONY. June 2006 [Retrieved March 17, 2011];61(8):166.
329.Jump up ^ The Elements of Style. November 14, 2009 [Retrieved October 19, 2010].
330.Jump up ^ Seymour, Gene. "Destiny's real child, Jennifer Hudson looks headed for stardom, and maybe an Oscar, with 'Dreamgirls'". Newsday. December 10, 2006. Page C06.
331.Jump up ^ Leona Lewis' Spirited chart bid. The Boston Globe. October 19, 2007 [Retrieved October 18, 2010].
332.Jump up ^ Newman, Melinda. "Jennifer Hudson to 'surprise duet' at Davis party". The Associated Press. February 6, 2008.
333.Jump up ^ Whitney Houston to Take the Stage at the AMAs; November 11, 2009 [archived 2011-08-16; Retrieved March 17, 2011].
334.Jump up ^ Pop Music Review: Houston Tops Off Record Night With Show's Highlight. Los Angeles Times. December 10, 1993 [Retrieved March 17, 2011].
335.Jump up ^ World Music Awards Gaining Stature. Billboard. May 21, 1994 [Retrieved February 9, 2010];106(21).
336.Jump up ^ VH1. The Greatest " Ep. 071 "50 Greatest Women of the Video Era"; May 17, 2003 [Retrieved March 17, 2011].
337.Jump up ^ "The 200 Greatest Pop Culture Icons Complete Ranked List" (Press release). VH1. July 21–25, 2003. Retrieved March 17, 2011.
338.Jump up ^ Nielsen Business Media, Inc.. The Billboard Hot 100 All-Time Top Artists; 2008 [archived 2013-01-16; Retrieved March 17, 2011].
339.Jump up ^ Cabaret: Whitney Houston. The New York Times. February 16, 1985 [Retrieved January 13, 2009].
340.Jump up ^ Blog.vh1.com. Who Will Come Out On Top Of VH1's 100 Greatest Artists Of All Time? | Vh1 Blog; August 25, 2010 [Retrieved November 11, 2010].
341.Jump up ^ Nielsen Business Media, Inc.. Top 50 R&B/Hip-Hop Artists of the Past 25 Years; November 18, 2010 [Retrieved March 17, 2011].
342.Jump up ^ Billboard 110 Years: A Billboard Anniversary Salute. November 27, 2004 [Retrieved October 19, 2010].
343.Jump up ^ Black Power, Plus Phantom Menace DVD will compete with pirated edit, another movie ad scandal, and more; June 22, 2001 [Retrieved January 12, 2010].
344.Jump up ^ RIAA. Top Selling Artists [Retrieved June 9, 2008].
345.Jump up ^ Johnson Publishing Company. Ebony. Johnson Publishing Company; June 1990 [Retrieved February 13, 2012]. p. 138–.
346.Jump up ^ "2013 Inductees". New Jersey Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on 2014-04-17. Retrieved January 14, 2013.
347.Jump up ^ "R&B Music Hall of Fame sets big weekend to induct sophomore class featuring Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Marvin Gaye, Norm N. Nite and more". Cleveland.com. The Plain Dealer. August 19, 2014. Retrieved September 4, 2014.
348.Jump up ^ swaptree.com. MTV Movie Awards: Best Female Performance; July 13, 1993 [Retrieved January 11, 2010].
349.Jump up ^ swaptree.com. MTV Movie Awards: Best Breakthrough Performance; July 13, 1993 [Retrieved January 11, 2010].
350.Jump up ^ swaptree.com. MTV Movie Awards: Best On-Screen Duo; July 13, 1993 [Retrieved January 11, 2010].
351.Jump up ^ tv.com. Whitney Houston: Blurbs [Retrieved January 11, 2010].
352.Jump up ^ EBONY's 50th Anniversary Show, Denzel Washington Among NAACP Image Award Winners (p60). March 3, 1997 [Retrieved January 8, 2010].
353.Jump up ^ 1996 Blockbuster Entertainment Awards Nominees Announced. February 1, 1997 [Retrieved June 15, 2010].
354.Jump up ^ Internet Movie Database. 1997 Kids' Choice Awards [Retrieved January 13, 2010].
355.Jump up ^ Allmovie. Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella Description [Retrieved January 11, 2010].
356.^ Jump up to: a b emmys.com. 1998 Emmy Awards: nominees for Outstanding Variety, Music Or Comedy Special; September 13, 1998 [Retrieved October 16, 2010].
357.^ Jump up to: a b The 29th NAACP Image Awards Official Ballot. The Crisis; December 1997 – January 1998 [Retrieved June 30, 2010].
358.^ Jump up to: a b filmreference.com. Whitney Houston Film Appearances [Retrieved September 26, 2009].
359.Jump up ^ television.aol.com. Commercial Breaks: Stars Who Made Their Screen Debuts in TV Commercials, Whitney Houston (3 of 13) [Retrieved January 11, 2010].
360.Jump up ^ Internet Movie Database. Other works for Whitney Houston [Retrieved January 11, 2010].
361.Jump up ^ starsinginglessons.com. Whitney Houston Diet Coke Commercial (1986) [Retrieved January 10, 2010].
362.Jump up ^ advertisementave.com. Whitney Houston Diet Coke Commercial "Just for the Taste of It" (1988) [Retrieved January 10, 2010].
363.Jump up ^ Lisa D. Campbell. Michael Jackson: the king of pop. Branden Books; 1993. ISBN 978-0-8283-1957-7. p. 185.
364.Jump up ^ Pop Writer/Producer Keith Thomas Overcoming Nashville's Country Stigma. October 14, 1995 [Retrieved January 11, 2010].
365.Jump up ^ amazon.co.jp. アイム・ユア・ベイビー・トゥナイト ~ ホイットニー・ヒューストン(Whitney Houston's I'm Your Baby Tonght Japanese edition) [Retrieved January 11, 2010].
366.Jump up ^ Business Insider, Inc.. Whitney Houston's Early TV Commercials: She Could Really Sell It – 1990 Sanyo; February 12, 2012 [Retrieved February 22, 2012].
367.Jump up ^ Whitney On Wheels. July 11, 1994 [Retrieved January 10, 2010].
368.Jump up ^ The Media Business: Advertising – Addenda; Whitney Houston In Deal With AT&T. The New York Times. June 15, 1994 [Retrieved January 15, 2010].
369.Jump up ^ Business Insider, Inc.. Whitney Houston's Early TV Commercials: She Could Really Sell It; February 12, 2012 [Retrieved February 22, 2012].
370.Jump up ^ Allmovie. Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella Production Credits [Retrieved January 11, 2010].
371.Jump up ^ Allmovie. The Princess Diaries Production Credits [Retrieved January 11, 2010].
372.Jump up ^ Internet Movie Database. 2002 Young Artist Awards Winners & Nominees; April 7, 2002 [Retrieved October 16, 2010].
373.Jump up ^ Internet Movie Database. 2002 Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards Winners & Nominees; January 11, 2002 [Retrieved October 16, 2010].
374.Jump up ^ Internet Movie Database. 2002 Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards Winners & Nominees; January 29, 2002 [Retrieved October 16, 2010].
375.Jump up ^ Internet Movie Database. 2002 Teen Choice Awards Winners & Nominees; August 4, 2002 [Retrieved October 16, 2010].
376.Jump up ^ Allmovie. The Cheetah Girls Production Credits [Retrieved January 11, 2010].
377.Jump up ^ Allmovie. The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement Production Credits [Retrieved January 11, 2010].
378.Jump up ^ Allmovie. The Cheetah Girls 2: When in Spain Production Credits [Retrieved January 11, 2010].
379.Jump up ^ Kit, Borys (March 23, 2011). "BET's 'The Game' Showrunners to Remake 1976 Movie 'Sparkle' for Sony Pictures (Exclusive)". "BET's 'The Game' Showrunners to Remake 1976 Movie 'Sparkle' for Sony Pictures (Exclusive)" (Hollywood Reporter). Retrieved April 27, 2011.
Further reading
Whitney Houston. My love is your love: piano, vocal, chords. Alfred Publishing Co., Inc.; March 1999. ISBN 978-0-7692-7734-9.
Kevin Ammons. Good Girl, Bad Girl: An Insider's Biography of Whitney Houston. Carol Pub Group; April 1998. ISBN 978-0-8065-8012-8.
Jeffery Bowman. Diva: the totally unauthorized biography of Whitney Houston. Harper; February 1995. ISBN 978-0-06-100853-5.
Craig Halstead. Whitney Houston: For the Record. Authors OnLine, Limited; September 2010. ISBN 978-0-7552-1278-1.
James Robert Parish. Whitney Houston: The Unauthorized Biography. Aurum Press; September 2003. ISBN 978-1-85410-921-7.
James Robert Parish. Whitney Houston: Return of the Diva. John Blake; April 2010. ISBN 978-1-84454-919-1.
External links
 Wikiquote has quotations related to: Whitney Houston
 Wikimedia Commons has media related to Whitney Houston.
Official website
Whitney Houston at RollingStone
Whitney Houston at the Internet Movie Database
Whitney Houston collected news and commentary at The New York Times
Whitney Houston collected news and commentary at The Wall Street Journal
Whitney Houston collected news and commentary at The Guardian
Works by Whitney Houston at Open Library
Whitney Houston at MTV


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WorldCat ·
 VIAF: 100252201 ·
 LCCN: n87938447 ·
 ISNI: 0000 0001 1478 617X ·
 GND: 118852663 ·
 BNF: cb13924478j (data) ·
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