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Grammy-Winning Singer Cissy Houston, Mother of Whitney Houston, Dies at 91

Oct 7, 2024, 07:45 PM

Cissy Houston, the Grammy-winning gospel singer and mother of the late pop icon Whitney Houston, has died at the age of 91. Houston passed away on Monday, October 7, 2024, in her New Jersey home while under hospice care for Alzheimer's disease, surrounded by her family, according to her daughter-in-law Pat Houston, who told the Associated Press. Beginning her career singing in a church choir as a child, Cissy Houston emerged as an in-demand backup vocalist on pop and soul records before becoming a gospel star. She performed alongside superstar musicians such as Elvis Presley and Aretha Franklin, and served as a backup singer for artists including Luther Vandross, Paul Simon, and Jimi Hendrix. A two-time Grammy winner, she helped shepherd her daughter Whitney Houston to superstardom, leaving an indelible mark on the music industry.