Cissy Houston: Biography

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• Discography
• Biography
• Related Artists

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• Whitney Houston
• Dee Dee Warwick
• Erma Franklin

• Dinah Washington
• Mahalia Jackson
• Sam Cooke
• Clara Ward
• Drinkard Singers

• Whitney Houston
• Diane Richards
• BeBe & CeCe Winans
• Dionne Warwick
• Mandisa
• Yolanda Adams
• Crystal Aikin

• Doris Troy
• Billy Vera & Judy Clay
• The Sweet Inspirations

• Michael Zager
• Doug Frank
• Greg Diamond
• Elliot Goldenthal
• Alvin Fields

Born:

Jan 1, 1932 in Newark, NJ

Genres:

Classical Music, R&B and Soul Music, Rock Music

Decades Active:

1970's|1980's|1990's

Artistic Quality

Low

Cultural Impact

Low

Popularity

Low

Ratings Guide

A soul singer who is known primarily as Whitney Houston's mother rather than for her own considerable talents, Cissy Houston was born Emily Drinkard and began her career as a member of her family's gospel group, the Drinkards. In the early '60s, she joined forces with a floating group of singers known simply as the Group (including at various points Doris Troy and Dee Dee Warwick) to provide backup vocals on numerous soul, pop, and rock sessions. They contributed to many Atlantic sessions in particular, and Atlantic executive Jerry Wexler signed the act to the label in 1967. Named the Sweet Inspirations, they recorded some excellent gospelflavored soul in the late '60s, managing a few hits (as well as continuing to back up other artists, most notably Aretha Franklin) before Houston left to go solo at the end of 1969. She recorded an impressive album for Commonwealth United in 1970, Presenting Cissy Houston, which yielded a couple of small RB/pop hits: "I'll Be There" and "Be My Baby." Much in the manner of the Sweet Inspirations, although the material consisted of fairly wellworn soul, rock, and pop tunes, the stateoftheart arrangements and gospelish vocals made them sound fresh. Her contract was sold to Janus Records later in the year, and while she issued a few singles there until the middle of the '70s, she never received the support and promotion she deserved. A case in point was her littleknown original version of "Midnight Train to Georgia," taken to the top of the charts about a year later by Gladys Knight the Pips. Houston recorded several albums for Private Stock beginning in the late '70s, as well as continuing her regular work on sessions and commercial jingles. She recorded a duet with daughter Whitney ("I Know Him So Well") in 1987, and cut a duet album with veteran soul singer Chuck Jackson in 1992.

- Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide