The entire entertainment world is reeling. We have lost one of our most iconic pop, R&B and soundtrack performers this evening - as well as a formidable movie star in her own right - Whitney Houston was just reported dead at the age of 48. Having had one of the most successful and most multimedia of careers of any multi-hyphenate star in recent memory, Houston scored multiple Grammys and racked up countless nominations over the course of her multi-decade recording career, yet her most notable contributions to the world of music reside in her outstanding soundtrack work - most of all, the songs for the film in which she made the transition into feature film leading lady, 1992’s THE BODYGUARD. The biggest hit from THE BODYGUARD’s blockbuster soundtrack was undoubtedly Houston’s rendition of a Dolly Parton song originally recorded in 1974 and later made famous by Parton in the feature film version of the Broadway hit THE BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE IN TEXAS, “I Will Always Love You”. In addition to Houston's sensational work on that mega-selling soundtrack - one of the Top 5 best-selling soundtracks of all time - she also provided her dramatic and vocal skills to the multi-platinum soundtracks to THE PREACHER’S WIFE and WAITING TO EXHALE, both films which she also starred in to much box office success. An Oscar-winning duet with Mariah Carey, “When You Believe” by WICKED’s Stephen Schwartz from THE PRINCE OF EGYPT is yet another diadem in Houston’s triple crown of accomplishments in the realms of music, film and television - having dominated all. Theatre fans may know Houston best for her incomparable portrayal of the Fairy Godmother in the incredibly successful 1997 ABC TV adaptation of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s CINDERELLA starring Brandy and produced by Craig Zadan and Neil Meron. In addition to Houston’s contributions to THE BODYGUARD, THE PREACHER’S WIFE, WAITING TO EXHALE, THE PRINCE OF EGYPT and CINDERELLA, Houston also rose to fame early in her career for her rendition of “Home” from THE WIZ on THE Merv Griffin SHOW, as well as made a mark with a Cissy Houston duet on the CHESS international smash, “I Know Him So Well” on her second hit album. The last project Houston was working on prior to her death on Saturday night was the feature film musical SPARKLE, co-starring AMERICAN IDOL winner and Broadway standout Jordin Sparks. SPARKLE reportedly completed production of principal photography and soundtrack sessions, though it is not clear when the musical remake will now be released in light of Houston's unexpected death. No matter the circumstances of her life and death, Whitney Houston most surely left a legacy that will never be forgotten by those that adored her for her vast multitude of talents and many notable accomplishments in all areas of entertainment.
To read "Where Do Broken Hearts Go" composer Frank Wilhorn's comment on Houston's passing click here. For CINDERELLA producer Craig Zadan's comment, click here. For PRINCE OF EGYPT songwriter Stephen Schwartz's comment, click here.
Queen Of The Night
So, let's take a look back at some of Whitney Houston's most memorable recordings, films, live concerts and television performances over the decades and honor her memory with a YouTube retrospective - with a special focus, of course, on her superlative soundtrack and theatrically attuned work.
1963-1985: Instantly I Will Appear
Singing gospel music growing up in church in Newark, New Jersey, Houston was largely influenced by her relatives in show business - her cousin, internationally renown recording artist Dionne Warwick (well regarded for her work with Burt Bacharach and Hal David), as well as Dee Dee Warwick (noted for her work with Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller), as well as Cissy Houston. Houston began doing studio work in her early teens, contributing to Chaka Khan’s 1978 “I’m Every Woman” - which she later covered perhaps even more famously on THE BODYGUARD soundtrack. "A to Z," indeed.
In 1984, Whitney Houston was featured on the sensual Teddy Pendergrass duet "Hold Me", the first of many Houston songs to take to the top of the R&B charts.
In 1985, Whitney Houston premiered her supreme talent on a national stage with a simply astounding powerhouse performance of "Home" from THE WIZ on THE Merv Griffin SHOW. A star was born - and it's amply apparent to see why in this unforgettable clip from the show.
WHITNEY HOUSTON, WHITNEY & I'M YOUR BABY TONIGHT
Whitney Houston eponymous debut album was released in 1985 and contained a number of stunning tracks, most notably "How Will I Know", "Saving All My Love For You" and the stirring "Greatest Love Of All". The album went on to win Album of the Year and
Houston's second album, WHITNEY, was also a huge hit, but the selection most pertinent to theatre fans is definitely the spine-tingling cover of the Elaine Paige/Barbara Dickson international long-running chart hit “I Know Him So Well”, taken from the musical CHESS by Benny Andersson, Bjorn Ulvaeus and Broadway and West End legend Tim Rice, sung with her mother, Cissy Houston.
On Houston’s follow-up to WHITNEY, I’M YOUR BABY TONIGHT, she scored a series of chart smashes, among them, a song by Broadway regular Frank Wildhorn, “Where Do Broken Hearts Go?”. Frank Wildhorn just e-mailed to comment: “So sad and tragic. She was such a big part of my life in the late 80's and she was such a wonderful soul to work with - snd such a soulful woman. I only hope she's singin' up there. My prayers and sympathies for her family.” You can read the article here.
Yet, of all the songs Whitney Houston made glitter and shine under the guidance of her truly awesome vocal instrument, it was Houston’s performance of the National Anthem at the 1991 Super Bowl, coming in the wake of the USA entering the Persian Gulf War.
THE BODYGUARD
Capturing the charts for almost an entire year was the series of various super-smash songs from the 1994 soundtrack for the Whitney Houston led film co-starring Kevin Costner.
Remaining atop the charts for 14 weeks, "I Will Always Love You" cemented Houston's place as one of the most notable and memorable recording artists and performers of the 1990s.
“I Have Nothing”, composed by David Foster and Linda Thompson for the film, perhaps most perfectly embodies Houston’s fierce commitment to fully embracing a theme and embodying the protagonist at the song’s heart.
A seemingly completely out-of-character rock/pop song, “Queen Of The Night” (co-written by X FACTOR judge L.A. Reid, who produced the soundtrack) gave Houston’s onscreen persona a chance to cut loose - and Houston an opportunity to show her feistier side, both dramatically and vocally.
WAITING TO EXHALE
While THE BODYGUARD would prove to be an unbeatable accomplishment given its superlative success, Houston’s next feature film allowed her to flex her dramatic muscles more thoroughly.
WAITING TO EXHALE also provided an opportunity for an even more contemporary and cutting-edge sound for Ms. Houston thanks to the #1 hit “Exhale (Shoop Shoop)” from the multi-platinum Babyface-produced soundtrack.
THE PREACHER’S WIFE
In 1996, Houston continued her string of starring roles in hit feature films with the Denzel Washington spiritually-themed THE PREACHER’S WIFE, which afforded Houston a chance to return to her gospel roots and perform songs in the style of those that first brought her to the world’s attention.
“I Believe In You And Me” is one of a handful of memorable songs from the multi-platinum PREACHER’S WIFE soundtrack.
RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN’S CINDERELLA
Moving effortlessly from the big screen to the small screen - in as smooth a manner as she transitioned from recording artist to multi-hyphenate performer taking acting and producing in her stride, as well - Whitney Houston made her mark in a theatrical milieu thanks to the lovingly created and inventively presented mega-smash television remake of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s beloved original television musical CINDERELLA, with R&B superstar and television regular Brandy in the Julie Andrews starring role and Houston making the most of an expanded characterization of the Fairy Godmather. The film went on to be nominated for seven Emmys and Houston solidified herself as an entertainer whose abilities seemed to have no end.
Here we have Houston and Brandy singing the classic Rodgers & Hammerstein earworm "Impossible".
Plus, Houston sings "There Is Music In You", a new R&H-inspired composition added especially for the film.
THE PRINCE OF EGYPT
In what may ultimately be the apotheosis of Houston’s career beyond her early pop hits and her work onscreen and in the recording studio for THE BODYGUARD stands her considerable contribution to the first film in Dreamworks’ animated division, THE PRINCE OF EGYPT - with songs penned by none other than Broadway’s own GODSPELL, PIPPIN and WICKED tunesmith Stephen Schwartz. "When You Believe" gave Houston the opportunity to match vocal skills with her fellow top-tier voice-of-a-generation, Mariah Carey - and Schwartz won an Oscar for Best Song as a result.
2000-2010 - BEING BOBBY BROWN & Beyond
Though Houston’s 2002 MY LOVE IS YOUR LOVE album yielded a number of impressive and hip cuts that managed to make an impression on the charts, the rest of the century was not so kind to the troubled singer, who became the target of tabloid accusations and made numerous outlandish television appearances in a number of unfortunate guises.
As far as her recording career went, Houston still had ardent fans and sold many albums, but the results simply were not up to her earlier, almost impossibly high standard. JUST WHITNEY…, produced by her husband, Bobby Brown, was uneventful, and, ONE WISH: THE HOLIDAY ALBUM seemed like a largely uninspired effort. Yet, Houston’s appearance on her husband’s train wreck of a reality show, BEING BOBBY BROWN, must be mentioned here, but the less it is discussed, the better. Or, should that be “disgust”, not “discussed?” It is the nadir of an unbelievably productive and rich career.
I LOOK TO YOU
2010 saw the much-hyped and long-awaited return to form of Whitney Houston in the recording studio, due in no small part to her mentor, Clive Davis, and his influence to generate a comeback album. I LOOK TO YOU was far from a smash among the lines of her earlier career, but it was solid. Yet, Houston’s erratic live performances and clearly evidenced vocal deterioration cast a pallor on the proceedings for even the most devoted of Whitney fans.
“Million Dollar Bill” allowed Houston one last final pop/R&B anthem for which to be remembered by, proving that she still could come alight with that stupendous spark that made her one of the world’s most cherished and beloved singers of all time.
2012: I Am Changing
Incidentally, GLEE will be paying tribute to one of Houston's most iconic recordings on Tuesday's Valentine's Day episode. The studio version of the song was released yesterday, as performed by Amber Riley.
As a special bonus, witness Whitney wringing every last emotion out of the classic DREAMGIRLS anthem "I Am Changing", a particularly apt song selection for today's sorrowful news.
Continuing on the DREAMGIRLS theme - a property which Houston was set to star in in the late 1990s before the project fell off the tracks - here she is singing the show's most famous song, "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going", at Radio City Musical Hall in 1993 as part of a medley which also included a PORGY & BESS selection.
As a final bonus, see Ms. Houston at her best in this performance of "I Will Always Love You" at the 1994 Grammy Awards. Perhaps tomorrow's Grammy Awards shall provide an opportunity for the music industry to pay tribute to the dynamic and influential artist that Whitney Houston was, is - and always will be.
Beloved pop and R&B queen, as well as superstar actress, producer and all-around entertainment icon - may Whitney Houston be at peace at last in the angelic choirs of the beyond. Always.
