Cissy Houston dies aged 91, 12 years after tragic daughter Whitney drowned in LA bathtub
Cissy Houston, singer and mother of the late soul icon Whitney Houston, has died at the age of 91.
Houston died Monday at her home in New Jersey while receiving hospice care for Alzheimer’s disease, her family said.
A Grammy Award-winning singer known for her collaborations with megastars such as Elvis Presley. Her death comes 12 years after Whitney drowned in a Beverly Hills hotel bathtub at the age of just 48.
Cissy Houston, left, has died at the age of 91. She is pictured with daughter Whitney in 2010, two years before Whitney drowned in a bathtub at age 48
Cissy was a Grammy Award-winning singer known for her collaborations with megastars, including Elvis Presley
Cissy’s daughter-in-law Pat Houston told the Associated Press that the singer died surrounded by her family.
‘Our hearts are filled with pain and sorrow. We are losing the matriarch of our family,β she said in a statement announcing the 91-year-old’s death.
Mother Cissy has been a strong and prominent figure in our lives. A woman of deep faith and conviction, who cared deeply about family, ministry and community.
βHer career in music and entertainment spanning more than seven decades will remain at the forefront of our hearts.β
Before her daughter became famous, Cissy was best known for her work with the singing group Sweet Inspirations, which sang backup tracks for soul legends like Otis Redding and Lou Rawls.
She won her first Grammy in 1997 for her album ‘Face to Face’, before winning her second for best traditional soul gospel album the following year with ‘He Leadeth Me’.