Whitney Houston Family Tree: The Story Behind The Voice

Whitney Elizabeth Houston, born 9 August 1963 in Newark, New Jersey, USA, was one of the best-selling music artists of all time — 220+ million records sold; "I Will Always Love You" (1992) is one of the best-selling singles of all time. She died 11 February 2012 in Beverly Hills at age 48 (accidental cocaine and heart-disease-related drowning).

The Family's Roots: An African-American Gospel-Singing Family

The Houston family is one of the most-prominent African-American musical families of the 20th century.

Her Parents

Father: John Russell Houston Jr. (1920–2003) — US Army veteran; entertainment executive; Whitney's manager for many years.

Mother: Emily "Cissy" Drinkard Houston, born 30 September 1933 — gospel-soul-pop singer; the Sweet Inspirations; backing vocalist for Elvis Presley, Aretha Franklin, Dionne Warwick. Won Grammys.

Her Brothers

Michael Houston — half-brother (from John's first marriage).

Gary Garland (Houston) (1957–) — half-brother (from John's first marriage); former NBA player (Denver Nuggets).

Her Famous First Cousins

Dionne Warwick, born 12 December 1940 — singer; first cousin (Dionne's mother and Cissy were sisters).

Dee Dee Warwick (1942–2008) — singer; first cousin.

Aretha Franklin (1942–2018) — singer; Whitney's godmother.

Her Husband: Bobby Brown

Bobby Brown, born 5 February 1969 — singer (New Edition). Whitney and Bobby married on 18 July 1992; divorced 2007.

Their Daughter: Bobbi Kristina Brown

Bobbi Kristina Brown (1993–2015) — daughter; found unresponsive in a bathtub 31 January 2015 (eerie echo of Whitney's death); died 26 July 2015, age 22.

The Houston Family Tree at a Glance

Family Origins: African-American gospel musical family; Newark, NJ.

Father: John Russell Houston Jr. (1920–2003).

Mother: Cissy Houston (b. 30 September 1933) — Sweet Inspirations gospel singer.

Half-Brothers: Michael Houston; Gary Garland (former NBA player).

Cousins: Dionne Warwick (b. 12 December 1940); Dee Dee Warwick (1942–2008); Cissy = first cousin to Aretha Franklin's mother (Whitney's godmother, Aretha Franklin 1942–2018).

Husband: Bobby Brown (b. 5 February 1969; m. 18 July 1992, div. 2007).

Daughter: Bobbi Kristina Brown (1993–2015) — died at 22.

Whitney Houston:

  • Born 9 August 1963, Newark
  • New Hope Baptist Church choir; began modelling at 15
  • Signed by Clive Davis at Arista Records, 1983
  • Debut album Whitney Houston (1985) — diamond-certified; #1 US for 14 weeks
  • Whitney (1987) — #1 album with #1 singles in a row
  • The Bodyguard (1992 film + soundtrack) — soundtrack diamond-certified (45+ million sold); "I Will Always Love You" #1 for 14 weeks
  • Waiting to Exhale (1995); The Preacher's Wife (1996); My Love Is Your Love (1998); I Look to You (2009 — first #1 album in 12 years)
  • 6 Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards
  • Died 11 February 2012, Beverly Hilton Hotel
  • Daughter Bobbi Kristina died in similar circumstances 3 years later

What the Houston Family Story Teaches Us

A father who managed her business until they fell out. A gospel-singer mother. Half-brothers from his first marriage. First cousins who included Dionne Warwick and a godmother (Aretha) who was an honorary aunt. A marriage that became one of the most-publicised in modern pop. A daughter who died 3 years after her mother in similar circumstances.

For every family — large or small, famous or otherwise — the Whitney story carries the same lesson. Some family records hold tragic generational repetition. Whitney's 11 February 2012 death and Bobbi Kristina's 26 July 2015 death are on the same family record. Write down every parallel. The repetition is part of the story.

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