Houston, who was also the mother of pop icon Whitney Houston, was under hospice care for Alzheimer's disease, her family confirmed. "We lost the matriarch of our family," daughter-in-law Pat Houston said in a statement. "Mother Cissy was a strong and towering figure in our lives... Her more than seven-decade career in music will remain at the forefront of our hearts.”
Captured this 📸 cherished moment between Cissy Houston and Cicely Tyson at Whitney Houston’s “SPARKLE” movie premiere.
— B Michael (@bmichaelAmerica) October 7, 2024
When Great Trees Fall 💔
Cissy Houston, the mother of superstar Whitney Houston and a two-time Grammy winner who performed alongside superstar musicians like… pic.twitter.com/pt2ABfK78F
Born Emily Drinkard in Newark, Houston's musical roots began in the church. She gained fame in the 1960s with the Sweet Inspirations, backing Franklin on hits like "Think." Her voice graced classics like Van Morrison's "Brown Eyed Girl" and Dusty Springfield's "Son of a Preacher Man."
Though initially wary of the music industry, Houston championed Whitney's rise to stardom. They performed together often, including a duet of "I Know Him So Well." In her memoir, Houston described their bond as complex but filled with love. Whitney's death in 2012, followed by the passing of her granddaughter Bobbi Kristina Brown in 2015, left a profound sadness.#cissyhouston 🕊️ pic.twitter.com/fnaQ3e46Q8
— 𝐖𝐇𝐈𝐓𝐍𝐄𝐘. (@NippysApplehead) October 7, 2024
Despite her fame, Houston remained dedicated to her Newark community and the New Hope Baptist Church, where she and Whitney sang as children.In 2013, Aretha Franklin & Cissy Houston headlined McDonald's Gospelfest in Cissy's hometown of Newark, NJ. Here is rare footage of the two old friends bumping into each other backstage at @PruCenter at the end of the night. pic.twitter.com/AZ0NA7Exz8
— 365 Days of Aretha Franklin (@365DaysOfAretha) October 7, 2024
"Her contributions to music and culture are unparalleled," the family shared in a statement. "We are blessed that God allowed her to spend so many years with us."
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