Photo by: usatoday.net
It’s a trend in the music industry for stars to go before their time: Hendrix, Cobain, Jackson and Winehouse, to name a few. Often heralded for their signature voice or sound, it seems substance abuse is always a key factor in the artist’s fall from grace.
The music world was shaken when Whitney Houston, known recently for her drug addiction but best known for her towering voice, was found dead in her hotel bathtub on Feb. 11, the night before the Grammys. Despite being a tribute to new artists, the next night hung heavy with knowledge of the star’s tragic passing several hours earlier.
By the time most of us were old enough to know who Whitney Houston was, her star power had been all but exhausted. Back in her prime, though, this dynamic diva took the whole world by storm.
Born in Newark, New Jersey in 1963, Houston had strong ties to music royalty: Dionne Warwick was her cousin and Aretha Franklin eventually became her godmother. She was signed by record exec Clive Davis in 1983, when she was just 19 years old. Two years later, she released her self-titled debut album. It was a smash-hit, selling more than 25 million copies.
Houston’s success made her the golden girl of the 80s and 90s. She recorded seven consecutive No. 1 singles from 1985 to 1987 (a record that still stands), opened the 1991 Super Bowl and starred opposite Kevin Costner in 1992’s “The Bodyguard” (the movie’s soundtrack went platinum 17 times). The music industry was stunned when the good girl married industry bad boy Bobby Brown in 1992; Houston insisted their love would last forever, but the two separated in 2007 after 15 years of marriage.
In 2002, when faced with rumors of her using crack cocaine, she vehemently denied it, saying, “Crack is whack.” Several years later, however, she revealed to Oprah what most already knew was true. Her 2009 comeback album I Look To You only highlighted how much damage had been done.
Whereas artists today often rely on auto-tune and synthetic beats to boost their vocal abilities, Houston never needed any help. During the early part of her career, Houston’s quavering, three-octave mezzo-soprano tackled pop, R&B grooves and ballads with ease, and netted her a total of six Grammys over the course of her career. Some of her best songs include “I Wanna Dance With Somebody,” “Step by Step,” “I Look to You,” “Didn’t We Almost Have It All” and her show-stopping, unique take on Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You.”
Houston may be gone, but she is not forgotten; her signature take on “I Will Always Love You” is currently the second-highest selling single on iTunes, and her greatest hits album is ranked at No. 2, second only to another showcase of a powerful voice, Adele’s 21. In August, Houston will posthumously appear in “Sparkle,” a remake of the 1976 film costarring American Idol-winner Jordin Sparks as her big-dreaming daughter.
Another one of the music industry’s most powerful voices has been silenced. It’s a shame she had to pass for us to realize how much of an icon she really was.
