It has been ten years since the passing of one of America’s greatest voices, Whitney Houston. Although it has been a long time, her passing continues to be an unhealed wound for many people around the world.
Born on Aug. 9, 1963, in New Jersey, she began exhibiting her passion for music and singing very early in her life, as she began singing in church as a child. She rose to fame when her debut self-titled album sparked three number one singles in the U.S By the time she was 22, she had already released four albums.
Houston remains one of the best-selling singers of all time with about 152.7 million certified sales, but her talent does not stop there. Many remember her from her acting debut in the movie titled “The Bodyguard,” which later went on to become a classic.
The soundtrack to the movie, in which she covered Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You,” has been a global success. The album holds many titles including the best-selling soundtrack album of all-time, the best selling album by a woman in music history, and the best selling album of the decade.
The success of the soundtrack was cemented when the record won a Grammy Award for album of the year.
Some of her most known hits include “I Wanna Dance with Somebody,” “I Have Nothing,” “How Will I Know,” and “Greatest Love of All.”
Her struggles with addiction started in 1992 and despite Houston’s attempts to get clean, they continued to develop until her death. Many link her addiction to her toxic, turbulent marriage to Bobby Brown.
She continuously fought to overcome her addiction, worrying about the effect it had on her, her career, and her daughter Bobbi Brown, who ended up also struggling with addiction and dying three years after her mother’s death.
In the autopsy report, her cocaine use was listed as one of the reasons that caused her passing. Feb. 11 marked the tenth anniversary of her death at the age of 48. The singer was found in her bathtub in Beverly Hills, where she drowned due to her drug use and her coronary artery disease.
Now, so many years later, the Whitney E. Houston Legacy Foundation honors her memory by working on creating a better life for many young people. The foundation’s website states, “In 2020, The Whitney E. Houston Legacy Foundation was formed as a continuation of Whitney’s journey to Rebuild lives, Restore self-esteem and Repair images through grassroots programs and initiatives for the young.
“Its mission is to inspire youth, create positive opportunities and empower them to succeed beyond their expectations, thus creating a lasting solution to their challenges and hopes of improving their lives in a positive way.”
The world will never find someone as unique as Houston, that’s certain. The impact she had on not only the music industry, but also the world, is tremendous.
