Cissy Houston: Acclaimed gospel singer, mother of Whitney Houston, dies at 91

Cissy Houston, the mother of the late Whitney Houston and a two-time Grammy winner who performed alongside superstar musicians like Elvis Presley, and Aretha Franklin, has died. She was 91.

Houston died Monday morning in her New Jersey home while under hospice care for Alzheimer’s disease, her daughter-in-law Pat Houston told The Associated Press. The acclaimed gospel singer was surrounded by her family.

“Our hearts are filled with pain and sadness. We lost the matriarch of our family,” Pat Houston said in a statement. She said her mother-in-law’s contributions to popular music and culture are “unparalleled.”

“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 in the well-known vocal group, the Sweet Inspirations, with Doris Troy and her niece Dee Dee Warrick. The group sang backup for a variety of soul singers including Otis Redding, Lou Rawls, The Drifters and Dionne Warwick.

The Sweet Inspirations appeared on Van Morrison’s Brown Eyed Girl and sang background vocals for The Jimi Hendrix Experience on the song Burning of the Midnight Lamp in 1967. In the same year, Houston worked on Franklin’s classic Ain’t No Way.

Houston’s last performance with the Sweet Inspirations came after the group hit the stage with Presley in a Las Vegas show in 1969. Her final recording session with the group turned into their biggest R&B hit (Gotta Find) A Brand New Lover a composition by the production team of Gamble & Huff, who appeared on the group’s fifth album, Sweet Sweet Soul.

During that time, the group occasionally performed live concert dates with Franklin. After the group’s success and four albums together, Houston left The Sweet Inspirations to pursue a solo career where she flourished.

Houston became an in-demand session singer and recorded more than 600 songs in multiple genres throughout her career. Her vocals can heard on tracks alongside a wide range of artists including Chaka Khan, Donny Hathaway, Jimi Hendrix, Luther Vandross, Beyoncé, Paul Simon, Roberta Flack and her daughter.

In 1971, Houston’s signature vocals were featured on Burt Bacharach’s solo album, which includes Mexican Divorce, All Kinds of People and One Less Bell to Answer. She performed various standards including Barbra Streisand’s hit song, Evergreen.

Houston won Grammys for her albums Face to Face in 1997 and He Leadeth Me the following year in the best traditional soul gospel album category.

Houston authored three books: He Leadeth Me, How Sweet The Sound: My Life with God and Gospel and Remembering Whitney: A Mother’s Story of Life, Loss and The Night The Music Stopped.

In 1938, Cissy Houston started her career when she joined her sister Anne and brothers Larry and Nicky to form the gospel group, The Drinkard Four, who recorded one album. She attended New Hope Baptist Church, where she later become Minister of Sacred Music.

Houston was the youngest of eight children.

“We are touched by your generous support, and your outpouring of love during our profound time of grief,” Houston said on behalf of the family.

“We respectfully request our privacy during this difficult time.”