Cissy Houston facts: Whitney Houston's mother's life, children, husband and career revealed

8 October 2024, 08:58

Cissy Houston was a well-known soul and gospel singer. She was also the mother of the late Whitney Houston.

Cissy Houston was a highly successful singer who has performed with iconic artists. She was also the mother of Whitney Houston and had a huge influence on Whitney’s early life and interest in music.

Here’s everything you need to know about Whitney Houston’s mother, Cissy Houston.

1. Who was Cissy Houston?

   

   Cissy Houston was an award-winning gospel and soul singer who performed with some of the world’s greatest performers.

   She is best known for performing as a backup singer for artists such as Dionne Warwick, Elvis Presley and Aretha Franklin.

   • Listen to a young Whitney Houston’s stunning vocal in unearthed TV 'Steak & Ale' advert

   After Cissy and Aretha’s initial meeting, the pair went on to maintain a friendship that lasted for the rest of Aretha’s lifetime.

   Cissy’s success as a background singer led her to eventually start performing as a solo artist. Throughout her solo endeavours, Cissy has released several albums and won two Grammy awards.

   Cissy won her first Grammy in 1996 in the category Best Traditional Soul Gospel Album for her record Face to Face. Cissy won her second Grammy in the same category in 1998 for her album He Leadeth Me.

   Speaking about her early life in a rare interview, Cissy explained how she got into music from a young age.

   “My sisters and brother, there was four of us, we sang a quartet. [We sang] acapella first which was all they were doing at that time. And it’s wonderful, wonderful music,” Cissy explained.

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   The Grammy-award winning singer explained that in her early childhood she didn’t enjoy singing and didn’t want to pursue it. Cissy explained further and said that she “learned to love it”.

2. How many children did Cissy Houston have?

   

   Cissy Houston had three children. Her first child, a son named Gary Garland, was from her first marriage.

   She then had two more children during her second marriage, her only daughter and singing icon Whitney Houston and her second son Michael Houston.

3. Did Cissy Houston ever get married?

   Cissy Houston was married and divorced twice. Her first marriage was to Freddie Garland, and they were married for around two years from 1954 to 1956 when they got divorced.

   • Who was Whitney Houston’s talent manager father John Russell Houston?

   Cissy’s second marriage lasted for over three decades. She married Whitney Houston’s father John Russell Houston in 1959.

   The couple had two children together and had a family including Gary from Cissy’s first marriage. Cissy and John were married for around 31 years and divorced in 1990.

   • Whitney Houston and Aretha Franklin’s incredible friendship explained

4. When did Cissy Houston die and how old was she?

   Cissy Houston died at the age of 91 on October 7, 2024.

   She passed away at her home in New Jersey while under hospice care for Alzheimer’s disease.

   Cissy died 12 years after the death of her daughter, Whitney.