Whitney Houston Tragic Diva

The Epic Life and Shocking Death

of Whitney Houston

By David Cline

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Take a bus ride, a lunch break, or a warm bath, and get to know a Legend like you never thought you could.

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Table of Contents

Author’s Note

Introduction: “Miracle”

Chapter One: “I’m Your Baby Tonight”

Chapter Two: “Step By Step”

Chapter Three: “All At Once”

Chapter Four: “Queen of the Night”

Chapter Five: “All The Man That I Need”

Chapter Six: “Takin’ A Chance”

Chapter Seven: “Like I Never Left”

Chapter Eight: “Heartbreak Hotel”

Chapter Nine: “Get It Back”

Chapter Ten: “I Will Always Love You”

Author's Note

Where does one possibly begin in telling the epic story of an iconic performer the likes of Whitney Houston?

How does one approach a life as triumphant and tragic as hers, and make it Human?

How can one speak for a superstar known as "The Voice," when that Voice has been so sadly and prematurely silenced?

These were the formidable questions we faced as we sat down to compose a brief but intimate portrait of a Legend.

The answer to all of them however, became evident very, very quickly:

Through her Music.

As we organized the research, assembled the elements, and prepared to outline our approach, we were struck by a profound revelation:

Whitney Houston had lived her life through her Music, so how could one ever begin to tell her astounding story, unless they started with her Music?

As we examined her history through the prism of that Music, it immediately became amazingly clear that every phase of her remarkable life could be viewed through the telling titles of some of her greatest songs.

Whitney moved us because she sang from Life--is it any wonder then, that in the words she sang, lay the touchstones to examining that Life?

They are her songs. It is her music. It is her story. 

It is our hope that through our telling of it, you will feel closer to the woman and the wonder that was Whitney Houston.

---David Cline

Introduction: “Miracle”

Whitney Houston was a Miracle. 

A Legendary performer known as "The Voice," her astonishing talent was undeniable and her music moved millions.

But she also battled personal demons, toxic dependencies, and crippling self-destructive behaviors.

In the 1982 American Science fiction film BLADE RUNNER, an extraordinarily gifted but tragically flawed super-being is on a dramatic collision course with his demise. In an effort to comfort the melancholy creature, his creator offers...

“The Candle that burns twice as bright, burns half as long...”

Singer, actress, model, producer, and American pop-icon Whitney Houston was just such a Candle.

Her startling beauty, indisputable charisma, and divinely-gifted voice made her meteoric rise to superstardom virtually inevitable.

But her erratic behavior, tumultuous relationships, and crushing addictions made her premature and tragic end almost equally irrevocable.

Just who was this tragic diva, truly? And how, like so many other legends before her, did we lose her so very young?

Chapter One - “I’m Your Baby Tonight”

Whitney Elizabeth Houston was born on August 9th, 1963, in urban Newark, New Jersey. The youngest of three children to parents John and Cissy Houston, Whitney was the baby and a favored child, particularly fawned on by her father, who nicknamed her “Nippy” after a cartoon character who frequently got into trouble. The nickname stuck her entire life and she was often referred to as “Nippy” by her close friends and relatives. Little did John know when he coined the nickname early in Whitney’s infancy what resonance it would have later in her life.

John was a municipal worker for the city of Newark and Cissy was a notable performer in her own right, who had formed the very successful backup group “The Sweet Inspirations,” which provided backup vocals to many of the music industry’s most famous singers, including Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, Mahalia Jackson, Otis Redding, Jimi Hendrix, and Elvis Presley.

Cissy was the decisive breadwinner of the family and a strong and inspiring female-figure and role model to the young Whitney, who often referred to her mother, “the most important person in my life...”

Amidst the turmoil of the late 1960s, racial tensions were gripping the country. In 1967, race riots broke out in Newark, prompting John and Cissy to move their young family a few miles away to the more middle class area of East Orange, New Jersey, where they hoped to feel safer.

Cissy held the position of choirmaster at New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, which she maintained in addition to her ongoing successful singing career. But the Houston family talent didn’t stop with Cissy. It reached to the extended family as well, with Dionne Warwick a first cousin to Whitney and Aretha Franklin her godmother. Considering such strong, talented, and inspiring musical women surrounding her, is it any wonder Whitney grew up with music literally in her blood?

With her mother as music director, Whitney was easily brought into the New Hope junior gospel choir, and at the age of 12, she debuted in front of the group, singing the solo for the first time, a soulful Spiritual called “Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah.”

The response was immediate and profound, with cheers and a thunderous ovation resounding through the church.

Cissy’s “Baby” was on her way...

Chapter Two - “Step By Step”

As a teenager, Whitney attended Mount Saint Dominic Catholic Girls School in Caldwell, New Jersey, and did her best to please her parents, especially her mother, who continued to help develop Whitney’s voice and talent. By the age of 14, she was already being recognized for that voice, and in 1977, “Nippy” got her first big professional break as a featured singer on a single called “Life’s A Party,” for the Michael Zager Band. In fact, Zager was so impressed with the young performer’s abilities that he volunteered to try and secure a record contract for her. Though very tempted, Whitney’s mother wanted her daughter to finish her education first and refused Zager’s uncommon offer.

Besides, Cissy had connections of her own. In 1978, at age 15, Whitney sang backup on the Chaka Khan hit “I’m Every Woman,” and then again a year later, she joined her mother singing vocals on Chaka Khan’s “Papillon.” Before the age of 20, Houston was regularly backing up singers like Lou Rawls and Jermaine Jackson.

Step by step, she was getting known -- and fast.

But music wasn’t the only business Whitney was getting recognized in. The modeling industry had taken notice of her as well.

Several stories circulate as to how Houston began modeling professionally.

One describes how in the early 1980’s while appearing at a concert in

Carnegie Hall with Cissy, a fashion photographer noticed Whitney’s striking, fresh-faced looks, and she was discovered outright. Another tells of a modeling agent spotting her and her mother walking along 5th Avenue in New York and immediately bringing them to his office to sign her.

Whatever the case, the young Houston began working regularly as a fashion model, which ultimately led to appearances in Cosmopolitan, Young Miss, Glamour, and even a coveted cover spot on Seventeen magazine.

While it was rumored that Whitney wasn’t particularly fond of modeling due to its intense schedules, physical demands, and controlling executives, her appeal was undeniable and she nonetheless became one of the most in-demand young models of her time.

What was attractive to her about her success in modeling, however, were the opportunities it led to in acting. She appeared in commercials for products such as Canada Dry ginger ale and on television shows such as Silver Spoons and Give Me A Break, among others.

Whitney continued to have success and recognition in both television and modeling, but ultimately could not escape her true passion and calling: Music. She returned her focus to her blossoming singing career, contributing vocals and backups on record albums for other artists and appearing regularly with Cissy in nightclubs in New York. In 1983, music mogul and head of Arista Records Clive Davis caught Whitney’s impressive performance and offered her an international contract with Arista.

Though Cissy had previously influenced Whitney to decline several contracts feeling that the opportunities or timing were not right, important recommendations supporting Davis by close industry friends such as Aretha Franklin led to Cissy feeling comfortable and giving her approval. Whitney signed the worldwide agreement and the next step of her stardom began.

But not right away. Davis knew he had found something special in Houston and did not want to jeopardize losing her to another label, or squandering Whitney’s star-potential with inferior material on her debut album. So although she actually signed with Arista in 1983 and did have limited national exposure such as a televised debut with Davis on The Merv Griffin Show, and the hit duet single “Hold Me” with Teddy Pendergrass in 1984, it would still be nearly two years before her debut album, Whitney Houston, ever saw the light of day.

Chapter Three - “All At Once”

On Valentine’s Day, February 14, 1985, Whitney Houston hit the shelves on the Arista label and though commercial success was somewhat slow at first, it began to gain momentum due to high critical praise. From The New York Times to Rolling Stone Magazine, the 21-year-old Whitney was being hailed as one of the most exciting new voices and talents of her time.

Davis and Arista were aggressive in their promotion of the album, both internationally and in the U.S., and Davis also exploited the relatively new trend of music videos, capitalizing not only on Houston’s incredible voice, but her stunning good looks as well. Her videos were incredibly popular and played and replayed heavily on music channels like MTV and later VH1. Whitney was praised as a fresh-faced newcomer with a truly gifted voice, yet possessing a soul and maturity beyond her young years.

“You Give Good Love” was the album’s first major U.S. hit, peaking in the Top 5 at Number 3 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Chart, and pushed even further on the Hot R&B chart, reaching Number 1. The success of this song caused the album’s popularity to skyrocket.

Also, increased promotion and both live and televised performances by Whitney propelled the album even further. “Saving All My Love For You,” the second release from the album, became Houston’s first Number 1 single, followed closely by “How Will I Know?” and “Greatest Love Of All,” both of which also hit Number 1 and gave Whitney Houston the distinction of being the first album produced by a female singer ever to produce three Number 1 hits. The album also garnered Houston her first Grammy for Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Female for “Saving All My Love For You,” an Emmy award for her performance of the same song at that Grammy Awards ceremony, Billboard’s Artist Of The Year for 1986, and spawned her worldwide “The Greatest Love” tour.

From this moment on, it was a definitive fact -- this was no “one hit wonder” or “flash in the pan” -- Whitney Houston was here to stay.

Chapter Four - “Queen Of The Night”

With the wild success of her debut album, three Number 1 singles, one Emmy, one Grammy and two more nominations, an Artist of the Year award, and a standing-room-only World Tour already to her credit before her 25th birthday, there was no doubt that Whitney Houston was well on her way to superstardom.

In 1987, “Greatest Love Of All” was again nominated, this time for a Record of the Year award by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, which only added momentum to her rise and excitement to her long-anticipated second album, Whitney, which was releaseed in June of that year. Whitney included no less than four consecutive Number 1 hits: “I Wanna Dance With Somebody,” “Didn’t We Almost Have It All,” “So Emotional,” and “Where Do Broken Hearts Go?” This feat (along with her previous three Number 1 releases) combined to produce seven back to back Number 1 singles and broke the all time record for number of consecutive Number 1 hits -- until that time a title jointly shared by The Bees Gees and The Beatles with records of six each, respectively. Whitney also led Houston to be the first female recording artist ever to debut at Number 1 in the Billboard Top 200 Chart, as well as the first female artist ever to produce four Number 1 hits on a single album. While some critics were slightly cooler to this release, there was no arguing its massive commercial success. After the release of Whitney, she launched out on her hugely successful “Moment Of Truth” World Tour.

Houston was also nominated three more times at the Grammy Awards of 1988, winning again for Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Female, for “I Wanna Dance WIth Somebody (Who Loves Me).”

Once again, Whitney Houston’s enormous talent and great success would not be denied. In a few short years she had gone from “exciting newcomer” to bona-fide international star. She was everywhere -- on the radio, music videos, television interview programs, concerts, and live performances.

She truly was “The Queen Of The Night.”

Chapter Five - “All The Man That I Need”

With all that Whitney Houston had already achieved in such a short span of time, it was hard to know where to turn next with her mega-watt stardom. At 25, she was already the highest-earning African-American woman in the country and the 8th highest-earning entertainer overall. She had already conquered humble beginnings, the print world, and the monster that is the music industry. She was a model for what was possible across all lines of race and gender.

Yet, there were some who were concerned with Whitney’s prosperity. There emerged a small body of voices in the African-American community who were openly critical of Whitney, feeling that she had sold out some of her more urban roots in favor of an easy rise to the top. This hurt and disturbed Houston and she rejected the criticism, responding in the best way she knew how -- through her music.

Her third album, “I’m Your Baby Tonight,” released in November of 1990, is a clear answer to those critics, taking a decided step with a more urban tone. Whitney produced the album herself in collaboration with artists such as Stevie Wonder, Babyface, and Luther Vandross. While not a critical success, the album did reach Number 3 on the U.S. Billboard 200 Chart and produced two Number 1 hits with the title track, “I’m Your Baby Tonight,” and “All The Man I Need.” Two other releases from this album, “Miracle” and “My Name Is Not Susan,” made the Billboard Top 20.

Around this same period, possibly disillusioned by the unexpected conflict with her community and the negativity of her critics, Whitney began to look for satisfaction a little closer to home. Tawdry, unsubstantiated rumors had circulated for years about Whitney’s close relationship with her longtime friend, Robin Crawford, which Houston strongly denied. She also had brief trysts with other notable celebrities such as actor Eddie Murphy and Eagles football player Randall Cunningham. But for all the love songs that Whitney Houston soulfully shared with us, she never seemed to have a love of her own.

That is, until 1989 at the Soul Train Music Awards, when she met a young R&B singer by the name of Bobby Brown.

Brown himself was already somewhat of a star on his own merits and had risen to prominence as a member of the 1980s R&B boy band New Edition, followed by a mildly successful solo career.

The two began dating.

While the combination of Whitney’s good-girl image and Bobby’s bad-boy persona could not have seemed like a more unlikely pair, it was clear to friends that the two shared a bond. Some surmise that it grew out of a common background of tough urban upbringing followed by an iconic rise in a common industry. Whatever the origins, there was no denying that the chemistry between the two was strong, real, and lasting.

Sadly, it may also have ultimately been toxic.

Her mother, her close friends, and even Clive Davis seemed to express concerns about Whitney’s puzzling relationship with Bobby. But smitten with her new love, Houston would no longer be told what to do or how to act. She was fully making her own decisions now, perhaps emboldened by the new strength she felt with Bobby. It is thought that Brown may even have been somewhat influential in Whitney’s urban renaissance on the “I’m Your Baby Tonight” album.

Whatever the case, the new “Musical Power-Couple” dated for three years and was married on July 18, 1992 on the grounds of her mansion in Newark, New Jersey. Less than nine months later on March 4, 1993, their daughter Bobbi Kristina Houston Brown was born. Though he would always be a major source of turmoil, upheaval, addiction, and unrest in Whitney’s life, it was clear that, for good or ill, she had found her man in Bobby Brown and, at least to her, he was all the man that she needed.

Chapter Six - “Takin’ A Chance”

To her long list of career and life accomplishments, Whitney could now add “wife” and “mother.” She was also a fervent anti-apartheid activist and a philanthropist, raising thousands of dollars for The United Negro College Fund and starting her own humanitarian effort, The Whitney Houston Foundation for Children, in 1989.

In addition, Whitney recorded the Top 5 hit “One Moment In Time” for the 1988 Summer Olympics and a universally acclaimed Top 20 version of “The Star Spangled Banner,” which she had sung at the 1991 Superbowl XXV, and donated all the proceeds to The American Red Cross to aid veterans of the Gulf War.

But despite her achievements in many art forms, there was one that she had yet to master and one claim to fame she had not yet won:

Movie Star.

Following the success she had already seen, there was certainly no dearth of offers, but Whitney had not yet found the project she felt comfortable to take the leap with. In some ways, the project found her.

Hollywood actor and power-player Kevin Costner, who did not know Houston but had seen her electrifying performances and knew of her wide appeal, felt he had the right fit: a script called “The Bodyguard,” an unlikely love story between a superstar being stalked and the bodyguard she hires to protect her. The film would include a soundtrack by Houston (which Costner no doubt knew would be a hit) and would be a perfect vehicle for Whitney to make the transition to film.

Though Whitney was hesitant, and at first even turned the part down, Costner was doggedly persistent and convinced she was perfect for the role. He was right. The film was a blockbuster success, making more than $121 million in the U.S. alone. The soundtrack to the film did equally well and produced Houston’s biggest hit ever, and what would come to be her trademark song, “I Will Always Love You.” The song hit Number 1 on Billboard’s Top 100 and remained there, breaking all records, for a staggering fourteen weeks. It also hit Number 1 in many other countries and became one of the highest selling releases of all time. It is widely regarded as the song that pushed Whitney Houston over the edge--from pop superstar to legendary music icon.

But she was also now a respected Film Actress.

Three years after her debut in “The Bodyguard,” Houston was approached by director Forest Whitaker and author Terry McMillan to star in “Waiting to Exhale,” a film based on a book of the same title about four African-American women, their lives, and their struggles in relationships. Although once again resistant at first due to her personal concerns about the depth and believability of her acting skills, Whitney ultimately embraced the project, seeing it as an important breakthrough for black women, portraying them as successful and loving women and mothers. She realized it was a message she wanted to be a part of.

“Waiting to Exhale” opened at the Box Office at Number 1 and made $67 million in the U.S. alone. The soundtrack, produced by Whitney and Babyface, among others, featured a number of prominent female African-American artists, including Mary J. Blige, Brandy, Toni Braxton and even godmother Aretha Franklin. As expected from Houston’s off-the-charts track record, the release debuted at Number 1 on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart and stayed there for five weeks. And the single “Exhale (Shoop Shoop),” briefly hit Number 1, then stayed at Number 2 for a record breaking eleven weeks.

Having starred already in two extremely successful films, one would think that Whitney Houston would have found confidence in her acting abilities. Yet despite her success, she still remained somewhat ambivalent about making more movies, seeing herself more as an interpreter of music rather than an interpreter of words.

Box office celebrity Denzel Washington, however, disagreed. He had signed on to star in a film called “The Preacher’s Wife,” a modern version of the 1948 Cary Grant Christmas Classic, and believed that Whitney was exactly the right actress to play the title role.

Like Costner before him, Washington had to work a bit to persuade the singer to take on the part. They had been friends for several years, but had never worked together. Though Julia Roberts had also been mentioned for the role, Washington was convinced that Whitney’s strong spiritual background and church-going upbringing would infuse the character with a deeper soulfulness. It was clear how much he wanted her to do it, but still, Houston held on the script for a year before she finally said yes.

It was a good decision. While the film itself garnered only average commercial success, Whitney’s acting received its highest critical praise yet and netted her an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture. Adding to the achievement, her gospel-infused soundtrack for the film sold an astounding six million copies worldwide--making it the most successful gospel album in music history. “Nippy” was again breaking records everywhere.

Clearly at the top of her game, and encouraged by her film success, the entertainer set her sights on her next project: a made-for-television, multiracial musical version of “Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella.” It would be the first venture for Houston’s newly reorganized production company, BrownHouse Productions, whose stated mission was to advance the way African-Americans were represented in television and film.

It was a project that had been several years in the making. Four years earlier, in 1993, Houston had actually been approached to play the title character, but due to scheduling conflicts and other focuses, that incarnation never materialized. But Whitney believed in the project and its positive message and made it happen; not only by producing it, but also by playing the Fairy Godmother, with friend and rising starlet Brandy portraying Cinderella. Ultimately, “Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella” drew an enthusiastic sixty million viewers, received seven Emmy nominations, and won an Emmy in Outstanding Art Direction in a Variety, Musical, or Comedy Special. Like the song she sang as the Fairy Godmother in the production itself, Whitney showed everyone, without a doubt, “It’s Possible.”

Whitney Houston had now boldly and unquestionably conquered the industries of television and film, but in spite of her massive success, it was clear she felt that it was never really what she was literally born to do.

That, of course, was making music.

And it would not be long before the mega-talent superstar would make a triumphant return to the recording studio.

Chapter Seven - “Like I Never Left”

After several years of making movies and releasing soundtrack albums, the world wondered if Whitney still had what it took to be a hit studio-recording artist. But in November of 1998, after only six short weeks in the studio, she answered those questions definitively. She effortlessly stepped back onto the music scene with the release of her album, “My Love Is Your Love,” which debuted at Number 13 on the Billboard 200 chart and quickly went platinum.

The pop diva was back, and better than ever. The album, her first studio release in over 8 years, included a surprising survey of urban, reggae, R&B, and ballad-style offerings. Whitney also sang with more bite, which impressed critics and won over fans. For the next two years, several singles from the album became international hits -- including “When You Believe,” “Heartbreak Hotel,” “It’s Not Right But It’s Okay (which won the singer her sixth Grammy award),” “My Love Is Your Love,” and “I Learned From the Best.”

Whitney continued to entertain and dazzle audiences, participating in VH-1’s Divas Live ’99 Tour with other music-legends Cher, Mary J. Bilge and Tina Turner, and releasing another platinum album, “Whitney: The Greatest Hits” in 2000, which reached Number 1 in the U.K., number 5 in the U.S., and in the Top 10 in scores of other countries all around the world, ultimately selling 10 million copies worldwide.

But behind the curtain of glittery fame and adoring fans was a woman who was hauntingly troubled and increasingly isolated. Vicious tabloid stories, two devastating miscarriages, and harrowing marital problems all led to her retreating more and more from the outside world.

Whitney’s public image would begin to change, and not for the better…

Chapter Eight - “Heartbreak Hotel”

The shift in the once seemingly perfect reputation of Whitney Houston began with unexplainable erratic behaviors in her public schedule. She was hours late for interviews and photo shoots, she cancelled concerts, blew off rehearsals and skipped talk-show appearances. People started to wonder if all the success and fame had gone to her head. In both personal and professional circles, she began to be considered a “Diva” – no longer just in the positive musical-mega-talent sense, but now also in the negative audacious, self-centered attitude sense.

Her good-girl image started to fade.

Then came the weight loss. With each successive public appearance Houston was getting noticeably thinner and more gaunt. The media pounced on the change in her physique, speculating drug abuse. It didn’t help that her husband, Bobby, had a known history with illegal narcotics.

Suspicions reached fever pitch in January of 2000 when authorities at an airport in Hawaii found marijuana in the bags of both Bobby Brown and Whitney. While the couple managed to evade arrest, and the charges were ultimately dropped, the tabloids felt vindicated in their speculation and the drug rumors never stopped.

But it wasn’t just the alleged addictions. Whitney was losing her professionalism. She blew off an immensely important performance for Clive Davis, the man to whom she owed so much, at his induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. At rehearsals for her performance at the 2000 Academy Awards, the singer’s voice was shaky and inconsistent. Producers, along with musical director Burt Bacharach, noticed that she was twitchy and on edge. During rehearsals she would belt out a different song than the one she was hired to do. With her strangely careless attitude, evident vocal issues, and stupefying unprofessional behavior, there was little choice. Houston was fired.

Problem after problem seemed to plague the troubled diva. Whitney’s lifetime friend and executive assistant, Robyn Crawford, abruptly quit her employ. Her management company sued the entertainer for a $100 million dollars for breach of contract. Her father passed away in February of 2003. And the rumors of her addictions and drug abuse (some of which she would admit to in a highly-rated interview with Diane Sawyer) would simply not go away. It was an incredibly dark time for the entertainer.

Despite all of her personal demons, Whitney somehow continued to have success with her career. She signed a record deal with Arista/BMG which would become one of the biggest in history, renewing her contract for $100 million for six new albums. She released “Just Whitney” which debuted on the Billboard 200 at Number 9, and went on to sell 3 million copies and go platinum. Her first Christmas album, “One Wish: The Holiday Album” did exceedingly well and was certified gold. And her touring and public performances once again increased and were well received.

Her personal life, however, was another story. Her tumultuous marriage to Bobby was visibly starting to crumble, especially after their scandalous TV-reality show “Being Bobby Brown” forever changed the public perception of Whitney. A year after the first (and only) season of the reality show ended, Whitney filed for divorce, and in February of 2007, it was finalized. Whitney was awarded full custody of her daughter, Bobbi Kristina. Their house was sold for $1.19 million and Whitney began the first of several stints in rehab.

In a highly anticipated interview with Oprah in September 2009, Whitney finally confirmed the long-circulated rumors, courageously admitting to heavy daily drug use beginning in the mid-90s and continuing for more than a decade. If there was any question before, there was none any longer. Whitney Houston’s girl-next-door image was forever changed.

But her fans still adored her. And they were rooting for her.

Would she ever overcome the personal struggles and demons of her past, and finally make a return to her previous glory days?

Chapter Nine - “Get It Back”

Despite the change in the public perception of Whitney, she stormed back onto the music scene in 2009 and was able to churn out albums and hit singles in the following years.

“I Look To You,” Whitney’s August 2009 release, debuted at Number 1 on the Billboard 200 and sold more than 300,000 copies the first week, making it her best opening week ever. It was her first Number 1 album since “The Bodyguard” and the album was ultimately certified Platinum.

2010 saw the heralded re-release of her first album -- “Whitney Houston -- The Deluxe Anniversary Edition.” Twenty-five years after it’s original star-making debut, fans still flocked to the record shelves to buy the album.

With two successful album releases behind her, and gaining more momentum than she’d had in years, Whitney was ready to return to the live stage where her voice shone the brightest, and departed on the “Nothing But Love World Tour” with high hopes for a successful comeback.

But things didn’t go as smoothly as hoped.

Critics blasted her with disappointing reviews, concert dates were sometimes rescheduled or cancelled altogether, and audience members were even said to walk out of performances, massively disappointed by Whitney’s voice.

However, the news was not all bad. Houston’s mission for a comeback was a good deal more successful on a different stage -- at the award shows. She received two nominations for the NAACP Image Awards, won for Best Music Video for “I Look To You,” and got a nomination for an Echo Award for Best International Artist. She also received the BET Honors Award for Entertainer in recognition of over 25 years of contribution to the Music Industry.

Also, even though Whitney had always preferred music to movies, Houston announced a return to the film industry in 2011 as well. The singer/actress would executive produce and co-star in the Tri-Star motion picture “Sparkle” with American Idol winner Jordin Sparks and comedian/rapper-turned actor Mike Epps.

The film was completed in Fall of 2011, and despite a somewhat shaky start, the strong lights of an amazing career-wide-comeback were getting clearer and brighter every day. Whitney was “Getting It Back,” and her fans could not have been happier.

But tragically she would not live long enough to see the movie hit the theaters, nor that triumphant comeback realized…

Chapter Ten - “I Will Always Love You”

It was February 9, 2012, a few nights before the 2012 Grammy Awards.

Record producer Clive Davis was hosting yet another of his legendary annual pre-Grammy parties in the posh Beverly Hilton Hotel. Whitney was of course in attendance, and spent time with Davis, along with friends and fellow artists Brandy and Monica. While there were rehearsals going on, Houston was just visiting. Later that evening, in Hollywood, she joined R&B singer Kelly Price for a song onstage. They belted out “Jesus Loves Me” to the surprise and pleasure of the people attending.

Little did they know that it would be the last performance Whitney Houston would ever give.

Two days later, Houston was found in the hotel bathtub in her room at the Beverly Hilton, unresponsive and unconscious. Though emergency workers tried to revive her, they were unsuccessful. Whitney Elizabeth Houston was pronounced dead at 3:55 PM PST on February 11, 2012.

As of the writing of this account, the cause of her death has yet to be officially determined.

While no criminal foul play is expected to be found, there is wide speculation that her death did somehow involve drugs and alcohol.

Houston had reportedly been seen “partying heavily” at the Beverly Hilton in the days leading up to her death and there were reports of prescription painkillers found near the bathtub she was discovered in. Also, accounts surfaced that L.A. County Coroner officials told Houston family members that the singer did not drown, but passed away as a result of a fatal combination of alcohol, Xanax, and other prescription drugs.

Whatever the cause, the effect was the same.

Whitney Houston was gone. Dead at 48.

An outpouring of grief and shock permeated the entire music community and the world at large.

Clive Davis’ pre-Grammy party did go on that evening, but naturally turned from the rollicking bash it had been notorious for, into a more solemn, respectful commemoration of Houston and her life and career.

The Grammy Awards the following evening also became somewhat of a Memoriam to Whitney with tributes, prayers, footage, and a moving performance of “I Will Always Love You,” by singer Jennifer Hudson.

The sentiment was strong, sudden and sincere from the music industry’s biggest names.

“Whitney was a beautiful person and a talent beyond compare.”

- Clive Davis

“I will always be grateful and in awe of the wonderful performance she did on my song and I can truly say from the bottom of my heart, ‘Whitney, I will always love you. You will be missed.’”

• Dolly Parton

“Heartbroken and in tears over the shocking death of my friend... She will never be forgotten as one of the greatest voices to ever grace the earth.”

- Mariah Carey

“To me Whitney was THE VOICE. We got to hear a part of God every time she sang. Heart is heavy, spirit grateful for the GIFT of her.”

• Oprah Winfrey

“I, like every singer, always wanted to be just like her. Her voice was perfect. Strong but soothing. Soulful and classic. Her vibrato, her cadence, her control. So many of my life’s memories are attached to a Whitney Houston song. She is our queen and she opened doors and provided a blueprint for all of us.”

• Beyonce

“Without Whitney, half of this generation of singers wouldn’t be singing.”

• Brandy

“She was known as the voice. When she would open her mouth and this instrument would come out, you would obviously understand.”

• Janet Jackson

“I just can’t talk about it now. It’s so stunning and unbelievable. My heart goes out to Cissy, her daughter Bobbi Kris, her family and Bobby.”

• Aretha Franklin

“When I started my career, I wanted to be like her. I loved her so much.”

• Celine Dion

“Whitney Houston was the greatest singer I’ve ever heard and she will be truly missed.”

• Tony Bennett

“Such an incredible influence over music as a whole!”

• Toni Braxton

“A true icon of our time. Gone too soon.”

• Usher

“To me, Whitney was that next person, after Diana Ross, who for a lot of little girls was sort of that bright light called positive African-American beauty and talent.”

• Jimmy Jam

“I miss you beautiful Whitney, the whole world misses you!!”

• Alicia Keys

A private memorial service was given for Houston on February 18th, 2012, fittingly held in her childhood parish, the New Hope Baptist Church, in Newark, New Jersey. Though invitiation-only, the memorial was highly televised for Whitney’s fans across the globe. Family, friends, musicians, celebrities and people from all stages of Whitney’s life attended. Artists Stevie Wonder, Alicia Keys, R. Kelly, Kim Burrell, and CeCe Winans performed, as well as the New Hope Baptist Church choir. An emotional ex-husband Bobby Brown made a brief appearance, but left abruptly before the service began over a spat after being told his entourage would not be able to sit together. Clive Davis, Kevin Costner, and cousin Dionne Warwick also attended and spoke at the funeral. All of the important people from Whitney’s life came together in the same place--the place it all began--to remember and honor the woman, the performer, and the legacy she left behind.

There is no question that Whitney Houston was indeed a Tragic Diva.

Tragic not because her human flaws and frailties in any way made her less remarkable, less talented or less great.

Only because when she had finally begun to find the strength and courage to battle them, they took her from us so young and so prematurely.

She was “The Voice.” And although that Voice is now silenced, how lucky and blessed we are that her Music endures.

We will always have it. She will always be with us.

And, to paraphrase her greatest song…

“She will Always Love Us…”

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