Music Icon Whitney Houston died the tender age of 48 this week at the Beverly Hilton a day before the Grammy Awards. Houston was pronounced dead at 3:55 p.m. in her room on the fourth floor of the hotel. LA Times reported earlier in the week that on the Thursday prior, Houston dropped by the rehearsals of Clive Davis' annual Grammy Party to offer vocal tips for Brandy and Monica, who were slated to be one of the evening’s headliners. She was a bright light in the world seemed to be unable to escape her addictions, and pain. She was more than a vocalist she was someone that people viewed almost as family.

Born on Aug. 9, 1963, in Newark, N.J., to John and Cissy Houston, Whitney Elizabeth Houston was destined for a career as a singer: Her mother sang backup for Elvis Presley; her cousin was superstar Dionne Warwick; and her godmother was the legendary Aretha Franklin. Unsurprisingly, young Whitney also proved to have a vocal gift, performing her first solo at age 11 at the New Hope Baptist Church.

In her teens, Houston worked as a model, appearing in Seventeen, Glamour and Cosmopolitan, and performed in New York City clubs. It was during one particular singing gig in 1983 that she caught the ear of Arista music exec Clive Davis, who signed her to a record deal on the spot.

Released in March 1985, Whitney Houston established the star as a major recording artist, prompting Rolling Stone to rave, "With her sleek beauty and her great voice, Whitney Houston is obviously headed for stardom." Indeed, her freshman effort sold over 12 million copies in the U.S., produced three consecutive No. 1 singles – "Saving All My Love For You," "How Will I Know" and "The Greatest Love of All" – and made history as the biggest selling album by a solo artist.

Houston was up for three awards at the 1986 Grammys, including album of the year, and ultimately took home the honor for best female pop vocal performance. She garnered even more trophies that year, including seven American Music Awards and an MTV Video Music Award.

With the June 1987 release of her second album, Whitney, Houston made history again, becoming the first female artist to enter the Billboard album charts at No. 1, and surpassing the Beatles with her seven consecutive No. 1 hits, including "I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)," "So Emotional" and "Didn't We Almost Have It All."

As the Persian Gulf War raged on in 1991, Houston united the entire nation with her stirring rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner" at Super Bowl XXV. The powerhouse performance was released as both a single and a video, and landed in the Top 20 of Billboard's Hot 100.

Houston shocked fans when she tied the knot with bad boy Bobby Brown on July 18, 1992. Despite the former New Edition star's rough reputation, Houston insisted, "Bobby's got a good heart and a good soul."

Following two minor acting stints – on the '80s sitcoms Gimme a Break! and Silver Spoons – Houston became a full-fledged movie star, headlining 1992's The Bodyguard with Kevin Costner. The film, released in November, grossed $410 million worldwide, and its soundtrack, featuring "I'm Every Woman," "I Have Nothing," "Run to You" and "I Will Always Love You," became the best-selling soundtrack of all time.

Houston followed up her Bodyguard success by appearing opposite Loretta Devine, Angela Bassett and Lela Rochon in the 1995 big-screen adaptation of author Terry McMillan's best-seller Waiting to Exhale. Though the film was a success, Houston was unhappy on set. "You know, I was a movie star. I really didn't want to be one," she told Vibe. "I was raising my daughter. I wasn't with my husband. I had to be in Phoenix. And it was like, Yo, f– this. I don't wanna do this."

Despite her reservations, Houston took another film role, this time starring alongside  Denzel Washington in 1996's The Preacher's Wife. The family drama, about the troubled marriage between a reverend and his gospel choir mistress, earns her a reported $10 million paycheck. The weeks leading up to the film's December release are turbulent, with Houston denying her own union is in trouble and, more tragically, suffering a miscarriage.

Houston and Brown were all smiles at a February 2000 pre-Grammys party, despite being dogged by rumors of drug abuse. One month earlier, the pair made headlines when marijuana was found in their luggage at a Hawaii airport (charges were later dropped), and Houston also raised eyebrows the previous year after canceling appearances at the American Music Awards and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

Just weeks after signing a $100 million Arista record contract, Houston kicked off the Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Special in September 2001 alongside Usher and Mya, singing "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'." But it was her gaunt figure that really started some talk; after blaming a "bad shot," she would admit years later her thinness was due to drug use.

Eight years later, with the help of her mentor Clive Davis, she released in August 2009, Houston's seventh effort, I Look to You, marked her first No. 1 album since The Bodyguard. Though it seemed she was ready for a career revival.

Fifteen years after The Preacher's Wife, Houston returned to the big screen for Sparkle (due Aug. 10, 2012) with Jordin Sparks.

Comments: