Whitney Houston, The #11 Artist of the Rock Era, Part Two

 

(Continued from Part One)

"Where Do Broken Hearts Go" gave Whitney four #1 hits on the album (3 #1's on the Adult chart), a record-breaking achievement for a female artist.  Further, it was Houston's seventh consecutive #1 song topping the mark set by the Bee Gees, and a record that still stands to this day.  

 

In 1988, Whitney received an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters degree from Grambling State University.  "Love Will Save The Day", produced by Jellybean, gave her a fifth Top 10 hit on the album (#5 on the R&B chart and #9 overall).

 Whitney was named Top Pop Singles Artist-Female by Billboard.  On "I Know Him So Well" she teamed up with her mom Cissy for a cover of the song from the movie Chess.

 

The album Whitney has sold over 10 million copies in the U.S. and 20 million worldwide.  Masser and Gerry Goffin, who of course wrote scores of big hits with Carole King, wrote this one for Houston--"You're Still My Man".

"Moment Of Truth" was slated for the album but replaced at the last minute.  It was instead released as the B-side to "I Wanna' Dance With Somebody".

 

Later in the year, she released the album A Very Special Christmas, which included an amazing version of "Do You Hear What I Hear".  It is one of The Top 150 Christmas Songs of All-Time*.

In 1988, Houston and others performed at Wembley Arena in London to celebrate the 70th birthday of Nelson Mandela, who was still in prison at the time.  The event drew an audience of over 72,000 and a television audience of over one billion people to raise money for charities and raise public awareness of the evils of apartheid in Africa.

 Whitney recorded "One Moment In Time" for the 1988 Summer Olympics, and it became another huge hit, #1 in the United Kingdom and Germany, and #1 on the Adult chart and #5 overall in the U.S.  The single has sold over one million copies.  It was later used to celebrate baseball's Cal Ripken's breaking of the all-time record for consecutive games played.

Whitney scored a rare double when she was named Favorite Pop (Rock) Female Artist and Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist at the American Music Awards and she earned a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female for "One Moment In Time".  For the third consecutive year, Houston was all alone at the top for Favorite Female Musical Performer at the People's Choice Awards.

The following year, Houston formed The Whitney Houston Foundation for Children, a non-profit group that has raised funds for children around the globe.  The organization helps the homeless, children with cancer or AIDS, and in other situations where they can help people become self-dependent and grow. 

 Houston released the album I'm Your Baby Tonight in 1990, the first in which she co-produced along with help from Stevie Wonder, Luther Vandross, Babyface, and L.A. Reid.  The energetic title song topped the U.S. Popular and R&B charts (#7 on the AC chart) and reached the Top 5 in virtually every country, including a standout five weeks at #1 in Italy.  Whitney was nominated for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female at the Grammys and the single has now sold over four million copies.

The album, again a Top 10 effort in virtually every country in the world, rose to #3 and has sold over four million copies in the U.S. and 10 million around the world.  

  Michael Gore and Dean Pitchford (who wrote songs for the "Footloose" Soundtrack) wrote this for Linda Clifford before Houston recorded it.  Whitney's second single from the album featured her great vocal range, an awesome key change and a sax solo from Kenny G.  "All The Man That I Need" was another triple #1 (after "Saving All My Love For You" and "How Will I Know")--Popular, AC, and R&B in the U.S. that also topped the Canadian chart and went Gold and was nominated for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female at the Grammy Awards.

 

The date of January 27, 1991 is famous for it is the date Whitney performed "The Star-Spangled Banner" at Super Bowl XXV in Tampa, Florida.  Her closure of Francis Scott Key's song with an extension of the word "free" was one for the ages.  As Houston approached the high note, she slowed for suspense and air, then nailed the E-flat above middle C.  

Watched by millions on television, Houston's rendition has become what is generally thought to be the best version ever, so popular that the record company was forced to release the song as a single. 

It sold 750,000 copies in eight days and became the highest-charting version of the national anthem, topping the one recorded by Jose Feliciano in 1968 (#50).  Whitney donated her proceeds from the song to the American Red Cross Gulf Crisis Fund and she was named to the Red Cross Board of Governors.

VH1 calls the performance one of the greatest moments on television.  The song was re-released after the  murders on September 11, 2001 and rose to #6 this time, selling over two million copies in the process.  All proceeds from the second release went to firefighters and victims of the heinous action.

 Whitney also performed "America The Beautiful" on that day and it was the flip side to "The Star-Spangled Banner".

 Whitney won Billboard Music Awards for Top R&B Artist, Top R&B Album, Top R&B Album Artist and Top R&B Singles Artist and was nominated for Top Album Artist-Female, Top Pop Singles Artist, Top Pop Singles Artist-Female and Top Adult Contemporary Single (for "All The Man That I Need").  "Miracle", about a girl who has an abortion and later regrets it, rose to #4 on the Adult chart and #9 overall.

 Houston also scored five American Music Award nominations:  Favorite Pop (Rock) Female Artist, Favorite Adult Contemporary Artist, Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist, Favorite Soul/R&B Album and Favorite Adult Contemporary Album.  Two of the biggest superstars in history--Whitney and Stevie Wonder--collaborated on "We Didn't Know", which features great orchestrations and jazz chord progressions from Stevie.

 "Feels So Good" doesn't appear on the album but it was the flip side of "I'm Your Baby Tonight".

Whitney received a Grammy nomination for Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female with  "I Belong To You".  

Later in 1991, Houston performed for soldiers fighting in the Persian Gulf War and their families in an HBO special called Welcome Home Heroes.  The concert, performed before 3,500 servicemen and women, earned HBO it's best ratings ever.

What happened next lifted Whitney to a level that only a handful of artists have ever achieved.  Join us for Part Three!