Whitney Houston

Notable musical moments from the icon.

Whitney's Musical Lineage - As daughter of gospel singer Cissy Houston, it's clear that Whitney Houston was destined to impact the music industry, especially when you consider her other family ties--cousins Dionne Warwick and Dee Dee Warwick and godmother Aretha Franklin.
Fresh-Faced - In the early '80s, Whitney Houston started working as a model after a photographer saw her perform with her gospel singing mother, Cissy Houston, at Carnegie Hall. Her girl-next door charm and gorgeous looks made her one of the most sought out models of that time.(Photo: dpa /Landov)
The Bodyguard  - With her gorgeous face and undeniable presence on camera, offers from Hollywood had been pouring in for years. But Houston waited til 1992 to make her big-screen debut opposite Kevin Costner in The Bodyguard. Again, critics weren't exactly kind to her portrayal of a spoiled rock star who falls in love with her security guard, but audiences loved it. The film went on to gross $410 million at the box office.(Photo: REUTERS/Mark Peterson /Landov)
Her Performances - Whitney turned in some of the most memorable performances of all time during her 48 years with us. Her television debut on the Merv Griffin Show in 1983; “The Greatest Love of All” at the 1987 Grammys; and of course, her legendary take on “The Star-Spangled Banner” at the Super Bowl in 1991.(Photo: George Rose/Getty Images)29. "Thinking About You" - Whitney knew how to counterbalance her pop grandiloquence with some good old-fashioned rhythm and blues from the very beginning, as shown on this funky Kashif-produced number from her seminal self-titled debut.(Photo: Larry Busacca/Retna Ltd.)

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Whitney's Chart-Topping Debut - In 1985, Whitney Houston's self-titled debut album, which featured classics like "Saving All My Love for You," "Greatest Love of All" and "How Will I Know," was noted as the best-selling debut album by a female artist at the time. The follow-up, 1987's Whitney, was the first album by a female to debut at the top of the Billboard 200 albums chart.

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