Keith Naisbitt, our creative agent, “Saver of the Deal,” and longtime friend. We love you. Steve Fisher, our book agent, our new friend, and “Shepherd of the Deal.” Thank you. Everyone at APA talent agency. Nicole David, Nippy’s film agent. Ben Bernstein, Nippy’s first music agent. Everyone at the WME agency. And Sheldon Platt, a brilliant attorney, visionary, and longtime friend. Thank you all for being a part of Nippy’s brilliant career.
Clive Davis, the Music Man and a great friend to Nippy. Roy Lott, Arista EVP during the height of Nippy’s career. Gerry Griffin, who led Clive to Nippy. And everyone at Arista.
The late Lois Smith, a principal at PMK publicists. Nancy Seltzer, a wonderful publicist. Lynne Volkman, an advocate, loyal publicist, and longtime employee of Nippy, Inc.
“Big Bob” Fontenot, who took great care of Nippy and Krissi. Billy Evans and Ray Watson. David Roberts, the Englishman. And all the other security personnel who kept her safe over the years.
Tour manager Tony Bulluck. Road manager Jimmy Searle. You guys came through for her too many times to count. Instrument tech Don Juan Holder. And everyone else who toured with Nippy and always did your best for her.
Bette Sussman, Nippy’s “blond-haired sister.” Rickey Minor, her musical director. Paul Jackson Jr. Kirk Whalum. Bashiri Johnson. Michael Baker. To all of you, some of whom I know and some I don’t—I am grateful to you for working so hard to make sure Nippy’s music was right. She depended on you, and you never let her or her audience down.
Donnie Harper, my accompanist, my friend, my “little brother.” Ouida Harding, for your musicianship. Thank you.
Pastor Joe A. Carter—thank you for your great support, for your friendship, and for your spiritual leadership of New Hope Baptist Church.
The New Hope Usher Board, the choirs who sang at Nippy’s funeral, the deacons and deaconesses of New Hope, Donna, Tina and crew; Leila Hayes and the nurses unit, to Tina Spears and all of you who work so hard in the Pastor’s office, everyone who participated in the funeral and all of you who are there every Sunday to fellowship with me—you all know what you mean to me. My church and the people who are a part of it have been the center of my life for more than sixty years. New Hope is my sanctuary. I thank you all.
Ellin LaVar, who always made sure Nippy didn’t have any “hair trauma.” Thank you for the beautiful photos you took of Nippy and Krissi over the years. I’m looking forward to seeing more of them when you finish your book.
Carolyn Ensminger—RIP; we all miss you. Tommy Watley—I doubt there is a better driver anywhere. Nippy didn’t think there was. You know she loved having you around.
Jerome List—RIP, Jerry, I know you loved her. Cindy, who kept our books and tried to keep people accountable. Maria Padula and Kim Leon. Firoz Hasham, John Houston’s driver and “body man.” Nippy loved you for taking better care of her father than he took care of himself.
Forest Whitaker and the ladies of Waiting to Exhale—Loretta Devine, Angela Bassett, Lela Rochon—Nippy had a ball working with you, and she was looking forward to making the sequel.
Perri “Pebbles” Reid—Nippy’s maid of honor, Krissi’s godmother, and Nippy’s dear friend.
Kim Burrell—thank you for being a friend to Nippy.
Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds and L. A. Reid—I know Nippy loved working with you and thought of you both as friends. Thank you.
David Foster, Diane Warren, R. Kelly, Alicia Keys, and Dolly Parton—thank you for the beautiful songs you gave Nippy.
Tyler Perry—thank you for all of your kindnesses to my daughter during her life, and after her death. Thank you for the love you’ve shown my granddaughter and my family. And thank you for telling people that Nippy really did love God.
Bishop T. D. Jakes—your words at Nippy’s funeral touched me. You were inspirational.
Kevin Costner—Kevin, you and I don’t know each other, but I know Nippy thought of you as a friend. And I know she was grateful to you for helping her through those first days of The Bodyguard. Thank you for caring about her and taking the time to get to know her . . . and for your loving words at her funeral.
Denzel Washington—I know Nippy enjoyed being with you and Pauletta. She had fun and was able to relax with you. Thank you for giving her that.
President Nelson Mandela, Winnie Madikizela Mandela, Zindzi Mandela—you welcomed us “home” to South Africa. Thank you for helping to create one of the most memorable times in our lives.
Michael Zager—what can I say, Michael? We have been through a lot of music together. You are my dear friend, and I thank you.
Tawanna, Fatima, and Tiffany—my “godchildren,” I love you all and am so happy to have you in my life.
Reverend Joe Watkins—from the White House to the pulpit. You were always available to help us whenever we asked. Thank you for your efforts and your prayers.
Governor Chris Christie—despite the criticism you received, you honored my daughter’s life by flying the flag at half-mast over the State House on the day of her funeral. I appreciate your gesture more than you know. Thank you for visiting me to present me with that flag, for speaking to us as a father and a husband, and for making my family and friends smile at that difficult time.
Mayor Cory Booker—thank you for everything you did for me and my family during the worst days of my life.
Newark Police—thank you, thank you. I will never forget the way you honored one of your own, a little girl from Newark.
Lisa Sharkey of HarperCollins—thank you for always trying to see our perspective and accommodating us above and beyond. Matt Harper—you are amazing! You gave us room to explore and grow as Lisa Dickey and I worked to find the authentic story. Thank you for everything you’ve done to keep this book on track. Lisa Dickey—thank you for giving yourself to this book just when we needed you. I appreciate your tireless efforts more than I can say. Everyone at HarperCollins—all of you have been so wonderful. Thank you so much for helping us tell our story.
Vy Higgensen, Mama Foundation, Gospel for Teens—thank you for your support and the wonderful work you do. Nellie and Herbert Thomas Jr. Thank you for all you do.
Mel Watkins.
Anna MacDiarmid and the folks at the W Hotel Hoboken—thank you for making us feel special and giving us a home during “crunch time” as we were writing this book.
Family means everything to me. I would like to honor and thank my mother and father, Delia and Nicholas Drinkard; and my sisters and brothers, William, Lee, Hank, Marie, Annie, Nicky, and Larry—who have all gone Home. I love you all, and I miss you. I know you’ve saved a place for me. I’ll see you when I get there.
John Houston—thank you for the years, for the love, for our beautiful children. . . . We were wonderful together until we weren’t . . .
Thank you to my niece, Dionne Warwick, for her support over the years and for writing the foreword to this book.
Diane Whitt and Mickey Drinkard—thank you to my nieces for always being there. You looked after me and supported me through the hardest time in my life.
I would also like to thank family members Johnnie Houston, Felicia and Gregory Moss, Barry Warrick, Gerard Drinkard, David Elliott, and Damon Elliott, as well as my grandchildren Gary Michael, Aja, Blaire, Jonathan, Raya, and Jordan.
To my sons, Gary and Michael, I love you more than I can express. You are so precious to me, as of course you were to Nippy, too. I am always here for you.
Pat Houston and Donna Houston—thank you for your love and loyalty to Nippy, to me, and to our family; for loving my sons and for being the mothers you are to my grandchildren. I love you.
And to my granddaughter Krissi, I know you miss Mommie so much. She loved you, and Grandma loves you, too. I pray for your strength and comfort . . . and I’m here anytime you want or need me.
Cissy Houston
November 2012
&n
bsp; Selected Cissy Houston Discography
Solo Recordings
Year
Album
Record Label
1969
Midnight Train to Georgia
Janus Records
1970
Presenting Cissy Houston
MajorMinor
1977
Cissy Houston
Private Stock Records
1978
Think It Over
Private Stock Records
1979
Warning—Danger
Columbia Records
1980
Step Aside for a Lady
Columbia Records
1996
Face To Face
House of Blues
1997
He Leadeth Me
A&M Records
2001
Love Is Holding You
Neon
2005
Cissy Houston Collection
Intersound
2012
Walk on By Faith
Harlem Records
Collaborations
Year
Title
Artist
1957
A Joyful Noise
The Drinkard Singers
1975
Waterbed
Herbie Mann, featuring Cissy Houston
1976
Surprises
Herbie Mann, featuring Cissy Houston
Soundtracks
Year
Film
Song
1996
A Time to Kill
“Take My Hand Precious Lord”
1996
The Preacher’s Wife
“The Lord Is My Shepherd”
2007
Daddy’s Little Girls
“Family First”
Backing Vocalist
Year
Album
Artist
1965
Wilson Pickett
Wilson Pickett
1967
Blowin’ Your Mind!
Van Morrison
1967
Electric Ladyland
The Jimi Hendrix Experience
1968
Lady Soul
Aretha Franklin
1969
Dusty in Memphis
Dusty Springfield
1970
Taking Care of Business
James Cotton
1970
Doin’ What We Wanna
Clarence Wheeler
1970
Moondance
Van Morrison
1970
This Girl’s in Love with You
Aretha Franklin
1970
Turning Around
Dee Dee Warwick
1971
Blacknuss
Rahsaan Roland Kirk
1971
Paul Simon
Paul Simon
1971
Quiet Fire
Roberta Flack
1971
Donny Hathaway
Donny Hathaway
1971
Second Movement
Eddie Harris and Les McCann
1971
T.B. Sheets
Van Morrison
1971
Homeless Brother
Don McLean
1972
The Divine Miss M
Bette Midler
1973
Laid Back
Gregg Allman
1974
The Doctor Is In . . . and Out
Yusuf Lateef
1974
Heart Like a Wheel
Linda Ronstadt
1974
I’ve Got the Music in Me
Kiki Dee
1974
Young Americans
David Bowie
1976
Boys in the Trees
Carly Simon
1976
Locked In
Wishbone Ash
1976
We’re Children of Coincidence and Harpo Marx
Dory Previn
1977
Garden of Love Light
Narada Michael Walden
1977
Monkey Island
The J. Geils Band
1978
Chaka
Chaka Khan
1980
Aretha
Aretha Franklin
1980
Clouds (Naughty)
Chaka Khan
1980
Naughty
Chaka Khan
1981
Freeze Frame
The J. Geils Band
1982
Forever, for Always, for Love
Luther Vandross
1982
Silk Electric
Diana Ross
1982
Diana’s Duets
Diana Ross
1985
Remembering Whitney: My Story of Love, Loss, and the Night the Music Stopped Page 23