Cissy Houston, the mother of the late Whitney Houston and a two-time Grammy Award winner has passed away at the age of 91.
She died on Monday morning at her home in New Jersey, where she was receiving hospice care for Alzheimer’s disease, as confirmed by her daughter-in-law, Pat Houston, to The Associated Press. The renowned gospel singer was with her family at the time of her passing.
“Our hearts are filled with pain and sadness. We loss the matriarch of our family,” Pat Houston said in a statement. “Mother Cissy has been a strong and towering figure in our lives. A woman of deep faith and conviction, who cared greatly about family, ministry, and community. Her more than seven-decade career in music and entertainment will remain at the forefront of our hearts.”
Houston was a member of the famous vocal group, the Sweet Inspirations, alongside Doris Troy and her niece, Dee Dee Warrick. They provided backing vocals for many well-known soul artists, including Otis Redding, Lou Rawls, The Drifters, and Dionne Warwick.
In 1967, the Sweet Inspirations sang on Van Morrison’s hit “Brown Eyed Girl” and backed The Jimi Hendrix Experience on “Burning of the Midnight Lamp.” That same year, Houston also worked with Aretha Franklin on the classic song “Ain’t No Way.”
Houston’s last performance with the Sweet Inspirations was in Las Vegas alongside Elvis Presley in 1969. Their final recording together became a big R&B hit, “(Gotta Find) A Brand New Lover,” written by the famous production team Gamble & Huff, and featured on their fifth album, “Sweet Sweet Soul.”
During this time, the group sometimes performed live with Franklin. After achieving success and releasing four albums as a group, Houston chose to leave the Sweet Inspirations to pursue a solo career, where she enjoyed great success.