Cissy Houston

Emily "Cissy" Houston (née Drinkard; September 30, 1933 – October 7, 2024) was an American soul and gospel singer and choir director. Nicknamed The Duchess of Gospel, she is best known as the mother of American singer and actress Whitney Houston and the aunt of American singers Dionne Warwick and Dee Dee Warwick. Born and raised in Newark, New Jersey, Houston began her singing career as the founding member of the family gospel group the Drinkard Singers, starting at the age of five. The group turned professional in 1951 and would continue performing until the early 1960s as Houston began a career as a session vocalist for several artists. In 1967, she formed the Sweet Inspirations, a Grammy-nominated girl group that backed Aretha Franklin and Elvis Presley before starting a full fledged solo career in 1970. Her best-known solo singles include the top 20 R&B chart single, "I'll Be There", the original rendition of "Midnight Train to Georgia" and the top 5 dance single, "Think It Over". Her solo career culminated with two Grammy Award wins, both in the Traditional Gospel Album category. Houston was honored by several institutions over her career. In 1990, she received the Stellar Award of Excellence for her contributions to gospel music. Five years later, in 1995, Houston earned the Rhythm and Blues Foundation Pioneer Award for her contributions to rhythm and blues and soul music. With the Sweet Inspirations, Houston was inducted into the National Rhythm and Blues Hall of Fame in 2014. In 2020, she was inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame. In 2025, Houston was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame Missouri in St. Louis, Missouri.