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Biography |
Whitney Houston |
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Christina Aguilera
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Whitney Elizabeth Houston was born on August 9, 1963 in Newark, NJ. She is the daughter of Cissy Houston, a successful rhythm-and-blues backup singer, and cousin of singer Dionne Warwick. She 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. She also tried her hand at modeling. Her first hit was in 1984 on a duet with Teddy Pendergrass called "Hold Me." Her career really took off when she signed with Arista Records in 1985 and released her self-titled debut LP, which sold over 12 million copies. That album produced hits such as "You Give Good Love", "Saving All My Love For You," "How Will I Know," and "The Greatest Love of All." Houston cleaned up at several awards shows, and received 2 Grammies (Favorite Soul/R&B Single for "You Give Good Love" and Favorite Soul/R&B Video for "Saving All My Love For You"), and 2 Billboard Music Awards (Top New Pop Artist and Top New Black Artist (combined LPs and singles). The following year, she was honored with 6 Billboard Music Awards (Top Black Album and Top Pop Album, Top Black Album Artist, Top Pop Album Artist, Top Pop Album Artist - Female, and Top Pop Artist for combined LPs & singles), 5 American Music Awards (Favorite Pop/Rock Female Vocalist, Favorite Pop/Rock Female LP and Favorite Soul/R&B Female LP for Whitney Houston, Favorite Soul/R&B Female Vocalist, and Favorite Soul/R&B Female Video), a MTV Video Music Award for Best Female Video ("How Will I Know"), and Rolling Stone's Top Album of the Year. Her next album, entitled Whitney, sold 9 million copies, and entered the charts at No.1; the first time ever for a female. The album garnered her 2 American Music Awards (for Favorite Pop/Rock Female Vocalist and Favorite Soul/R&B Female Vocalist) and a Billboard Music Award (for Top Album Artist - Female). At the 1988 Grammy Awards, she won Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female ("I Wanna Dance With Somebody") and a Billboard Music Award for Top Pop Singles Artist - Female. In 1990, she released the album I'm Your Baby Tonight, selling 4 million copies. It was a far cry from her previous releases, but still got her 2 more American Music Awards for Favorite Pop/Rock Female Vocalist and Favorite Soul/R&B Female Vocalist; 4 Billboard Music Awards for Top R&B Album for I'm Your Baby Tonight, Top R&B Album Artist, Top R&B Artist (combined LPs & singles), and Top R&B Singles Artist. Hits from that album include "All The Man That I Need" and "I'm Your Baby Tonight". Whitney managed to find time for love amidst her burgeoning career, and married singer Bobby Brown. She went on to become a mother shortly thereafter, giving birth to baby girl Kristina. Their marriage can be described as turbulent, at best. A police investigation was launched after Whitney showed up at a hospital with a deep cut on her face. She claimed she got hurt swimming but reports state otherwise. The next problem came when Brown allegedly slapped Whitney in a shopping mall. Whitney denies these marital difficulties. Whitney next appeared in the movie The Bodyguard, whose soundtrack went on to sell over 16 million copies. It helped put her singing career back on track and produced her three biggest hits- "I Have Nothing," "I'm Every Woman," and "I Will Always Love You." She won 9 Billboard Music Awards for Top Hot 100 Single - Sales, Top Pop Single, Top R&B Single - Sales, and Top R&B Single for "I Will Always Love You," Top Pop Singles Artist, Top Pop Singles Artist, Female, Top Pop Album and Top R&B Album for The Bodyguard soundtrack, and Top R&B Singles Artist. She received Grammy Awards for Record of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female ("I Will Always Love You") and Album of the Year (The Bodyguard) in 1994. The next additions to her mantle were 8 American Music Awards for Favorite Pop/Rock Female Vocalist, Favorite Pop/Rock Female Single, Favorite Soul/R&B Female Vocalist, and Favorite Soul/R&B Female Single for "I Will Always Love You," Favorite Pop/Rock Female Album, Favorite Soul/R&B Female Album, and Favorite Adult Contemporary Album for The Bodyguard soundtrack, and the Award of Merit. She went on to win the Sammy Davis, Jr. Award at the Soul Train Music Awards, and a Juno Award in Canada for Best-Selling Album (foreign or domestic) (The Bodyguard). In 1995, she was inducted into the Soul Train Music Awards Hall of Fame. Her next acting role was in Waiting To Exhale, in which she contributed "Exhale (Shoop Shoop)," to the soundtrack. In 1998, she received Grammy Award nominations for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance ("I Believe In You And Me") and Best R&B Album (The Preacher's Wife.) She collaborated with Mariah Carey to record "When You Believe" for the film The Prince Of Egypt. The single can be found on My Love Is Your Love- Houston's first new LP in 8 years. Through her illustrious career, Whitney has always felt a sense of duty towards the less fortunate. She formed the Whitney Houston Foundation For Children; a non-profit organization that assists children with problems such as homelessness, cancer, and AIDS. Despite her enormous success and enviable achievements, her career is spotted with rumors and disputes. Last month, Houston was arrested at an airport in Hawaii after security found a bag of marijuana in her luggage. Nonetheless, she remains a confident and accomplished singer and actress that deserves the many accolades that she has been showered with.
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