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

 "Goosebumps.  This is how angels sing."

"Her voice gives me chills."

"Rest In Peace, Whitney.  Your music is eternal."

"This kind of singer comes once in a lifetime."

"Her singing was effortless. She just opened her mouth and pure power came out."

"My God, this girl could sing."

"Just stunning. Pure, undeniable talent."

"That voice is timeless. Her songs are out of this world."

"I adore this woman. She will never know how her voice and songs gave all of us women hope and courage in times of need."

"The way she sings certain lyrics. The way she belts and her falsetto. It’s absolutely beautiful. She will always be one of the greatest singers in history."

"Your body may have died, but your spirit lives through your voice and all your amazing songs. an inspiration."

"Whitney was not singing, she just put her soul in our hands!"

"One of the top artists of all-time!"

"Greatest voice in human history!"

"She was awesome! What passion and feeling she puts in all of her music! Her effortless change in keys and resilience in her upper register are remarkable."

"Incredible, mind-blowing talent."

"She was the greatest female singer. Her voice was incredible. There will never be another Whitney Houston."

"The greatest voice God ever produced, power, dexterity, tone, passion, beauty, range. perfection..."

"Whitney Houston songs are truly motivational..."

"She'll always be in a league all her own."

"The most incredible vocalist that ever graced this planet...No one can sing like that!"

"May her legacy continue to inspire the next generation....

Rest in peace legend 🙏🙌👏"

"Her voice is so moving. She makes you feel her emotions through song."

"The most beautiful vocals I've heard in my life."

"Whitney is an angel. What a voice. Incomparable."'

"Whitney's talent was out of this world."

"Whitney's voice for me is a reflection of God's presence in a given talent. It's so powerful and medicinal."

"Angels weep when she sings. And so does everyone else."

"She really was the greatest female singer of the past 35 years.  That voice is an extraordinary instrument.  It's unearthly.  Absolutely beautiul."

"What a gift to the world she was. She is missed."

"Sing to me forever, Whitney."

She had great vocal ability in her genes.  But she soon stepped out of the shadow of her famous mother and cousins with a voice that gave us chills.  Music critic Ann Powers of The Los Angeles Times wrote, "[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."

Whitney Houston was born August 9, 1963 in Newark, New Jersey, daughter of gospel singer Cissy Houston, who as a member of the Sweet Inspirations sang backup for Elvis Presley, and cousin of singers Dionne Warwick and Dee Dee Warwick.  Cissy was good friends with Aretha Franklin, whom Whitney got to meet when her mother took her to a recording studio.  After the horrific 1967 riots in Newark, the family moved to East Orange in New Jersey, but her parents later divorced.

Young Whitney was already exhibiting her gift from God at the age of 11 when she sang solos in the junior gospel choir at the New Hope Baptist Church in Newark.  Houston's first solo was "Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah".  Cissy continued to pass on her knowledge to Whitney, who would sometimes take the stage with her at area nightclubs.  When she was 14, Whitney became a backup singer on the Michael Zager Band's song "Life's A Party", and the following year, she sang backup for Chaka Khan and Low Rawls.

Whitney went to Mount Saint Dominic Academy in Caldwell, New Jersey and graduated in 1981.  She was featured on the cover of Seventeen and also appeared in Cosmopolitan, Glamour, and Young Miss.  

In 1982, Whitney signed with Tara Productions and sang on the song "Memories" for the group Material.  The following year, Whitney sang lead for one of the songs on a Paul Jabara album.

Gerry Griffith, A& R man at Arista Records, saw Whitney performing with her mother in a New York City nightclub.  He urged label boss Clive Davis to see her.  Davis was immediately impressed and offered Whitney a recording contract.  Houston made her first appearance on national television on The Merv Griffin Show in 1983.

Davis set out to find material and producers for Whitney, and in 1984, she recorded the duet "Hold Me" with Teddy Pendergrass.  The single was a huge hit on the Adult Contemporary chart, reaching #6.  The only Houston song from 1984, it is the only reason Whitney was not nominated for Best New Artist of 1985 at the Grammys.

Producers Jermaine Jackson, Kashif, Narada Michael Walden, and Michael Masser worked with Houston on her self-titled debut album, which was released in 1985.  A nice easy groove provided the background for Whitney to give a hint of what she could do on her next single.  "You Give Good Love" reached #1 on the R&B chart and #3 overall in the U.S. and #7 in Canada and sold over two million copies.

 

The album jumped to #1 for 14 weeks in the U.S. and also hit #1 in Canada, Australia, and Sweden and reached #2 in the U.K., Germany, and Switzerland.  Whitney promoted the album with a series of nightclub dates in the U.S. and performed on late-night television shows.  The single "Saving All My Love For You" topped charts in the United States and the U.K. and also sold over two million copies.

Whitney won Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female for "Saving All My Love For You" and was nominated for Album of the Year and Best R&B Vocal Performance, Female ("You Give Good Love") at the Grammy Awards.  

Her performance that night also won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program.  

Houston opened for Jeffrey Osbourne on a U.S. tour, helping this song become a multi-format smash #1 (Adult Contemporary, Popular, and R&B).  George Merrill and Shannon Rubicam wrote this after meeting when they both performed at a Seattle, Washington wedding.  Soon, that pair began playing clubs in the Northwest and in 1985, enjoyed a hit with "Waiting For A Star To Fall" as the group Boy Meets Girl.

"How Will I Know" became Houston's third consecutive Platinum single and landed at #1 in Canada and #2 in Australia and Sweden.  Whitney won Best Female Video and was nominated for Best New Artist in a Video at the MTV Video Music Awards.

Whitney's debut album is on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's Definitive 200 list.

   

Her cover of the George Benson song "Greatest Love Of All" also hit #1 for three weeks, making Whitney the first female to attain three #1 songs on one album.  The song also reached #1 in Canada and Australia and was her fourth straight Platinum single.

Houston was nominated for a Grammy Award for Record of the Year for "Greatest Love of All", resulting in Billboard magazine naming Houston the #1 Artist of the Year and the debut the Album of the Year.  This track from the album never released as a single except in the Netherlands (#5) is another gem, one of The Top Unknown/Underrated Songs of the Rock Era*.  Co-written by Jeffrey Osbourne, enjoy the awesome "All At Once".

Houston enjoyed a phenomenally-successful international tour, and her debut album has now sold 13 million in the U.S. alone and 22 million worldwide.  She sang a duet with Jermaine Jackson, which was included on his album Precious Moments.  "If You Say My Eyes Are Beautiful" later appeared on Whitney's Greatest Hits collection.

Whitney won five American Music Awards out of seven nominations, winning Favorite Pop (Rock) Female Artist, Favorite Pop (Rock) Album, Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist, Favorite Soul/R&B Album and Favorite Soul/R&B Video Single ("Greatest Love Of All") while also earning nominations for Favorite Pop (Rock) Female Video Artist and Favorite Soul/R&B Video Artist.

She won Billboard Number One Awards for New Pop Artist and New Black Artist.  She captured American Music Awards for Favorite Soul/R&B Single (for "You Give Good Love") and Favorite Soul/R&B Video ("Saving All My Love For You") and was nominated for Favorite Pop (Rock) Female Artist, Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist, Favorite Soul/R&B Album and Favorite Soul/R&B Video Artist.  and MTV Video Music Award.  She also earned a tie with Madonna for Favorite Female Musical Performer.

USA Today ranked Whitney's appearance on the scene as one of the 25 musical milestones of the last 25 years.  

Houston released the album Whitney in 1987, with Kashif, Walden and Masser once again producing with help from Jellybean Benitez, who had run up a string of highly successful albums.  Upon the album's release Whitney became the first artist in history to debut at #1 in both the United States and U.K., and the first woman to do so in the U.S.  

Merrill and Rubicam, who wrote "How Will I Know", also penned this great song.  "We recorded the song, mixed it, and then George (Merrill) literally ran to the airport with it and met Clive (Davis of Arista Records, who was getting on a plane," Rubicam said.  "And we thought, 'well, best get it to him in person and we'll have more of an impact.  So he took it with him and listened to it on the plane," she added.   

Merrill and Rubicam were going to record it for their 1985 album as Boy Meets Girl if Davis didn't want it for Whitney, but he loved it and Whitney recorded it instead.

"I Wanna' Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)" got the album off to a roaring start, racing to #1 in nearly every country and selling an incredible six million copies (her fifth consecutive Platinum single and 10th Gold single of her young career).  It is one of The Top 500 Songs of the Rock Era*, one of several Whitney would enjoy.  Randy Jackson of the Jacksons played bass synth on the song.

Honors continued to pour in as Houston won American Music Awards for Favorite Pop (Rock) Female Artist and Favorite Pop (Rock) Single.  She won a Grammy for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female and earned another nomination for Album of the Year for her sophomore effort and also repeated as Favorite Female Musical Performer at the People's Choice Awards.

In addition to the world's two major markets, the album topped charts in Germany, Canada, Australia, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Sweden, and Austria and landed in the Top 10 in every major country in the world.  Whitney won Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for the song at the Grammy Awards, and was also nominated for Album of the Year.  

As Houston was Davis' number one priority at Arista, he was always on the lookout for great songwriters who would write material for Whitney.  Michael Masser, who also was a co-producer on the album, had written "Touch Me In The Morning" for Diana Ross and "Tonight, I Celebrate My Love" for Roberta Flack and Peabo Bryson, as well as Whitney's earlier hits "The Greatest Love Of All" and "Saving All My Love For You".  

 

Masser contributed "Didn't We Almost Have It All" as well, which went to #1 on both the Popular and AC charts to tie Houston with the Jackson 5 for second place all-time with five straight #1 songs.  It also peaked at #2 in Canada and sold over one million copies.

 

Her world tour was one of the ten top-grossing tours of 1987, and  Whitney's two tours and accompanying tours ranked her #8 among the highest-earning entertainers, according to Forbes magazine. 

Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly, who wrote hits for Madonna, Heart, the Bangles, Cyndi Lauper and the Pretenders, penned this one after Davis told them he was looking for something uptempo for Whitney.  "So Emotional" also went Gold and is another of the all-time Top 500 Songs of the Rock Era* that tied Houston with the Bee Gees for the Rock Era record of six consecutive #1 songs.

She was headed for the stratosphere, a likely place for The #11 Artist of the Rock Era*!