Whitney Houston: Tragic Diva The Epic Life and Shocking Death of Whitney Houston

by David Cline

  Sadly, it may also have ultimately been toxic.

  Her mother, her close friends, and even Clive Davis seemed to express concerns about Whitney’s puzzling relationship with Bobby. But smitten with her new love, Houston would no longer be told what to do or how to act. She was fully making her own decisions now, perhaps emboldened by the new strength she felt with Bobby. It is thought that Brown may even have been somewhat influential in Whitney’s urban renaissance on the “I’m Your Baby Tonight” album.

  Whatever the case, the new “Musical Power-Couple” dated for three years and was married on July 18, 1992 on the grounds of her mansion in Newark, New Jersey. Less than nine months later on March 4, 1993, their daughter Bobbi Kristina Houston Brown was born. Though he would always be a major source of turmoil, upheaval, addiction, and unrest in Whitney’s life, it was clear that, for good or ill, she had found her man in Bobby Brown and, at least to her, he was all the man that she needed.

  Chapter Six - “Takin’ A Chance”

  To her long list of career and life accomplishments, Whitney could now add “wife” and “mother.” She was also a fervent anti-apartheid activist and a philanthropist, raising thousands of dollars for The United Negro College Fund and starting her own humanitarian effort, The Whitney Houston Foundation for Children, in 1989.

  In addition, Whitney recorded the Top 5 hit “One Moment In Time” for the 1988 Summer Olympics and a universally acclaimed Top 20 version of “The Star Spangled Banner,” which she had sung at the 1991 Superbowl XXV, and donated all the proceeds to The American Red Cross to aid veterans of the Gulf War.

  But despite her achievements in many art forms, there was one that she had yet to master and one claim to fame she had not yet won:

  Movie Star.

  Following the success she had already seen, there was certainly no dearth of offers, but Whitney had not yet found the project she felt comfortable to take the leap with. In some ways, the project found her.

  Hollywood actor and power-player Kevin Costner, who did not know Houston but had seen her electrifying performances and knew of her wide appeal, felt he had the right fit: a script called “The Bodyguard,” an unlikely love story between a superstar being stalked and the bodyguard she hires to protect her. The film would include a soundtrack by Houston (which Costner no doubt knew would be a hit) and would be a perfect vehicle for Whitney to make the transition to film.

  Though Whitney was hesitant, and at first even turned the part down, Costner was doggedly persistent and convinced she was perfect for the role. He was right. The film was a blockbuster success, making more than $121 million in the U.S. alone. The soundtrack to the film did equally well and produced Houston’s biggest hit ever, and what would come to be her trademark song, “I Will Always Love You.” The song hit Number 1 on Billboard’s Top 100 and remained there, breaking all records, for a staggering fourteen weeks. It also hit Number 1 in many other countries and became one of the highest selling releases of all time. It is widely regarded as the song that pushed Whitney Houston over the edge--from pop superstar to legendary music icon.

  But she was also now a respected Film Actress.

  Three years after her debut in “The Bodyguard,” Houston was approached by director Forest Whitaker and author Terry McMillan to star in “Waiting to Exhale,” a film based on a book of the same title about four African-American women, their lives, and their struggles in relationships. Although once again resistant at first due to her personal concerns about the depth and believability of her acting skills, Whitney ultimately embraced the project, seeing it as an important breakthrough for black women, portraying them as successful and loving women and mothers. She realized it was a message she wanted to be a part of.

  “Waiting to Exhale” opened at the Box Office at Number 1 and made $67 million in the U.S. alone. The soundtrack, produced by Whitney and Babyface, among others, featured a number of prominent female African-American artists, including Mary J. Blige, Brandy, Toni Braxton and even godmother Aretha Franklin. As expected from Houston’s off-the-charts track record, the release debuted at Number 1 on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart and stayed there for five weeks. And the single “Exhale (Shoop Shoop),” briefly hit Number 1, then stayed at Number 2 for a record breaking eleven weeks.

  Having starred already in two extremely successful films, one would think that Whitney Houston would have found confidence in her acting abilities. Yet despite her success, she still remained somewhat ambivalent about making more movies, seeing herself more as an interpreter of music rather than an interpreter of words.

  Box office celebrity Denzel Washington, however, disagreed. He had signed on to star in a film called “The Preacher’s Wife,” a modern version of the 1948 Cary Grant Christmas Classic, and believed that Whitney was exactly the right actress to play the title role.

  Like Costner before him, Washington had to work a bit to persuade the singer to take on the part. They had been friends for several years, but had never worked together. Though Julia Roberts had also been mentioned for the role, Washington was convinced that Whitney’s strong spiritual background and church-going upbringing would infuse the character with a deeper soulfulness. It was clear how much he wanted her to do it, but still, Houston held on the script for a year before she finally said yes.

  It was a good decision. While the film itself garnered only average commercial success, Whitney’s acting received its highest critical praise yet and netted her an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture. Adding to the achievement, her gospel-infused soundtrack for the film sold an astounding six million copies worldwide--making it the most successful gospel album in music history. “Nippy” was again breaking records everywhere.

  Clearly at the top of her game, and encouraged by her film success, the entertainer set her sights on her next project: a made-for-television, multiracial musical version of “Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella.” It would be the first venture for Houston’s newly reorganized production company, BrownHouse Productions, whose stated mission was to advance the way African-Americans were represented in television and film.

  It was a project that had been several years in the making. Four years earlier, in 1993, Houston had actually been approached to play the title character, but due to scheduling conflicts and other focuses, that incarnation never materialized. But Whitney believed in the project and its positive message and made it happen; not only by producing it, but also by playing the Fairy Godmother, with friend and rising starlet Brandy portraying Cinderella. Ultimately, “Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella” drew an enthusiastic sixty million viewers, received seven Emmy nominations, and won an Emmy in Outstanding Art Direction in a Variety, Musical, or Comedy Special. Like the song she sang as the Fairy Godmother in the production itself, Whitney showed everyone, without a doubt, “It’s Possible.”

  Whitney Houston had now boldly and unquestionably conquered the industries of television and film, but in spite of her massive success, it was clear she felt that it was never really what she was literally born to do.

  That, of course, was making music.

  And it would not be long before the mega-talent superstar would make a triumphant return to the recording studio.

  Chapter Seven - “Like I Never Left”

  After several years of making movies and releasing soundtrack albums, the world wondered if Whitney still had what it took to be a hit studio-recording artist. But in November of 1998, after only six short weeks in the studio, she answered those questions definitively. She effortlessly stepped back onto the music scene with the release of her album, “My Love Is Your Love,” which debuted at Number 13 on the Billboard 200 chart and quickly went platinum.

  The pop diva was back, and better than ever. The album, her first studio release in over 8 years, included a surprising survey of urban, reggae, R&B, and ballad-style offerings. Whitney also sang with more bite, which impressed critics and won over fans. For the next two years, several singles
from the album became international hits -- including “When You Believe,” “Heartbreak Hotel,” “It’s Not Right But It’s Okay (which won the singer her sixth Grammy award),” “My Love Is Your Love,” and “I Learned From the Best.”

  Whitney continued to entertain and dazzle audiences, participating in VH-1’s Divas Live ’99 Tour with other music-legends Cher, Mary J. Bilge and Tina Turner, and releasing another platinum album, “Whitney: The Greatest Hits” in 2000, which reached Number 1 in the U.K., number 5 in the U.S., and in the Top 10 in scores of other countries all around the world, ultimately selling 10 million copies worldwide.

  But behind the curtain of glittery fame and adoring fans was a woman who was hauntingly troubled and increasingly isolated. Vicious tabloid stories, two devastating miscarriages, and harrowing marital problems all led to her retreating more and more from the outside world.

  Whitney’s public image would begin to change, and not for the better…

  Chapter Eight - “Heartbreak Hotel”

  The shift in the once seemingly perfect reputation of Whitney Houston began with unexplainable erratic behaviors in her public schedule. She was hours late for interviews and photo shoots, she cancelled concerts, blew off rehearsals and skipped talk-show appearances. People started to wonder if all the success and fame had gone to her head. In both personal and professional circles, she began to be considered a “Diva” – no longer just in the positive musical-mega-talent sense, but now also in the negative audacious, self-centered attitude sense.

  Her good-girl image started to fade.

  Then came the weight loss. With each successive public appearance Houston was getting noticeably thinner and more gaunt. The media pounced on the change in her physique, speculating drug abuse. It didn’t help that her husband, Bobby, had a known history with illegal narcotics.

  Suspicions reached fever pitch in January of 2000 when authorities at an airport in Hawaii found marijuana in the bags of both Bobby Brown and Whitney. While the couple managed to evade arrest, and the charges were ultimately dropped, the tabloids felt vindicated in their speculation and the drug rumors never stopped.

  But it wasn’t just the alleged addictions. Whitney was losing her professionalism. She blew off an immensely important performance for Clive Davis, the man to whom she owed so much, at his induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. At rehearsals for her performance at the 2000 Academy Awards, the singer’s voice was shaky and inconsistent. Producers, along with musical director Burt Bacharach, noticed that she was twitchy and on edge. During rehearsals she would belt out a different song than the one she was hired to do. With her strangely careless attitude, evident vocal issues, and stupefying unprofessional behavior, there was little choice. Houston was fired.

  Problem after problem seemed to plague the troubled diva. Whitney’s lifetime friend and executive assistant, Robyn Crawford, abruptly quit her employ. Her management company sued the entertainer for a $100 million dollars for breach of contract. Her father passed away in February of 2003. And the rumors of her addictions and drug abuse (some of which she would admit to in a highly-rated interview with Diane Sawyer) would simply not go away. It was an incredibly dark time for the entertainer.

  Despite all of her personal demons, Whitney somehow continued to have success with her career. She signed a record deal with Arista/BMG which would become one of the biggest in history, renewing her contract for $100 million for six new albums. She released “Just Whitney” which debuted on the Billboard 200 at Number 9, and went on to sell 3 million copies and go platinum. Her first Christmas album, “One Wish: The Holiday Album” did exceedingly well and was certified gold. And her touring and public performances once again increased and were well received.

  Her personal life, however, was another story. Her tumultuous marriage to Bobby was visibly starting to crumble, especially after their scandalous TV-reality show “Being Bobby Brown” forever changed the public perception of Whitney. A year after the first (and only) season of the reality show ended, Whitney filed for divorce, and in February of 2007, it was finalized. Whitney was awarded full custody of her daughter, Bobbi Kristina. Their house was sold for $1.19 million and Whitney began the first of several stints in rehab.

  In a highly anticipated interview with Oprah in September 2009, Whitney finally confirmed the long-circulated rumors, courageously admitting to heavy daily drug use beginning in the mid-90s and continuing for more than a decade. If there was any question before, there was none any longer. Whitney Houston’s girl-next-door image was forever changed.

  But her fans still adored her. And they were rooting for her.

  Would she ever overcome the personal struggles and demons of her past, and finally make a return to her previous glory days?

  Chapter Nine - “Get It Back”

  Despite the change in the public perception of Whitney, she stormed back onto the music scene in 2009 and was able to churn out albums and hit singles in the following years.

  “I Look To You,” Whitney’s August 2009 release, debuted at Number 1 on the Billboard 200 and sold more than 300,000 copies the first week, making it her best opening week ever. It was her first Number 1 album since “The Bodyguard” and the album was ultimately certified Platinum.

  2010 saw the heralded re-release of her first album -- “Whitney Houston -- The Deluxe Anniversary Edition.” Twenty-five years after it’s original star-making debut, fans still flocked to the record shelves to buy the album.

  With two successful album releases behind her, and gaining more momentum than she’d had in years, Whitney was ready to return to the live stage where her voice shone the brightest, and departed on the “Nothing But Love World Tour” with high hopes for a successful comeback.

  But things didn’t go as smoothly as hoped.

  Critics blasted her with disappointing reviews, concert dates were sometimes rescheduled or cancelled altogether, and audience members were even said to walk out of performances, massively disappointed by Whitney’s voice.

  However, the news was not all bad. Houston’s mission for a comeback was a good deal more successful on a different stage -- at the award shows. She received two nominations for the NAACP Image Awards, won for Best Music Video for “I Look To You,” and got a nomination for an Echo Award for Best International Artist. She also received the BET Honors Award for Entertainer in recognition of over 25 years of contribution to the Music Industry.

  Also, even though Whitney had always preferred music to movies, Houston announced a return to the film industry in 2011 as well. The singer/actress would executive produce and co-star in the Tri-Star motion picture “Sparkle” with American Idol winner Jordin Sparks and comedian/rapper-turned actor Mike Epps.

  The film was completed in Fall of 2011, and despite a somewhat shaky start, the strong lights of an amazing career-wide-comeback were getting clearer and brighter every day. Whitney was “Getting It Back,” and her fans could not have been happier.

  But tragically she would not live long enough to see the movie hit the theaters, nor that triumphant comeback realized…

  Chapter Ten - “I Will Always Love You”

  It was February 9, 2012, a few nights before the 2012 Grammy Awards.

  Record producer Clive Davis was hosting yet another of his legendary annual pre-Grammy parties in the posh Beverly Hilton Hotel. Whitney was of course in attendance, and spent time with Davis, along with friends and fellow artists Brandy and Monica. While there were rehearsals going on, Houston was just visiting. Later that evening, in Hollywood, she joined R&B singer Kelly Price for a song onstage. They belted out “Jesus Loves Me” to the surprise and pleasure of the people attending.

  Little did they know that it would be the last performance Whitney Houston would ever give.

  Two days later, Houston was found in the hotel bathtub in her room at the Beverly Hilton, unresponsive and unconscious. Though emergency workers tried to revive her, they were unsuccessful. Whitney Elizabeth Houston was pronoun
ced dead at 3:55 PM PST on February 11, 2012.

  As of the writing of this account, the cause of her death has yet to be officially determined.

  While no criminal foul play is expected to be found, there is wide speculation that her death did somehow involve drugs and alcohol.

  Houston had reportedly been seen “partying heavily” at the Beverly Hilton in the days leading up to her death and there were reports of prescription painkillers found near the bathtub she was discovered in. Also, accounts surfaced that L.A. County Coroner officials told Houston family members that the singer did not drown, but passed away as a result of a fatal combination of alcohol, Xanax, and other prescription drugs.

  Whatever the cause, the effect was the same.

  Whitney Houston was gone. Dead at 48.

  An outpouring of grief and shock permeated the entire music community and the world at large.

  Clive Davis’ pre-Grammy party did go on that evening, but naturally turned from the rollicking bash it had been notorious for, into a more solemn, respectful commemoration of Houston and her life and career.

  The Grammy Awards the following evening also became somewhat of a Memoriam to Whitney with tributes, prayers, footage, and a moving performance of “I Will Always Love You,” by singer Jennifer Hudson.

  The sentiment was strong, sudden and sincere from the music industry’s biggest names.

  “Whitney was a beautiful person and a talent beyond compare.”

  - Clive Davis

  “I will always be grateful and in awe of the wonderful performance she did on my song and I can truly say from the bottom of my heart, ‘Whitney, I will always love you. You will be missed.’”