Singer Whitney Houston dies
Sat, February 11, 2012 - 9:17 PM
LOS ANGELES – Whitney Houston, who reigned as pop music's queen until her majestic voice and regal image were ravaged by drug use, erratic behavior and a tumultuous marriage to singer Bobby Brown, has died. She was 48.
Publicist Kristen Foster said Saturday that the singer had died, but the cause and the location of her death were unknown.
At her peak, Houston was the golden girl of the music industry. From the middle 1980s to the late 1990s, she was one of the world's best-selling artists. She wowed audiences with effortless, powerful, and peerless vocals that were rooted in the black church but made palatable to the masses with a pop sheen.
Her success carried her beyond music to movies, where she starred in hits like The Bodyguard and Waiting to Exhale.
She had the perfect voice and the perfect image: a gorgeous singer who had sex appeal but was never overtly sexual, who maintained perfect poise.
She influenced a generation of younger singers, from Christina Aguilera to Mariah Carey, who when she first came out sounded so much like Houston that many thought it was Houston.
But by the end of her career, Houston became a stunning cautionary tale of the toll of drug use. Her album sales plummeted and the hits stopped coming; her once serene image was shattered by a wild demeanor and bizarre public appearances. She confessed to abusing cocaine, marijuana and pills, and her once pristine voice became raspy and hoarse, unable to hit the high notes as she had during her prime. (AP)
- Editor's Choice
- Most Read Stories Today
- City fete fright
- DPP: Stop hiding white collar crime
- Bajans abroad divided over poll
- Austin: All I did was sign
- Football hotshots fly in
- Four Seasons to get IDB $80m loan
- Moving to the circus beat
Recent Comments
- dirty okra commented on DEAR CHRISTINE: Pregnant for married man
- Pan Wallie commented on Idol winner Phillip Phillips
- Pan Wallie commented on Perfect school attendance
- Pan Wallie commented on Eyes ahead!
- yogi Ni commented on $700m food bill
_medium-135x135.jpg)
Share your thoughts
Please sign in or register to post your comments.
Page 1 of 1 pages
Oh Whitney, so sad. Thank you for that awesome voice while it lasted.
- 2
- 0
Comment LinkLIFE..BROKEN ..IN TEARS ...SHE WAS LIKE FAMILY.
TODAY ANOTHER LIFE ENDS AND GOD ONLY KNOWS,BUT I QUESTION NOT. I LISTEN TO HER VOICE AND KNEW HOW ANGELS SANG.
- 3
- 0
Comment LinkA great loss. You were one of the best. Your music will live on after long after you. An exceptional talent and I am so sorry to hear of her loss.
My deepest sympathies to her family, friends and fans.
Today is a sad day in the music industry.
- 2
- 0
Comment LinkRIP
- 2
- 0
Comment LinkThanks for all the good entertainment.
- 2
- 0
Comment LinkPage 1 of 1 pages