Whitney Elizabeth Houston was born on August 9th, 1963, in Newark, New Jersey. She is the daughter of Cissy Houston, a successful rhythm and blues backup singer, and cousin of singer Dionne Warwick.
Whitney began singing in a church choir in her hometown, and was singing solo by the age of 11. She sang as a backup singer for Chaka Khan, Lou Rawls, and her mother.
And although Whitney modeled in various magazines and appeared on TV shows such as Give Me A Break, she was destined to sing. And sing she did.
Whitney Houston's first hit was a duet with Teddy Pendergrass in 1984, called "Hold Me." Although Whitney signed a contract with Arista Records in 1983, her self-titled debut album wasn't released until 1985. Nevertheless, it sold over 22 million copies. |
