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Cissy Houston

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Cissy Houston was born in 1933 as Emily Drinkard in Newark, New Jersey, the youngest of eight children. When her mother suffered a stroke, her father had the children sing hymns together. That is how the family group that later became known as the Drinkard Singers came about. Cissy sang in it from the age of five. In 1951 the group turned professional and she appeared at Carnegie Hall, and in 1957 she performed at the Newport Jazz Festival. A Joyful Noise from 1958 was one of the first gospel albums on a major label.

Music and breakthrough

From the 1960s Houston became a much sought-after backing singer. In 1967 she founded the Sweet Inspirations, a women's group that sang behind Aretha Franklin and Elvis Presley. From 1970 she worked as a solo artist. She was the first to record Midnight Train to Georgia, which later became famous in the version by Gladys Knight, and she scored with I'll Be There and the dance track Think It Over. Later she won two Grammys for traditional gospel albums.

Influence

All her life she remained connected to the church: for more than fifty years she directed the music at the New Hope Baptist Church in Newark. She was the aunt of Dionne and Dee Dee Warwick and the mother of Whitney Houston. Through her the powerful gospel singing of the Black church flowed into soul and pop. You can hear it again in her daughter's voice. Cissy Houston died in 2024.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to Midnight Train to Georgia in the version by Cissy Houston. Notice how her voice comes from the church: full, with soaring cries and ornaments, even in a pop song.

Discography

Studio albums

In School of Rock

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Categories: Artists