Cissy Houston, a Grammy-winning singer and mother of famous artiste Whitney Houston, has passed away at the age of 91.
The news was confirmed by Gwendolyn Quinn, a representative for The Estate of Whitney E. Houston.
Houston died on Monday at 10:30 a.m. ET, while receiving hospice care, surrounded by her family. She had been suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.
Her daughter-in-law, Pat Houston, expressed the family’s sorrow, saying, “Our hearts are filled with pain and sadness. We loss the matriarch of our family. Mother Cissy has been a strong and towering figure in our lives. A woman of deep faith and conviction, who cared greatly about family, ministry, and community. Her more than seven-decade career in music and entertainment will remain at the forefront of our hearts.”
Cissy Houston, born Emily Drinkard, was the youngest of eight children. She started singing at a young age in a gospel group with her siblings called The Drinkard Four, which later became The Drinkard Singers.
Over the years, she became a well-known singer, performing with famous artistes like Aretha Franklin, Dusty Springfield, and many others.
In 1969, Cissy released her first solo album titled “Presenting Cissy Houston” and went on to have a long career, winning two Grammy Awards and recording many albums.
She was also the mother of Whitney Houston, who passed away in 2012, and sons Gary and Michael. Her granddaughter Bobbi Kristina Brown, who was Whitney’s daughter, also died in 2015.
The family expressed gratitude for the long life Cissy lived, saying, “We are blessed and grateful that God allowed her to spend so many years with us and we are thankful for all the many valuable life lessons that she taught us. May she rest in peace, alongside her daughter, Whitney and granddaughter Bobbi Kristina and other cherished family members.”
