Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963 - February 11, 2012) is an American singer, actress, producer, and model. In 2009, Guinness World Records called her the most endowed female cast of all time. Houston is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, with 200 million records sold worldwide. He released seven studio albums and two soundtrack albums, all of which have been certified diamond, multi-platinum, platinum, or gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The attraction of Houston's crossover on the popular music charts - as well as his lead on MTV, begins with his video for "How I Know" - affects several African American artists who follow in his footsteps.
Houston is the only artist to chart seven consecutive number of Billboard Hot 100 songs. The debut album self-titled Houston (1985) became the best-selling debut album by a woman in history. Rolling Stone named it the best 1986 album, and one of the 500 Greatest of All Time Albums. His second studio album, Whitney (1987), became the first album by a woman to debut at number one on the Billboard 200 album chart.
Houston made his acting screen debut as Rachel Marron in the romantic thriller The Bodyguard (1992). She performed the lead single from the original soundtrack of the movie, "I Will Always Love You", which received a Grammy Award for Record of the Year and became the best-selling single by a woman in music history. With the soundtrack, which received a Grammy Award for Album of the Year in 1994, Houston became the first actor (solo or group, male or female) to sell over a million copies of the album in a one week period under the Nielsen SoundScan system. The album made her the top female actor in the top 10 best-selling album of all time, at number four. Houston made other high profile film appearances, including Waiting to Exhale (1995) and The Preacher's Wife (1996); he also contributed to their soundtrack. The final film soundtrack became the best-selling Gospel album in history.
On February 11, 2012, Houston was found dead in his guest room at Beverly Hilton, in Beverly Hills, California. The official coroner's report showed that he accidentally drowned in the bath, with heart disease and cocaine use listed as contributing factors. The news of his death coincides with the Grammy Awards 2012 and is featured prominently in American and international media.
Video Whitney Houston
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1963-1984: Awal kehidupan dan awal karier
Whitney Houston was born on August 9, 1963, in what was then a middle-income neighborhood in Newark, New Jersey. She is the daughter of the serviceman army and entertainment executive John Russell Houston, Jr. (September 13, 1920 - February 2, 2003), and gospel singer Emily "Cissy" (Drinkard) Houston. His older brother Michael is a singer, and his eldest half-sister is a former basketball player Gary Garland. Her parents are African Americans. Through his mother, Houston is the first cousin of singers Dionne Warwick and Dee Dee Warwick. His godmother was Darlene Love and her esteemed aunt was Aretha Franklin, whom she met at the age of 8 or 9 when her mother took her to a recording studio. Houston was raised by a Baptist, but 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 years old. The marriage of her parents then ended in divorce.
At the age of 11, Houston began appearing as a soloist in the junior gospel choir at New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, where he also learned to play the piano. His first solo performance in the church was "Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah". While Houston was a teenager, he attended Mount Saint Dominic Academy, a Catholic high school in Caldwell, New Jersey, where he met his best friend Robyn Crawford, whom he described as "a sister he never had." When Houston was still at school, his mother continued to teach him how to sing. Houston is also exposed to Chaka Khan music, Gladys Knight, and Roberta Flack, who will mostly have an influence on him as a singer and player.
Houston spent his teenage years at the nightclub where his mother, Cissy, appeared, and he sometimes went upstairs and performed with him. In 1977, at the age of 14, he became a backup artist at the Michael Zager Band's single "Life's a Party". In 1978, at age 15, Houston sang vocal vocals for Chaka Khan and Lou Rawls.
In the early 1980s, Houston began working as a fashion model after a photographer saw him at Carnegie Hall singing with his mother. She appeared on Seventeen and became one of the first women to inherit magazine covers. She is also featured in layouts on the pages of Glamor , Cosmopolitan , Young Monster , and appears in a Canadian dry soft drink advertisement TV. The appearance and charm of the girl next to her made her one of the most sought after teenagers of the time. While modeling, he continued his emerging recording career in collaboration with producers Michael Beinhorn, Bill Laswell and Martin Bisi on a spearhead album called One Down , which was credited to the Material group. For the project, Houston donated ballads "Memories", a cover song by Hugh Hopper of the Soft Machine. Robert Christgau from The Village Voice calls his contribution "one of the most beautiful ballads you've ever heard". He also appeared as lead vocalist on one song on Paul Jabara's album, titled Paul Jabara and Friends , released by Columbia Records in 1983.
Houston had previously offered several recording agencies (Michael Zager in 1980, and Elektra Records in 1981); her mother refused the offer on the grounds that Whitney had not finished high school. Houston graduated from Mount Saint Dominic Academy, the school of Catholic girls in Caldwell, New Jersey, in 1981.
In 1983, Gerry Griffith, a representative of A & amp; R from Arista Records, saw him performing with his mother at a New York City nightclub and was impressed. He assured Arista Clive Davis's head to take the time to see Houston perform. Davis was impressed and immediately offered a worldwide recording contract signed by Houston. Later that year, he made his national television debut with Davis on The Merv Griffin Show.
Houston did not start working on his album right away. The label wants to make sure no other labels are signed by the singer. Davis wanted to make sure he had the right material and producer for Houston's debut album. Some manufacturers have to continue the project due to previous commitments. Houston first recorded a duet with Teddy Pendergrass titled "Hold Me" which appeared on his album, Love Language . The single was released in 1984 and gave Houston its first taste of success, becoming a hit Top 5 R & amp; B. It will also appear on his debut album in 1985.
1985-1986: Rise toward international excellence
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 praised Houston, calling him "one of the voices the most exciting new in years "while The New York Times called the album" an impressive and conservative musical performance for exceptional vocal talent ". Arista Records promotes the Houston album with three different singles from albums in the US, UK and other European countries. In Britain, the funny dance "Someone for Me", which failed on the chart in this country, was the first single while "All At Once" was in European countries such as Holland and Belgium, where the song reached the top 5 on the charts each.
In the US, the "You Give Good Love" ballad was chosen as the lead single from Houston's debut to build it on the black market first. Outside the US, the song failed to get enough attention to be a hit, but in the US, the song gave the album its first major blow when it reached No. 1 peak. 3 on the Billboard chart Hot 100 US, and No. 1 on Hot R & amp; B. As a result, the album began to sell strong, and Houston continues to promote with a tour around the nightclub in the US. She also began performing on late night television talk shows, which are usually not accessible by unspecified black acts. The jazz ballad "Saving All My Love for You" was released next and it will be Houston's first number 1 in the US and UK. He later became the opening act for singer Jeffrey Osborne on his national tour. "Thinking About You" was released as a single promo for R & amp; B-oriented, which peaked at number ten on US R & amp; B Chart. At that time, MTV has received harsh criticism for not playing enough videos by blacks, Latinos and other racial minorities while supporting white acts. The third US single, "How Will I Know", peaked at No. 1. 1, and the video introduced Houston to the MTV audience. The next Houston single from this album, and the future, will make it the first African-American woman to receive consistent weight rotation on MTV.
In 1986, a year after its initial release, Whitney Houston topped the Billboard 200 album chart and stayed there for 14 consecutive weeks. The last single, "Greatest Love of All", a cover of "The Greatest Love of All", originally recorded by George Benson in 1977, became Houston's biggest hit at the time after it peaked no. 1 and stayed there for three weeks on the Hot 100 chart, which made her debut debut album by a woman to produce three hit No. 1. Houston is the # 1 artist of the year and Whitney Houston is the No. 1 album. 1 this year on the 1986 Billboard chart, making him the first woman to get the difference. At that time, Houston released the best-selling debut album by a solo artist. Houston then started his world tour, Greatest Love Tour . The album has become an international success, and certified 13ÃÆ'â € "platinum (diamond) in the United States alone, and has sold 30 million copies worldwide.
At the 1986 Grammy Awards, Houston was nominated for three awards including Album of the Year. She is not eligible for the Best New Artist category because of the hit recording of R & amp; B duet with Teddy Pendergrass in 1984. He won his first Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Woman to "Save All My Love for You". Houston's performance of the song during the Grammy broadcast then earned him an Emmy Award for Exceptional Individual Performance in Variety or Music Program.
Houston won seven American Music Awards in total in 1986 and 1987, and the MTV Video Music Award. the album's popularity will also bring to the 1987 Grammy Awards when "Biggest Love Throughout" will receive a Record of the Year nomination, ten years after the original recording of "The Greatest Love of All" by George Benson, whose main theme is boxer Muhammad Ali biopic "The Greatest" in 1977. Houston's debut album was listed as one of the greatest Rolling Stone ' 500 albums of Greatest All Time and at The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's Definitive 200 list. Houston's entry into the music industry is regarded as one of 25 musical milestones from the last 25 years, according to USA Today . Following Houston's breakthrough, the doors opened to other African-American women such as Janet Jackson and Anita Baker to find important successes in popular music and on MTV.
1987 period 1991: Whitney , I Baby You Tonight and" The Star Spangled Banner "
With much hope, 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 complain that the material is too similar to the previous album. Rolling Stone says, "this narrow channel through which this talent has been frustrated". However, the album enjoys commercial success. Houston became the first woman in music history to debut number one on the Billboard album chart 200, and the first artist to enter the album chart at number one in the United States and UK, while also pressing the numbers. one or the top ten in dozens of other countries around the world. The album's first single, "I Want Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)", was also a huge hit worldwide, peaking at No. 1. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and charted singles in many countries such as Australia, Germany and the UK. The next three singles, "Did not 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 him a total of seven consecutive numbers. one hit, breaking the six records previously shared by The Beatles and Bee Gees. Houston became the first woman to produce four number one singles from one album. Whitney has been certified 9ÃÆ'â € "Platinum in the US for shipments of over 9 million copies, and has sold over 20 million copies worldwide.
At the 30th Grammy Awards in 1988, Houston was nominated for three awards, including Album of the Year, winning a second Grammy for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for "I Want Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)". Houston also won two American Music Awards in 1988 and 1989, respectively, and the Soul Train Music Award. After the release of the album, Houston embarked on the "Moment of the Truth World Tour", which was one of ten best-selling concert tours of 1987. The tour's success during 1986-87 and his two Houston studio albums No. No. 8 for the list of highest earning entertainers according to Forbes magazine. She is the highest-earning African-American woman and the third highest entertainer after Bill Cosby and Eddie Murphy.
Houston is a supporter of Nelson Mandela and the anti-apartheid movement. During his lifetime, the singer refused to work with any agency that did business with the then apartheid South Africa. On June 11, 1988, during a European tour of his tour, Houston joined other musicians to perform a set at Wembley Stadium in London to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the imprisoned Nelson Mandela. Over 72,000 people attended Wembley Stadium, and over a billion people tuned around the world as rock concerts garnered more than $ 1 million for charity while bringing awareness to apartheid. Houston then flew back to the US for a concert at Madison Square Garden in New York City in August. This event is a charity concert that generates a quarter of a million dollars for the United Negro College Fund. That same year, he recorded a song for NBC's coverage of the 1988 Summer Olympics, "One Moment in Time", which became the top 5 hit in the US, while reaching number one in the UK and Germany. With his ongoing world tour abroad, Houston is still one of the 20 highest-earning entertainers during 1987-1988 according to Forbes magazine.
In 1989, Houston established the Whitney Houston For Children Foundation, a nonprofit organization that has raised funds for the needs of children around the world. The organization is concerned with homelessness, children with cancer or AIDS, and other self-help issues.
With the success of his first two albums, Houston is undoubtedly an international crossover superstar, the most prominent since Michael Jackson, appealing to all demographics. However, some black critics believe he "sells". They felt his singing had no souls present during the concert. In the 1989 Soul Train Music Awards, when Houston's name was called for nomination, some of the audience scorned. Houston defended itself against criticism, stating, "If you're going to have a long career, there's a certain way to do it, and I do it that way, I'm not ashamed of it."
Houston took a more urban direction with his third studio album, I'm Your Baby Tonight, released in November 1990. He produced and selected producers for the album and as a result, it featured production and collaboration with LA Reid and Babyface, Luther Vandross, and Stevie Wonder. This album shows the flexibility of Houston to a new group of rhythmic loud grooves, soulful ballads and dance tracks rising. Reviews are mixed. Rolling Stone felt it was his "best and most integrated album". while Entertainment Weekly , at the time thought Houston's shift toward the urban was "shallow".
The album contains several hits: the first two singles, "I'm Your Baby Tonight" and "All the Man That I Need" reached number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart; "Miracle" peaked at number nine; "My Name Is Not Susan" peaked at the top twenty; "I Belong to You" reached the top ten position on the R & amp; B and collect Houston as a Grammy nomination; and the sixth single, Stevie Wonder's duet "We Did not Know", achieved an R & B twenty. The album peaked at number three on Billboard 200 and later got 4ÃÆ'â € "platinum certification in the US while selling 12 million total worldwide.
In 1990, Houston was the spokesperson for a youth leadership conference held in Washington, D.C. He has a private audience with President George H. W. Bush in the Oval Office to discuss related challenges.
During the Persian Gulf War, Houston performed "The Star Spangled Banner" at Super Bowl XXV at the Tampa Stadium on January 27, 1991. The performance was later reported by those involved in the performances that had been synced or sung to a dead microphone while the previous studio recordings made by Houston playable. Dan Klores, a Houston spokesperson, explains: "It's not Milli Vanilli, he sings directly, but the microphone is turned off.This is a technical decision, partly based on the noise factor.This is standard procedure at these events." Star Spangled Banner lip sync controversy.) Single and commercial videos of his performance were released, and reached the Top 20 in the US Hot 100, making it the only action to turn the US national anthem into a massive pop hit (Josà ©  © Feliciano's version reached No. 50 in November 1968). Houston donated all his share of the proceeds from the sale to the Red Cross Gulf Crisis Fund of America. As a result, the singer was named for the Governor's Red Cross.
His performance is critically acclaimed and considered a benchmark for the singer. Rolling Stone commented that "his singing evokes strong patriotism, unforgettable," and his performance was ranked 1st in the 25 most memorable musical moments in the NFL history list. VH1 recorded the performance as one of the greatest moments that shook the TV. Following the attacks on 9/11, it was released again by Arista Records, all the profits going towards the firefighters and the victims of the attacks. This time peaked at No. 6 on Hot 100 and got a platinum certificate by the Recording Industry Association of America.
Then in 1991, Houston gathered a Welcome Home Heroes concert with HBO for the soldiers who fought 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 warriors and women. HBO randomize concerts so it's free for everyone to watch. The Houston concert gave HBO the highest rank ever. She then started Your Baby Tonight World Tour .
1992-1994: Marriage, motherhood, and The Bodyguard
Throughout the 1980s, Houston was romantically linked to American soccer star Randall Cunningham and actor Eddie Murphy. She then meets R & amp; B Bobby Brown at the Soul Train Music Awards 1989. After three years of marriage, the two married on July 18, 1992. On March 4, 1993, Houston gave birth to his daughter Bobbi Kristina Brown (March 4, 1993 - July 26, 2015), the couple's sole child. Brown will continue to have some run-ins with the law, including some prison time. Houston stated during a 1993 interview with Barbara Walters that she suffered a miscarriage during filming The Bodyguard.
With the commercial success of his album, the film deals poured in, including an offer to work with Robert De Niro, Quincy Jones, and Spike Lee, but Houston did not feel the timing was right. Houston's first film role was at The Bodyguard , released in 1992 and starring Kevin Costner. Houston plays Rachel Marron, a star who is stalked by crazy fans and hires bodyguards to protect her. USA Today listed it as one of the 25 most memorable moments of the film in the last 25 years in 2007. Houston's main attraction allows people to look beyond the nature of the interconnect between their character and Costner. However, controversy arose when some people felt the film's advertisement deliberately hid the face of Houston to hide the racial relationship of the film. In an interview with Rolling Stone in 1993, the singer commented that "people know who Whitney Houston is - I'm black.You can not hide that fact." Houston received a Razzie Award nomination for Worst Actress. The Washington Post said Houston "did nothing but play in Houston," but added that he came out "largely unscathed if that might be done so hard". The New York Times commented that he did not have passion with his opponent. In spite of the numerous film reviews, it was very successful at the box office, grossing over $ 121 million in the US and $ 410 million worldwide, making it one of the 100 best-selling movies in the history of the movie at the time of release, though nothing longer over 100 because ticket prices have gone up since the time the movie was released.
The soundtrack of this movie also enjoys success. Houston executive-produced and contributed six songs for the soundtrack album associated with this film. Rolling Stone says it's "nothing more than fun, tasteful and polite". The main single of the soundtrack is "I Will Always Love You", written and originally recorded by Dolly Parton in 1974. The Houston version of the song was recognized by many critics, regarding it as "typical song" or "iconic performance". Rolling Stone and USA Today called her bringing "tour-de-force". The single reached number one on Billboard Hot 100 to break the 14-week record, number one on the R & amp; B to break the 11-week record, and number one on the Contemporary Adult ladder for five weeks.
The single is certified 4ÃÆ'â € "platinum by the RIAA, making Houston the first woman with a single to reach that level in RIAA history and become the best-selling single by a woman in the US. The song also became a global success, hitting number one in almost all countries, and the best-selling single of all time by female solo artists with 20 million copies sold. Soundtrack topped the Billboard 200 chart and remained there for 20 consecutive weeks, the longest term by Arista's album on the Nielsen SoundScan-era chart (tied for the 10th overall by any label) , and became one of the best-selling albums ever. During Christmas week 1992, the soundtrack sold over a million copies in a week, becoming the first album to achieve that feat under the Nielsen SoundScan system. With the follow-up single "I'm Every Woman", the cover of Chaka Khan, and "I Have Nothing" both reached the top five, Houston became the first woman to have three singles in the Top 11 simultaneously. The album is certified 18ÃÆ'â € "platinum in the US alone, with worldwide sales of 45 million, making it the best-selling album by the female cast in the list of 10 best selling albums in the world.
Houston won three Grammys for the album in 1994, including two Academy awards, Album of the Year and Record of the Year. In addition, he won a record of 8 American Music Awards at the ceremony that year including the Merit Award, 11 Billboard Music Awards, 3 Train Music Soul Awards in 1993-94 including Sammy Davis, Jr. Award as the Entertainer of the Year, 5 NAACP Awards Images include Entertainer of the Year, 5 World Music Awards, and BRIT awards. Following the success of the project, Houston embarked on a vast global tour, The Bodyguard World Tour , in 1993-94. His concerts, films and grosses made him the third highest income earner of 1993-1994, just behind Oprah Winfrey and Barbra Streisand according to Forbes magazine. Houston is ranked fifth annual Entertainment Weekly ' "Entertainer of the Year" and is labeled by Premiere magazine as one of the 100 most powerful people in Hollywood.
In October 1994, Houston attended and performed at a state dinner at the White House honoring the newly elected South African President, Nelson Mandela. At the end of his world tour, Houston performed three concerts in South Africa in honor of President Mandela, playing for over 200,000 people. This will make the singer the first major musician to visit a newly-unified free country and apartheid after Mandela's election. The concert was broadcast live on HBO with funding from concerts donated to charities in South Africa. The event is regarded as "the largest media event since the inauguration of Nelson Mandela".
1995-1997: < i> Waiting for Exhaling , Wife of Ecclesiastes , and Cinderella
In 1995, Houston starred alongside Angela Bassett, Loretta Devine, and Lela Rochon in his second film, Waiting to Exhale , a movie about four African-American women struggling with relationships. Houston plays the main character of Savannah Jackson, a TV producer who falls in love with a married man. He chose the role because he saw the film as "a breakthrough for the image of black women because it presents them as professionals and as caring mothers". Having opened at number one and grossed $ 67 million in the US at the box office and $ 81 million worldwide, it proves that films primarily targeting black audiences can cross into success, while paving the way for other all-black films such as
Comes with a movie soundtrack, Waiting to Exhale: Original Soundtrack Album , written and produced by Babyface. Although initially he wanted Houston to record the entire album, he refused. Instead, he "wanted her to be a female album with vocal differences", and thus collected several African-American female artists for the soundtrack, to go along with a strong film about women's messages. Consequently, the album features a number of recording artists of contemporary R & amperas 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 in No. 2 and eight weeks on top of R & amp; B Charts. "Count On Me", duet with CeCe Winans, hit Big US 10; and Houston's third contribution, "Why Does It Hurt So Bad", made the Top 30. The album debuted at No. 1. 1, and is certified 7ÃÆ'â € "Platinum in the United States, which shows the delivery of seven million copies. Soundtrack received strong reviews; such as Entertainment Weekly states: "This album runs easily, as you would expect from a package framed by Whitney Houston tracks... a soundtrack waiting to exhale, floating in sensual tension" and has since ranked it as one of the 100 Best Soundtrack Movies. Later that year, the Houston children's charity organization was awarded Honor VH1 for all charity work.
In 1996, Houston starred in the Preacher's Wife holiday comedy, with Denzel Washington. He plays a wife of a priest who has the gospel (Courtney B. Vance). It's mostly the latest remake of the 1948 movie The Bishop's Wife, starring Loretta Young, David Niven and Cary Grant. Houston earned $ 10 million for the role, making him one of the highest paid actresses in Hollywood at the time and the highest-earning African-American actress in Hollywood. The film, with its African-American cast, earned moderate success, generating about $ 50 million in US box office. The movie gave Houston the strongest reviews so far. The San Francisco Chronicle says Houston "is an angel of his own, displaying a divine talent for being virtuous and flirtatious at the same time", and he "exudes a gentle yet eager warmth, especially when praising God in himself the voice of chanting the beautiful one ". Houston was once again nominated for the NAACP Image Award and won for the Actress of Outstanding in Picture Film.
Houston was recorded and produced together, with Mervyn Warren, the accompanying movie soundtrack. The Preacher's Wife: Original Soundtrack Album included six gospel songs with Georgia Mass Choir recorded at the Great Star Rising Baptist Church in Atlanta. Houston is also a duet with the 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 biggest selling Gospel album of all time. This album received mainly positive reviews. Some critics, such as USA Today , noted the existence of their emotional depth, while The Times said, "To hear Houston go at full speed with a 35 piece Georgia Mass Choir struggling to overcome it is aware of what his phenomenal sound is made for ". She won Favorite Adult Contemporary Artist at the 1997 American Music Awards for The Preacher's Wife soundtrack.
In December 1996, Whitney's spokesman confirmed that she had a miscarriage.
In 1997, the Houston production company changed its name to BrownHouse Productions and joined Debra Martin Chase. Their goal is "to show aspects of African-American life that have not been brought to the previous screen" while improving how African-Americans are depicted in movies and television. Their first project was a remake made for television from Rodgers & amp; Hammerstein's Cinderella . In addition to producing together, Houston starred in the film as Mother Fairy along with Brandy, Jason Alexander, Whoopi Goldberg, and Bernadette Peters. Houston initially offered the role of Cinderella in 1993, but other projects interfered. The film is famous for its multi-racial and nonstereotypical messages. It is estimated that 60 million viewers broadcasting exclusively gave ABC the highest TV rating in 16 years. The film received seven Emmy nominations including Outstanding Variety, Musical or Comedy, while winning Outstanding Art Direction in Variety, Musical, or Special Comedy.
Houston and Chase then acquired rights to the story of Dorothy Dandridge. Houston is to play Dandridge, the first African American actress to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress. Houston wanted the story to be told with dignity and honor. However, Halle Berry also has the rights to the project and earned its version first. Later that year, Houston paid tribute to his 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. . Particularly collecting more than $ 300,000 for the Children's Defense Fund. Houston received the Quincy Jones Award for outstanding career achievements in entertainment at the 12th Soul Train Music Awards.
1998-2000: My Love Is Your Love and Whitney: The Greatest Hits
After spending much of the early and mid 1990s working on their movie and soundtrack album, Houston's first studio album in eight years, critically acclaimed My Love Is Your Love, was released in November 1998. Although originally scheduled to be the biggest hits album with some new songs, the recording sessions were so rewarding that the new full-length studio album was released. Recorded and mixed in just six weeks, it featured productions from Rodney Jerkins, Wyclef Jean and Missy Elliott. The album debuted at number thirteen, its top spot, on the Billboard 200 chart. It has a funkier and edgier sound rather than a past release and sees Houston tackling urban dance, hip hop, mid-tempo R & B, reggae, torch songs, and ballads all with great dexterity.
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 the 1998 soundtrack The Prince of Egypt , which also became an international hit as it peaked in the Top 10 in several countries and won the Academy Award for Best Original Song; "Heartbreak Hotel" (US No. 2, UK No. 25) featuring Faith Evans and Kelly Price, received MTV VMA 1999 nomination for Video R & amp; B Best, and number one on the R & amp; B US for seven weeks; "It's Not Right, But It's Okay" (US No. 4, UK No. 3) won the sixth Grammy Award for R & B Best Female Vocal Performance; "My Love Is Your Love" (No. 4 US, UK No. 2) with 3 million copies sold worldwide; and "I Learned from the Best" (US No. 27, UK No. 19). The single also became an international hit, and all singles, except "When You Believe", became the number one hit on the Billboard Hot Dance/Club Play chart. The album sold four million copies in America, making it certified 4ÃÆ'â € "platinum, and a total of eleven million copies worldwide.
This album gave Houston some of the strongest reviews ever. Rolling Stone says Houston is singing "in a bite voice in his voice" and The Village Voice calls it "Whitney the sharpest and most satisfying so far". In 1999, Houston participated in VH-1's Divas Live '99, alongside Brandy, Mary J. Blige, Tina Turner, and Cher. That same year, Houston hit the road with his 70th date on my Love Is Your Love World Tour . While European touring is Europe's top-grossing tour arena this year, Houston canceled "a series of [date] summer dates citing throat problems and 'bronchitis situation'". In November 1999, Houston was named the Top-selling Women's Century R & A with US sales certified 51 million copies at the time and The Bodyguard Soundtrack was named the Top Century Soundtrack Album by Century by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). She also won The Artist of the Decade, a Women award for outstanding artistic contribution during the 1990s at the 14th Soul Music Awards, and the MTV Europe Music Award for Best R & D; B.
In May 2000, Whitney: The Greatest Hits was released worldwide. The double disk set peaked at number five in the United States, reaching number one in the United Kingdom. In addition, the album reached the Top 10 in many other countries. While the ballad songs were left unchanged, the album featured home/club remixes of many Houston hit-tempo tunes. Included in this album are four new songs: "Could I Have a Kissing Ever" (a duet with Enrique Iglesias), "Same Script, Different Actor" (a duet with Deborah Cox), "If I Tell You That" a duet with George Michael), and "Fine", and three hits that have never appeared on Houston's albums: "One Moment in Time", "The Star Spangled Banner", and "If You Say My Eyes Are Beautiful", duet with Jermaine Jackson from the 1986 Precious Moments album. Along with the album, VHS and accompanying DVDs were released featuring music videos for Houston's biggest hits, as well as some difficult live performances including his 1983 debut at The Merv Griffin Show, and interviews. The biggest hits album is certified 3ÃÆ'â € "platinum in the US, with worldwide sales of 10 million.
2000-2005: Just Whitney and personal struggle
Although Houston was seen as a "good girl" with a perfect image in the 1980s and early 1990s, his behavior had changed in the late 1990s. He was often late for hours for interviews, shooting and rehearsals, and he canceled concerts and talk-show shows. Lost appearance and weight loss caused rumors about Houston using drugs with her husband. On January 11, 2000, airport security guards found marijuana in the trunk of Houston and Bobby Brown's husband at Hawaii airport, but both boarded the plane and departed before the authorities arrived. Allegations were then dropped against them, but rumors of drug use by Houston and Brown will continue to surface. Two months later, Clive Davis was inducted into Rock & amp; Roll Hall of Fame; Houston was scheduled to appear on the show, but did not show up.
Shortly thereafter, Houston was scheduled to perform at the Academy Awards, but was fired from the show by music director and longtime friend Burt Bacharach. Her publicist called the throat problem 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 reveals that "Houston's voice is wobbly, he looks distracted and restless, and his manner is relaxed, almost challenging", and that while Houston was supposed to sing "Over the Rainbow", he would start singing different songs during the rehearsals. Houston later admitted to being fired. Later that year, Houston's executive assistant and longtime friend Robyn Crawford resigned from Houston's management company.
In August 2001, Houston signed one of the largest recording contracts in music history, with Arista/BMG. He renewed his $ 100 million contract to produce six new albums, where he will also earn royalties. He then made an appearance on Michael Jackson: the 30th Anniversary Special, where his very thin body further encourages drug-using rumors. Houston observers say, "Whitney is under stress because of family problems, and when she's under stress she does not eat." (In a 2009 interview with Oprah Winfrey, Houston admitted that drug use had been the reason for her weight loss.) The singer was scheduled for the second show the following night, but canceled it. Within weeks, Houston's rendition of "The Star Spangled Banner" will be re-released after the 9/11 attacks, with proceeds donated to the New York Fire Fighters 9/11 Disaster Relief Fund and the New York Fraternal Order of Police. The song peaked at No. 6 times this in US Hot 100, above the previous position.
In 2002, Houston was involved in a legal dispute with John Houston Enterprise. Although the company was started by his father to manage his career, it was actually run by company president Kevin Skinner. Skinner filed a breach of contract and sued $ 100 million (but lost), stating that Houston owes an unpaid compensation company to help negotiate his $ 100 million contract with Arista Records and to resolve legal issues. Houston declared that his 81-year-old father had nothing to do with the lawsuit. Although Skinner tried to claim otherwise, John Houston never appeared in court. Houston's father subsequently died in February 2003. The suit was dismissed on 5 April 2004, and Skinner got nothing.
Also in 2002, Houston conducted an interview with Diane Sawyer to promote her upcoming album. During a special prime-time, Houston talked about his drug use and his marriage, among other topics. Asked about the ongoing drug rumors, he replied, "First of all, let's get one thing.Reach is cheap.I make too much money to smoke.Let's do the right.Okay we do not do crack We do not do Crack is wack. "The line of" crack is wack "was taken from a painting wall painted by Keith Haring in 1986 at a handball field on 128th Street and Second Avenue in Manhattan. Houston, however, admits using alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, and pills; he also admitted that his mother had urged him to seek help regarding drug use. Houston also denied having an eating disorder, and denied that its very thin appearance connected with drug use. Houston further stated that Bobby Brown never hit him, but admitted that he had hit him.
In December 2002, Houston released his fifth studio album, Just Whitney. The album included the production of his then-husband Bobby Brown, as well as Missy Elliott and Babyface, and marks the first time that Houston did not produce with Clive Davis as Davis has been released by top management at BMG. Once released, Just Whitney received mixed reviews. The album debuted at number 9 on the Billboard 200 chart and it had the highest first week sales of any Houston album ever released. The four singles released from the album did not go well on Billboard Hot 100, but became a dance hits chart. Only Whitney is certified platinum in the United States, and sold about three million worldwide.
On a June 2003 trip to Israel, Houston said of his visit, "I've never felt this way in any other country, I feel at home, I feel great."
In late 2003, Houston released its first Christmas album One Wish: The Holiday Album , with a collection of traditional holiday songs. Houston produced an 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.
In December 2003, Bobby Brown was charged with batteries after a domestic altercation in which he allegedly threatened to hit Houston and then hit his face.
Having always been a tour artist, Houston spent most of 2004's tours and performances in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Russia. In September 2004, he gave a surprise show at the World Music Awards as a tribute to his old friend Clive Davis. After the show, Davis and Houston announced plans to enter the studio to work on his new album.
In early 2004, Bobby Brown's husband starred in his own reality TV program, Becoming Bobby Brown , on the Bravo network. This event provides a view of domestic events in Brown households. Although it is a Brown vehicle, Houston is a figure that stands out throughout the show, receiving as much screen time as Brown. The series premiered in 2005 and featured Houston in unattractive moments. The Hollywood Reporter says that the show "is undoubtedly the most disgusting and cruelest series ever flashed onto television". Despite the nature of the perceived train wrecks of the show, the series gave Bravo the highest rank in the time slot and continued Houston's success into movies and television. The show was not renewed for the second season after Houston stated that he would no longer appear in it, and Brown and Bravo could not reach a deal for another season.
2006-2012: Back to music, < i> I Look to You , tour and movie comeback
After years of controversy and chaos, Houston was separated from Bobby Brown in September 2006 and filed for divorce the following month. On February 1, 2007, Houston asked the court to speed up the divorce proceedings. The divorce was completed on 24 April 2007, with Houston awarded Bobbi Kristina custody. On May 4, Houston sold a suburban Atlanta house featured on Bobby Brown for $ 1.19 million. A few days later, Brown sued Houston in Orange County, a California court in an attempt to change the terms of their custody agreement. Brown also sought the support of his son and husband from Houston. In the suit, Brown claims that financial and emotional problems prevent him from responding well to Houston's divorce lawsuit. Brown lost his trial, leaving Houston with full custody and Brown without the spousal support.
In March 2007, Clive Davis of Arista Records announced that Houston would begin recording a new album. In October 2007, Arista released another compilation titled The Ultimate Collection outside the United States.
Houston gave his first interview in seven years in September 2009, appearing at the premiere of Oprah Winfrey's season. The interview was billed as "the most anticipated music interview for a decade". Whitney admitted on the show to use drugs with Bobby Brown's ex-husband during their marriage; Houston says Brown has "tied up marijuana with rock cocaine". He told Oprah that before The Bodyguard his drug use was mild, that he used more drugs after the film's success and the birth of his daughter, and that in 1996 "[doing drugs] was everyday... I was not happy at the time.I lost myself. "Houston told Oprah that he had attended a 30-day rehabilitation program. Houston also admitted to Oprah that his drug use continued after rehabilitation, and that at one point, his mother obtained court orders and law enforcement assistance to pressure him to receive further drug treatment. In his book 2013, Remembering Whitney: My Story of Love, Losing and Night of Stop Music , Cissy Houston describes the scene she met at Whitney Houston's house in 2005 as follows: "Someone has sprayed- painted walls and doors with big blinding eyes and strange faces. Evil eyes, staring out like a threat... In another room there is a big framed photo [Whitney] - but someone has cut off his head. very annoying, saw my daughter's face cut off like that. "This visit put Cissy back in law enforcement and intervened, Houston also told Oprah that Bobby Brown was emotionally abusive during their marriage, and even spat on it on an occasion.
Houston released their new album, I Look to You , in August 2009. The first two singles of this album are the title song "I Look to You" and "Million Dollar Bill". This album entered Billboard 200 in No. 1, with the best opening week sales in Houston 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 "I Look to You" on German TV show Wetten, dass..? . Three days later, she made her first single in the world from "I Look to You", "Million Dollar Bill", on the French television show Le Grand Journal . Houston appeared as guest counselor at The X Factor in the UK. He did a "Million Dollar Bill" on the following day's show results, completing the song even as the rope behind his shirt appeared open two seconds into the show. He later remarked that he "sang [himself] from [his] clothes". The performances were less accepted by the British media, and were variously described as "weird" and "disrespectful", "shambolic" and "failed". Despite this acceptance, "Million Dollar Bill" jumped to its peak from 14 to number 5 (its first 5 British tops for over a decade), and three weeks after the release of I Look to You went gold. Houston appeared in the Italian version of The X Factor, also doing "Million Dollar Bill", this time for an amazing review. Houston was later awarded the Gold certificate for more than 50,000 I Look to You in Italy. In November, Houston featured "I Do not Know My Strength" at the American Music Awards 2009 in Los Angeles, California. Two days later, Houston performed "Million Dollar Bill" and "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)" in the final 9th ​​season of Dancing with the Stars. In December 2009, I Look to You has been certified platinum by the RIAA for the sale of over one million copies in the United States. On January 26, 2010, her debut album was re-released in a special edition titled Whitney HoustonÃ, - The Deluxe Anniversary Edition .
Houston then embarked on a world tour, titled "Nothing but Love World Tour". It was his first world tour in over ten years and was announced as a triumphant comeback. However, some bad reviews and rescheduled concerts bring negative attention to the media. Houston canceled several concerts due to illness and received negative reviews from fans who were disappointed by the quality of his voice and appearance. Some fans were reported out of concert.
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 single "I Look to You". On January 16, he received The BET Honors Award for Entertainer citing his life achievements for over 25 years in the industry. The BET Honors 2010 award was held at Warner Theater in Washington, D.C. and aired on February 1, 2010. Jennifer Hudson and Kim Burrell appeared in her honor, garnering positive reviews. Houston also received nominations from the Echo Awards, Grammys German version, for Best International Artist. In April 2010, the British newspaper The Mirror reported that Houston was thinking about recording his eighth studio album and wanted to collaborate with will.i.am (from The Black Eyed Peas), his first choice for collaboration. Houston also performed "I Look to You" in 2011 BET Celebration of Gospel , with jazz-jazz singer Kim Burrell, held at Staples Center, Los Angeles. The show premiered on January 30, 2011. Beginning in 2011, he gave an uneven show as a tribute to Dionne Warwick's cousin in the pre-Grammy gala music mogul Clive Davis.
In May 2011, Houston enrolled in a rehab center again, citing drug and alcohol problems. A representative for Houston said that outpatient care was part of Houston's "long-term recovery process."
In September 2011, The Hollywood Reporter announced that Houston will produce and star alongside Jordin Sparks and Mike Epps in a 1976 movie remake of Maps Whitney Houston
Death and burial
Houston reportedly appeared "messy" and "erratic" in the days before his death. On Thursday, February 9, 2012, Houston visited singers Brandy and Monica, along with Clive Davis, in their rehearsal for the Davis Pre-Grammy Awards party at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills. On the same day, he made his last public appearance when he joined Kelly Price onstage in Hollywood, California and sang "Jesus Loves Me".
Two days later, on February 11, Houston was found unconscious in Suite 434 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, submerged in a bathtub. Beverly Hills paramedics arrived at around 3:30 pm, found unresponsive singers, and did CPR. Houston was declared dead at 3:55 pm. PST. The cause of death is not immediately known; the local police said there was "no clear sign of criminal intent". On March 22, 2012, the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office reported that Houston's death was caused by drowning and the "effects of atherosclerotic heart disease and cocaine use". The office said the amount of cocaine found in Houston showed that it was using it just before his death. Toxicological results reveal additional drugs in the system: diphenhydramine (Benadryl), alprazolam (Xanax), marijuana and cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril). The way deaths are listed as "accidents".
An invitation-only memorial ceremony was held for Houston on Saturday, February 18, 2012, at New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, New Jersey. Service is scheduled for two hours, but lasts four. Among those who performed at the cemetery were Stevie Wonder (a written version of "The Ribbon in Heaven" and "Love in Love Today"), CeCe Winans ("Do not Cry" and "Jesus Loves Me"), Alicia Keys ("Send Me an Angel"), Kim Burrell (a rewritten version of "A Change Is Gonna Come"), and R. Kelly ("I Look to You"). The show was interspersed with hymns by church choirs and greetings by Clive Davis, Houston's recording producer; Kevin Costner; Rickey Minor, his music director; his cousin, Dionne Warwick; and Ray Watson, his security guard for the past 11 years. Aretha Franklin is enrolled in the program and is expected to sing, but can not attend services. Bobby Brown, Houston's ex-husband, was also invited to the funeral but he left shortly after the service began. Houston was buried on February 19, 2012, at Fairview Cemetery, in Westfield, New Jersey, alongside his father, John Russell Houston, who died in 2003. In June 2012, McDonald's Gospelfest in Newark became a tribute to Houston.
Reactions
Pre-Grammy Party
Clive Davis's pre-Grammy party that Houston expected to attend, which featured many big names in music and movies, went on schedule despite quickly turning a tribute to Houston. Davis spoke of Houston's death early in the evening:
You are now aware of the unspeakable tragic news about the death of our beloved Whitney. I do not have to hide my emotions in front of a room full of so many good friends. I am personally devastated by the loss of someone who has meant so much to me over the years. Whitney is full of life. He is very much looking forward to this evening even though he is not scheduled to perform. Whitney is a beautiful person and a wonderful talent. She adorned this stage with her great presence and has given so many impressive performances here over the years. Simply put, Whitney wants music to continue and her family asks us to continue.
Tony Bennett talked about Houston's death before appearing at Davis's party. He said, "First, it's Michael Jackson, then Amy Winehouse, now, the fabulous Whitney Houston." Bennett sings "How Do You Keep the Music Playing?" and said of Houston, "When I first heard it, I called Clive Davis and said, 'Finally you found the greatest singer I've ever heard in my life. ' "
Some celebrities opposed Davis's decision to continue the party while a police investigation was conducted in Houston's hotel room and his body was still inside the building. Chaka Khan, in an interview with CNN's Piers Morgan on February 13, 2012, said that he felt his party should be canceled, saying: "I think it is total madness and know Whitney I do not believe that he will say 'the show must keep going.' She is the kind of woman who will say 'Stop everything! Un-unh... I will not be there.' [...] I do not know what motivates a person to throw a party in a building where people whose lives are heavily influenced and whose lives are influenced by it... They are like... I do not know "I understand how the party lasts." Sharon Osbourne condemned Davis's side, stating: "I think it's a shame that the party is taking place. I do not want to be in a hotel room when there is someone you admire who tragically loses his life four floors. I'm not interested in being in that neighborhood and I think when you grieve someone, you do it personally, you do it with the person who understands you. I think it is very wrong. "
Further reactions and rewards
Many other celebrities released statements that responded to Houston's death. Darlene Love, Houston's godmother, heard the news of her death, saying, "It feels like I'm struck by lightning in my stomach." Dolly Parton, whose song "I Will Always Love You" was covered by Houston, said, "I will always be grateful and amazed at the amazing performance he performed 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 amazing and amazing. I can not believe what I read on the TV screen. "Other people who pay tribute include Mariah Carey, Quincy Jones and Oprah Winfrey.
Moments after the news of his death appeared, CNN, MSNBC, and Fox News all quit regularly scheduled programs to dedicate time to endless coverage of Houston's death. All three featured live interviews with people who knew Houston including those who had worked with him, interviewing him along with several colleagues in the music industry. Saturday Night Live featured a smiling Houston photo with Molly Shannon from her performance in 1996. MTV and VH-1 interrupted a regularly scheduled program on Sunday 12 February to broadcast many of Houston's classic videos with MTV's often broadcast news segments in between and showcase various reactions from fans and celebrities.
Houston's ex-husband, Bobby Brown, reportedly "in and out crying" since receiving the news. He did not cancel the scheduled show and within hours of his wife's sudden death, an audience in Mississippi watched as Brown blew a kiss into the sky, crying and saying, "I love you, Whitney."
Ken Ehrlich, executive producer of the 54th Grammy Awards, announced that Jennifer Hudson will reward Houston at the February 12, 2012 ceremony. He said "the event organizer believes Hudson - an Academy Award-winning actress and Grammy Award-winning artist - can honor musical respect to Houston. " Ehrlich goes on to say: "It's too fresh in everyone's mind to do more at this point, but we will be careless if we do not acknowledge Whitney's remarkable contributions to music fans in general, and especially his close relationship with Grammy and Grammy appearances he won and nominations for many years. "At the start of the awards ceremony, a trailer from Houston featuring" I Will Always Love You "from the 1994 Grammy was shown after the prayer that was read
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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