Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

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HOUSTON, Cissy

(b c'32, Newark NJ) Soul singer. Began singing with family gospel group the Drinkard Singers, which recorded for RCA, Savoy; at various times incl. Judy Clay (soul hit 'Greatest Love' on Atlantic, '70; also duets with William Bell), Cissy's nieces Dee Dee and Dionne Warwick. Became lead singer of the Sweet Inspirations, who sang backup with Solomon Burke, Wilson Pickett, Aretha Franklin etc; appeared with Elvis Presley in Las Vegas '68; had nine of their own soul hits '67--71, five crossing over to pop: biggest was 'Sweet Inspiration' (no. 5 soul, no. 18 pop '68). Cissy went solo, had hits 'I'll Be There', 'Be My Baby' '70--71, album Cissy Houston on Janus; also recorded 'Midnight Train To Georgia', later a hit for Gladys Knight. Retired to raise her family, incl. daughter Whitney (see below); came back with Cissy Houston '77 on Private Stock; sang backup for Chaka Khan, Aretha, Luther Vandross; own LPs Warning -- Danger and Step Aside For A Lady on Columbia '79--80; worked club gigs with daughter Whitney. All the while she never left the church, served as mus. dir. at the New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, directing the choir, hosting its weekly radio show. At George's in Chicago '86 her eclectic material incl. Willie Nelson's 'Always On My Mind', Neil Sedaka's 'Breaking Up Is Hard To Do'; local critic Rick Kogan wrote that with Cole Porter's 'After You' 'she was able to touch anyone who had loved and lost'. Compilation of '70--74 tracks Midnight Train To Georgia: The Janus Years appeared '95 on Soul Classics; I'll Take Care Of You '92 on Shanachie had Cissy Houston and Chuck Jackson; Face To Face '96 on House of Blues was recorded with her Newark Baptist choir: 'the spontaneity and unbridled emotion are worth a hundred Whitneys and Mariahs', wrote the Sunday Times.