Cissy Houston (1933-2024)
Remembering the greatness of this monumental talent who contributed to some of the most groundbreaking recordings of the 20th century.
When we think about people who have touched almost every genre of music in their own career and whose influence has had a global and near-intergalactic impact, then you'd better say Cissy Houston's name.
I’ve had the opportunity to write about Ms. Houston twice—once in 2021 for the SoulMusic Records collection of The Sweet Inspirations’ Atlantic recordings, Let It Be Me: The Atlantic Recordings (1967-1970) and again in 2023, here at God’s Music Is My Life. That writing has become of the top 10 most read-features here.
I’m reprising that article in this week’s newsletter because it summarizes everything I would want to say again.
People have a lot to say about what they perceived about her and that's alright: they can have it. But I'm grateful she was and will continue to be. Thank you for the music, Cissy Houston, and for sharing all that feeing with the world.
The Cissy Houston Effect
In 2020, I was commissioned to write the liner notes for Let It Be Me: The Atlantic Recordings (1967-1970), a box set collecting the first recordings of The Sweet Inspirations. At the helm of those recordings, of course, was Cissy Houston, whose voice I’d first heard on Aretha Franklin tapes in my youth—I just didn’t know it! But when I saw her on the 1…
Such a beautiful, full tribute to this amazing woman and artist. Thank you for including the clip of the salty wisdom Cissy shared with her daughter.