Whitney Houston, Superstar of Records, Films, Dies


By NEKESA MUMBI MOODY AP Music Writer
LOS ANGELES February 12, 2012 (AP)


Whitney Houston, who reigned as pop music's queen until her majestic voice and regal image were ravaged by drug use, erratic behavior and a tumultuous marriage to singer Bobby Brown, has died. She was 48.

Publicist Kristen Foster said Saturday that the singer had died, but the cause and the location of her death were unknown.

At her peak, Houston the golden girl of the music industry. From the middle 1980s to the late 1990s, she was one of the world's best-selling artists. She wowed audiences with effortless, powerful, and peerless vocals that were rooted in the black church but made palatable to the masses with a pop sheen.

"The biggest devil is me. I'm either my best friend or my worst enemy," Houston told ABC's Diane Sawyer in an infamous 2002 interview with then-husband Brown by her side.

It was a tragic fall for a superstar who was one of the top-selling artists in pop music history, with more than 55 million records sold in the United States alone.
Her success carried her beyond music to movies, where she starred in hits like "The Bodyguard" and "Waiting to Exhale."

She had the he perfect voice, and the perfect image: a gorgeous singer who had sex appeal but was never overtly sexual, who maintained perfect poise.

She influenced a generation of younger singers, from Christina Aguilera to Mariah Carey, who when she first came out sounded so much like Houston that many thought it was Houston.

But by the end of her career, Houston became a stunning cautionary tale of the toll of drug use. Her album sales plummeted and the hits stopped coming; her once serene image was shattered by a wild demeanor and bizarre public appearances. She confessed to abusing cocaine, marijuana and pills, and her once pristine voice became raspy and hoarse, unable to hit the high notes as she had during her prime.

We were due for a major celebrity death story; I guess she's the first one of the year?
On second thought there probably should be a Celebrity Death thread, like the You're Fired one in sports.

cocaines a helluva drug

It says a lot when your entire reaction is "huh."

i, for one, would appreciate it if the owl_farmcia18 account would weigh in on this

MERGE!

RIP Whitney Jong Il

She was a singer, why isn't this in OB?

she was great in waiting to exhale

I guess.

She hasn't been a singer since the 90s, it's been like watching a Wes Anderson movie in reverse for the past decade.

bout time

i bet you'd have more sympathy for her if she was a waitress

is this more or less surprising than michael jackson

i read the celebrity tweets link on msn. i found it strange that marlee matlin chimed in. also, check out how she said she found out about the death. conspiracy theory?

"Such a shock to hear about the passing of Whitney Houston. Prayers for her family. Her music reached many hearts. RIP" -- Marlee Matlin

Does this mean they'll quickly throw together a Grammy tribute?

And then Maya Rudolph's hosting SNL next week.

WOO HOO! 8 DOWN 2 TO GO!

Now I just need Magic Johnson & Courtney Love to go home to Jesus & I win my Dead Pool!

1. Andy Rooney
2. Gary Coleman
3. Charlton Heston
4. Osama
5. Magic Johnson
6. Elizabeth Taylor
7. Sadam
8. Courtney Love
9. Dennis Hopper
10. Michael Jackson

Whitney Houston died doing what she does best. Holding a note.

It's pretty awesome how your original post said Lindsay Lohan before you changed it.