At the age of 92, Cissy Houston, a renowned American singer, Grammy Award winner, and mother of the late singer and actress Whitney Houston, has passed away. Her death was announced by her daughter-in-law, Pat Houston.

Cissy suffered from Alzheimer’s disease and had been under the constant care of hospice specialists in recent times. The artist passed away on Monday, October 7, at her home in New Jersey, surrounded by her loved ones.

Pat Houston described Cissy as a «strong and remarkable person» and «a woman of deep faith and conviction». Cissy began her career as a gospel singer and achieved great success. As a backup vocalist, she collaborated with stars such as Elvis Presley, Aretha Franklin, Chaka Khan, Dionne Warwick, Lou Rawls, Van Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, and Roy Hamilton. As a solo gospel artist, she won two Grammy Awards for her albums Face to Face in 1997 and He Leadeth Me in 1998.

Cissy Houston outlived her famous daughter by 12 years. For a long time, the press was filled with headlines about Whitney’s drug problems. The singer passed away on February 11, 2012. Her aunt discovered her body in the bathtub of a Beverly Hills hotel room on the eve of the 54th Grammy Awards. Attempts to revive the star were unsuccessful.

Whitney’s death was also a heavy blow for her daughter with musician Bobby Brown — Bobbi Kristina Brown. The young woman suffered several nervous breakdowns, which led to hospitalizations. The family was concerned she might fall victim to drugs, just like her mother. In 2015, Bobbi Kristina’s husband found her unconscious in the bathtub, her head submerged in water. Doctors placed her in a medically induced coma, where she remained for seven months before passing away.

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