How Whitney Houston Mom Influenced Her To Do Music
Whitney Houston's journey into music was deeply influenced by her upbringing and the environment she was immersed in from a young age. Born on August 9, 1963, in Newark, New Jersey, she grew up surrounded by music, with her family playing a central role in shaping her musical path. Her mother, Cissy Houston, was an accomplished gospel and soul singer who performed as a backup vocalist for renowned artists such as Elvis Presley and Aretha Franklin. Cissy’s career exposed Whitney to the professional music world early on, and Whitney often accompanied her mother to studio sessions and live performances, absorbing the craft of music.
Beyond her mother, Whitney’s familial ties to music extended further. She was the cousin of Dionne Warwick, a legendary pop and soul singer, and her godmother was the "Queen of Soul," Aretha Franklin. This legacy of vocal excellence and showmanship provided Whitney with a rich foundation of musical influences, encouraging her to develop her own voice and performance style.
Church was another profound influence on Whitney's musical development. Raised in a deeply religious family, she started singing in her local Baptist church choir at a young age. Gospel music, with its emotional depth and technical vocal demands, became a vital part of her identity as a singer. This gospel influence was evident throughout her career, as she often infused spiritual conviction and a powerful, soulful delivery into her pop and R&B songs.
The wider cultural landscape of the 1960s and 1970s also played a role in shaping Whitney’s musical sensibilities. Artists like Chaka Khan, Gladys Knight, and Roberta Flack were making waves in R&B and soul music, serving as inspirations for Whitney's style. Her admiration for these singers motivated her to push the boundaries of her vocal abilities, blending pop, soul, and gospel into a distinctive sound that would eventually make her a global superstar.
In addition to her vocal talent, Whitney was also influenced by the era's emerging fusion of genres, such as the merging of R&B with pop music, which would later define her signature sound. By the time she signed with Arista Records in the early 1980s, Whitney was well-prepared to carry forward her family’s musical legacy while establishing her own unique voice in the music world.
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