Remembering Whitney Houston

I only met Whitney Houston twice. The first was at a Michael Jackson event early in her career. My memory is that this remarkable vocalist was so singularly stunning and elegant; shaking her hand felt somehow like meeting royalty, specifically a musical princess. The second time was a just a few years back when I wrote for Whitney who was appearing at the Grammy Awards for what would be her very last time. That musical princess had grown up, and while she remained a great beauty and could not have been more polite, there was a sense of a sweet but troubled soul who was trying her very best to keep things together.

When we heard the sad news that Whitney Houston had passed during Grammy rehearsals last Saturday, we all did our best to honor her memory in a way that was fitting to that moment. I'm proud to say that with the help of our remarkable host LL Cool J, and the stunning performance by Jennifer Hudson that our Executive Producer rightly asked Jennifer Hudson to do almost instantly, we somehow expressed the collective love and the loss that so many were feeling at that moment about this death in our musical family.

As Whitney Houston's family and loved ones gather to remember and to mourn her this weekend, here are the songs that I will listen to as I remember a woman who brought so much love and solace to millions around the world with a voice that will likely outlive us all.

I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU - Whitney Houston
HOW WILL I KNOW - Whitney Houston
DIDN'T WE ALMOST HAVE IT ALL - Whitney Houston
I WANNA DANCE SOMEBODY - Whitney Houston
I HAVE NOTHING - Whitney Houston
I LOVE THE LORD - Whitney Houston with the Georgia Mass Choir
THE STAR-SPANGLED BANNER - Whitney Houston
EXHALE (SHOOP SHOOP) - Whitney Houston
ONE MOMENT IN TIME - Whitney Houston
I'M YOUR BABY TONIGHT-- Whitney Houston. L.A. Reid & Babyface
I BELIEVE IN YOU AND ME - Whitney Houston
WHERE DO BROKEN HEARTS GO - Whitney Houston
THE GREATEST LOVE OF ALL - Whitney Houston

Rest In Peace, Whitney Houston

 

 

 

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Comments

[The Smartest Monkees]

08:43 AM on 02/22/2012

I'm reminded of Neil Diamond's great song from his epic African Trilogy, "Tap Root Manuscript."

"Done Too Soon."

Soolaimon, Witney. Goodbye and peace unto you and all your loved ones.

[keene]

09:53 AM on 02/21/2012

Thanks for this David. I didn't see this until today. I have been immersed in articles,music and interviews of Whitney over the past week. I didn't realize what a disconnect there was between her private self and her public persona-I mean sure I knew about the drugs and how badly she was affected by them-I guess like many others I was seeking out the answer and history-some truth that led to such a massive disconnect. I am surprised some at my own reaction to her passing. I didn't buy her music and yet she was more a part of my own life than I realized. My favorite song of hers today is It's Not Right But It's Okay.

[Cornelia36]

09:00 PM on 02/20/2012

Can I add "We Didn't Know" - duet with Stevie Wonder, "All the Man that I Need", and "Just The Lonely Talking"? .....We will remember you, Whitney. I am still undone by this. I was so hoping for her to pull through her struggles...

[stayinschool]

04:40 PM on 02/20/2012

One Moment in Time is custom made for tear-jerking montages (the olympics, presidential elections, graduation, etc.) Her National Anthem is the same. Something about her voice tugs at those tears!

[CPAwADD]

09:04 AM on 02/20/2012

Here's to Life -- Streetlight Manifesto
The song is about the struggles of artists to continue in their work without giving up. Whitney had her share of struggles but she never gave up.

Ending of Here's to Life
And I don't know much, but I do know this
With a golden heart, comes a rebel fist
But I can't help agreeing with those that would not quit.

And it makes me sick when I think of it
All my heroes could not live with this
and I hope you rest in peace
Because with us, You never did!
And K.D.C., you were much too young!
And you changed my life!
But I draw the line at suicide!
Here's To Life!!

K.D.C.refers to Kurt Cobain

[Benitz2728]

02:36 AM on 02/20/2012

Lord, oh Lord. I am so affected by the death of Whitney. Even if I'd never met her, shared space with her, she still had a great impact on my life. Not just because she was a "STAR", but a lot because she was me in many ways. Her struggles had been my struggles at a point in my life. By the grace of God I am delivered. Her journey could have easily been my journey had it not been for God's grace and mercy on my life. So when I met her AND when I had the blessing to be on that tour in Germany, that was something extra special. I shared laughs, and air travel and hotels and aftershow laughs with a real person. A woman of incredible presence.
She cracked jokes, many about her own misadventures and to me that represents character, to be able to laugh at herself. On that tour Whitney was surrounded by family...husband, daughter, mother, cousin, brother and his family. There was a lot of love all around her and that was a beauty to behold. So, inspite of what the public felt they knew about Whitney, I am so thankful that I experienced the REAL Whitney, the woman behind a different set of CLOSED DOORS. — at Germany.

[Norma Stanley]

07:56 PM on 02/19/2012

One lovely, but rarely played or heard song that was on one of her CD's was called "Dancing On A Smooth Edge." It's a beautiful song about loving someone you know is no good for you, who as the song says...leads her to a place beyond taboo.... I absolutely love this song and like all the others, Whitney sings it with all her heart and soul with her own unique style. She danced on the smooth edge of life in the music industry, until she fell off. God Bless Her Soul. I'll always love her. Check it out on youtube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ew7lVKVhjI0

[scastagnoli]

11:49 PM on 02/20/2012

Thanks for writing about that song. The vocals are so fluid, playful and sensual with great control and toward the end, we hear the stunning burst of power. I always felt she was truly special, a singer who sounded like no one else. I think it sad to hear such effusive praise about her especially from the music press now that she has left us. I guess the old saying about not knowing what you've had until it is gone is true.

[swlewis57]

09:26 AM on 02/19/2012

Just went to Amazon. The woman had more greatest hits albums, soundtracks, and compilation albums that original releases. She really did not do much for all of this attention.

[Megley]

08:38 AM on 02/19/2012

Here's two FOR her:
Lonesome Road-James Taylor
Go Rest High On That Mountain-Vince Gill

[Catothemuchyounger]

10:36 PM on 02/19/2012

Silver Needles by Ian Hunter.

[Veneita]

07:43 AM on 02/19/2012

I'm every woman with Chaka Khan

[Sunflo]

03:43 AM on 02/20/2012

and TLC.
She was very pregnant with Bobbi Kristina in that video. Too sad.

[Sunflo]

03:43 AM on 02/20/2012

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7_sqdkaAfo

[acn1359]

03:56 AM on 02/19/2012

I remember when our nation mourned at the demise of brave pioneers & only the voice of an angel was able 2 bring solace 2 yearning hearts by her rendition of the Olympic anthem which has been over shadowed by Dolly's anthem y I'll never know 1 of the lyrics is she will b free & she is free & in the Bodyguard she has run 2 him & has found the peace she had sought specially after the belittling she received after her 2010 performance, she had the voice 2 heal a nation & resurrect patriotism but when she sang a love song you'd swear u were in heaven at the presence of the greatest love of all

[acn1359]

12:49 AM on 02/19/2012

I remember when our nation mourned at the demise of brave pioneers & only the voice of an angel was able 2 bring solace 2 yearning hearts by her rendition of the Olympic anthem which has been over shadowed by Dolly's anthem y I'll never know 1 of the lyrics is she will b free & she is free & like in the Body Guard she has run 2 him & has found the peace she had sought specially after the belittling she received from her fans after her last performance, she had the voice 2 heal a nation & resurrect patriotism but when she sang a love song you'd swear u were in heaven in the arms of the greatest love of all

[Luci Finch]

09:59 PM on 02/18/2012

Miss her so much!

[Daliah Davis]

09:18 AM on 02/20/2012

Me too! Although I never met her, I feel like I lost a friend. Her music changed my life, she will forever be missed!

[Luci Finch]

12:38 PM on 02/20/2012

You just made me think about her again. Thanks!

[helloglo]

05:01 PM on 02/18/2012

There are lessons to be learned from the life and death of Whitney Houston. I argue at gloriagibson.blogspot.com that Congress should immediately join with the president to create Whitney's Law - a mechanism to prevent lethal drug interactions in the future because physicians don't have access to what other phyicians have prescribed.

[Ray and Connie]

02:27 PM on 02/18/2012

R.I.P. WHITNEY!!!!!