Whitney Houston: The life story you may not know

Scott Gries/ImageDirect // Getty Images Whitney Houston’s vocal talent lifted her to the top of the music charts with a catalog of hits such as “I Wanna Dance With Somebody,” “Run to You” and her version of “I’m Every Woman” (originally recorded by Chaka Khan). With the ability to maneuver between high and low registers effortlessly, it’s no surprise how Houston became an icon, commanding respect through her artistry, one hit after another. Born to a musical dynasty, Houston’s mother is Grammy-winning gospel vocalist Cissy Houston (who sang background for artists like Elvis Priestly and Aretha Franklin) and her father, John Russell Houston Jr., was an entertainment manager and army veteran. Her mother’s cousin, Leontyne Price, is a renowned soprano with a Medal of Freedom and a National Medal of Arts to her name. Houston was also the cousin of Dionne Warwick, a six-time Grammy-winning recording artist who’s sold more than 100 million records. Houston was called to music at an early age, beginning as a background singer for her mother, who would open the industry’s doors for her. As a teenager, Houston sang background vocals for Chaka Khan, and in 1984, Houston released her first single, “Hold Me,” shortly after signing with Arista Records. Houston would go on to release a slew of Billboard hits including “Saving All My Love for You,” “Didn’t We Almost Have It All,” and “Where Do Broken Hearts Go.” She would also pivot to acting, starring in such movies as “The Bodyguard” in 1992, “Waiting to Exhale” in 1995, and “The Preacher’s Wife” in 1996 alongside film legend Denzel Washington. It was “The Bodyguard” that gave audiences Houston’s unforgettable rendition of Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You.” The soundtrack would become Billboard’s bestselling soundtrack album of all time, selling 45 million copies globally. Houston was a musical force to be reckoned with, but marital problems and personal demons would taint her image. Despite the public challenges she faced, however, Houston is still regarded as one of America’s most talented vocalists of all time. For that reason, Stacker compiled a list of 16 significant events in the life of the late iconic singer and actress. You may also like: #1 pop song from the year you graduated high school Aug. 9, 1963: Born in Newark, New Jersey Jack Mitchell // Getty Images “Nippy,” a name affectionally given to Whitney by her father, John Houston, was born on Aug. 9, 1963, in Newark, New Jersey. She started out singing as a child at New Hope Baptist Church in Newark where her mother, Cissy Houston, was a minister of music for 54 years. By age 11, she was singing solos to an awed congregation. Houston attended Franklin Elementary School in East Orange, New Jersey, where she grew up. The school was later renamed the Whitney E. Houston Academy of Creative and Performing Arts in 1997. Early ’80s: One of the first women of color on magazine covers Dustin Pittman/WWD/Penske Media via Getty Images Before her singing career took off, Houston had been a fashion model since 16 after she was spotted by a modeling agent while out in New York City with her mother. She was one of the first Black women to appear in Seventeen magazine and also landed photo spreads in such publications as Glamour and Cosmopolitan. 1985: Debut album and first #1 with ‘Saving All My Love for You’ Peter Carrette Archive // Getty Images In 1985, Houston released “Saving All My Love for You,” a song from her self-titled debut album about unrequited love (allegedly written with Jackson 5’s Jermaine Jackson in mind). The single would become her first #1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and earn Houston her first Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance in 1986. Billboard chart hot streak Frederic REGLAIN/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images Houston’s hits from the mid-’80s like “Saving All My Love for You,” “How Will I Know” and “Greatest Love of All” were among the chart-toppers that earned the rising star several consecutive Billboard Hot 100 hits. When “Where Do Broken Hearts Go” reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in April 1988, Houston shattered the record previously held by the Beatles and the Bee Gees. Sexuality questioned over Robyn Crawford friendship L. Cohen/WireImage // Getty Images Over the years, the rumor mill has spun about Houston’s relationship with her friend and former assistant Robyn Crawford. According to Crawford, the two met each other as teenagers in 1980 while working as summer camp counselors in East Orange, New Jersey, where the two formed an immediate bond. In her 2019 memoir, “A Song For You: My Life with Whitney Houston,” Crawford claimed they began a lesbian relationship at this summer camp, where the two allegedly “spent the night together.” In the book, Crawford shared: “She said we shouldn’t be physical anymore because it would make our journey even more difficult. She said if people find out about us, they would use this against us, and back in the ’80s that’s how it felt.” Supposedly, it was Houston who ended their intimate relationship in 1982. However, years later, in 1987, a 23-year-old Houston addressed whispers concerning her sexuality head-on, telling Time magazine: “Let people talk. It doesn’t bother me because I know I’m not gay. I don’t care.” 1989: Meeting Bobby Brown Fotos International // Getty Images Houston and Bobby Brown of the R&B group New Edition met at the 1989 Soul Train Music Awards, where Houston invited Brown to a party afterward. After keeping in touch, Brown asked her out months later. The couple’s relationship came as a surprise to many. Brown was known for his “bad boy” persona while Houston was known as the good church girl. The couple–respectively successful in their solo careers–married in 1992 and welcomed daughter Bobbi Kristina Brown the following year. However, their relationship soon became mired with allegations of drug addiction, physical abuse, and infidelity. The two officially divorced in 2007. Early ’90s: Friendship and alleged affair with Michael Jackson Dave Hogan // Getty Images Houston and Michael Jackson had a special connection as they both experienced massive success in the music industry. In fact, it’s been said that their bond went beyond friendship and that the two had carried on a romantic relationship behind closed doors. Matt Fiddes, Jackson’s former bodyguard, claimed as much in a 2012 interview with The Sun, alleging the stars’ romance began in 1991. Fiddes even claimed Houston shacked up with Jackson at the King of Pop’s Neverland Ranch; however, the fling didn’t last longer than two weeks. 1992: ‘The Bodyguard’ film acting debut, ‘I Will Always Love You’