Whitney Houston Dead at 48

Singer Whitney Houston has died, aged 48.  She was reportedly found dead at The Beverly Hilton Hotel.

Houston was a major recording artist in the 1980s and early 1990’s but her career success waned following drug abuse, erratic behaviour and a tumultuous marriage to rapper Bobby Brown.

Houtson’s debut album was the first by a female artist to enter the US charts in the number one position. Among her early hits were Saving All My Love For You, How Will I Know and a cover of George Benson’s The Greatest Love Of All.

Whitney’s second album spawned the dance floor favourite I Wanna Dance With Somebody as well as the pop infused So Emotional, and the ballads Didn’t We Almost Have It All and Where Do Broken Hearts Go?. The album sold over 20 million copies worldwide.

Houston made a successful move into the film industry staring alongside Kevin Coster in The Bodyguard. The films soundtrack providing her career’s biggest hit I Will Always Love You, a cover of the Dolly Parton Classic. Houston found further film success with Waiting to Exhale and The Preacher’s Wife.

In 1998 Houston continued her success with her dance floor friendly forth album My Love Is Your Love. It had been eight years since the singer had released a full album of songs and by teaming up with new producers like Rodney Jerkins and The Fugees’ Wyclef Jean and Lauren Hill. The album saw Houston return to the charts with Heartbreak Hotel, Its Not Alright, But It’s OK and I Learned From The Best.

Houston was unable to replicate any chart success after this point, in 2002 she signed a new contract with Arista Records and began working again with Clive Davis the music mogul who first discovered her, but her albums Just Whitney (2002) and I Look To You (2009) failed to bring any further hits.

In 1992 Houston married singer Bobby Brown, the couple’s only child Bobbi Christina was born a year later. The couple divorced in 2007.

OIP Staff