Artist

Whitney Houston

Newark, United States • 1963 – 2012

Whitney Houston is a musician from Newark, United States, active 1963–2012. Their discography on Gatefold includes 24 records.

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Albums tracked

189

In collections

1963

Since

Biography

With her crystalline mezzo-soprano and powerful gospel range, Whitney Houston dominated the '80s pop charts and was one of the best-selling artists of all time. The daughter of Cissy Houston, cousin of Dionne Warwick, and goddaughter of Aretha Franklin, Houston was responsible for some of the best in pop and R&B—“How Will I Know,” “Saving All My Love for You,” “Greatest Love of All,” “You Give Good Love,” “I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me),” “Exhale (Shoop Shoop),” and “My Love Is Your Love.” Her performance of “The Star-Spangled Banner” at the 1991 Super Bowl remains the anthem’s high-water mark, and her ballistic cover of Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You” threatened to upset the earth’s axis. It's these moments of musical grace which show why we will always love Whitney.

The Arc of Whitney Houston

The pivots — what forced Whitney Houston to reinvent.

The Arista Machine
Clive Davis hand-picked producers like Kashif and Narada Michael Walden to build a flawless, commercially bulletproof launchpad for the self-titled debut. They stripped out any raw gospel grit to focus on clean, high-production pop that could conquer MTV and adult contemporary radio simultaneously. You hear the corporate calculation on the surface of 'How Will I Know,' but the vocal delivery is so explosive it completely overpowers the synthetic LinnDrum programming. It made her a global star but locked her into a rigid pop cage.
Taking the Reins
Frustrated by critics calling her music too white, she grabbed the executive producer seat for 1990's 'I'm Your Baby Tonight' and brought in L.A. Reid and Babyface. She wanted New Jack Swing rhythms and a harder urban edge to reclaim her identity. The Title track has a frantic, syncopated jackbeat that forced her to abandon her massive sustains for sharp, staccato delivery. It was her first real pushback against the label's sterile formula.
The Soundtrack Monopoly
The 1992 film 'The Bodyguard' turned her from a pop star into a monolithic cultural institution. David Foster took the production reins, pushing the dramatic tension to its absolute limit with swelling key changes and massive orchestral arrangements. On Dolly Parton's 'I Will Always Love You,' she starts completely acapella, building to a vocal crescendo that became the definitive showcase of her sheer physical power. It sold forty-five million copies but essentially turned her into a high-stakes vocal athlete.
The Darker R&B Renaissance
For 1998's 'My Love Is Your Love,' she bypassed the old guard of ballad writers and brought in Darkchild, Missy Elliott, and Wyclef Jean. Recorded in just six weeks, the tracks relied on heavy reggae basslines, hip-hop loops, and a looser vocal delivery. Her voice had dropped an octave and picked up a raw, smoky weariness that fit perfectly over the sparse beat of 'It's Not Right but It's Okay.' It is the most honest and musically adventurous record in her entire catalog.

Influences

Cissy Houston — Her mother was a founding member of the Sweet Inspirations and literally trained Whitney in vocal technique at the New Hope Baptist Church. You hear this direct training in Whitney's flawless breath control and her ability to execute rapid-fire gospel melisma on 'The Greatest Love of All.' Cissy sang backing vocals on Whitney's early sessions to ensure the vocal arrangements were tight.
Aretha Franklin — Aretha was a close family friend whom Whitney called 'Auntie Ree' and her blueprint for combining gospel fire with secular pop chart dominance. You can hear Aretha's signature shouting style in the dramatic vocal runs near the end of 'All the Man That I Need.' Whitney openly paid tribute by covering Aretha's classic 'Ain't No Way' during her early live television performances.
Chaka Khan — Whitney's first major professional gig at age fifteen was singing backing vocals on Chaka Khan's 1978 hit 'I'm Every Woman.' The experience shaped her understanding of aggressive, brassy R&B phrasing and high-energy belt registry. She later paid direct homage by covering the exact same track for 'The Bodyguard' soundtrack in 1992.
Dionne Warwick — As Whitney's maternal cousin, Warwick's smooth, sophisticated phrasing and mastery of complex Bacharach melodies provided the blueprint for Whitney's softer crossover appeal. You hear this restraint and elegant vibrato on the quieter verses of 'Saving All My Love for You.' It was the perfect counterweight to her explosive gospel belts.
Gladys Knight — Whitney frequently cited Knight as a major influence on her emotional storytelling and dramatic vocal delivery. You can hear Knight's warm, conversational mid-range in Whitney's delivery on tracks like 'You Give Good Love.' They eventually shared the stage for the 1998 'Divas Live' concert, trading verses as peers.