Whitney Houston: Life & Death

Whitney Houston: The Life & Death
February 12, 2012

Life
Whitney Houston
(August 9, 1963 - February 11, 2012)
Whitney Houston hit the music scene in 1985 following the debut of her first album Whitney Houston with Arista Records, this after years of singing with her family at the New Hope Baptist church in New Jersey. Cissy Houston still attends the New Hope Baptist Church. Whitney Houston is notably the most recognized female performer of all time, she currently holds a total 415 awards for her contributions to the music and film industry. Whitney's portfolio begins with her early days of memorable church choir solos and night club cameos but also includes, modeling, acting, producing and of course her miraculous feats as a music industry leader which awarded her the unforgettable title, music icon and legend.

Whitney joined a close knit of family industry leaders, her mother Cissy Houston, cousins Dione Warwick and DeeDee Warwick, and her godmother, "the queen of soul," Aretha Franklin. In 1992 Houston married Bobby Brown, member of one of the top boy groups of the 80's, New Edition. Together, they have a daughter, Bobbi Kristina Brown, who in recent months also battled rumors of cocaine abuse. Bobby and Whitney divorced in 2007, months before she shockingly began treatment for drug and alcohol abuse.

Houston was reportedly having trouble with her voice and seeing a throat specialist and although there were talks of a miraculous recovery to drug abuse, many of Whitney's close friends believe she may have relapsed. Two days before her death the singer/actress was reported behaving loud and erratic at the Brandy and Monica rehearsal. There are also talks that her performance on stage with Kelly Price the day before her death, was less than perfect and unlike the Whitney we all know and love. Whitney is said to have looked strange and out of it on the morning of her death.

Whitney Houston was currently producing and co-starring in a film, Sparkle, expected in theaters, August 2012.

Death
Whitney Houston (48-years-old) was found dead in the bathtub of her Beverly Hilton hotel room and pronounced dead there by paramedics at 3:55pm. Strangely, her daughter Bobbi Kristina fell asleep in the same bathtub the night before but was fortunate enough to be rescued by her friends. Houston's bodyguard reportedly found her body lifeless behind the locked bathroom doors and immediately called EMS. Whitney was scheduled to attend the annual Clive Davis Pre-Grammy party later in the day and the Grammy Award show the following day. Whitney was seen drinking at a nearby bar earlier in the day and the prescription drug Xanax was found in her hotel room but on the day following her death there is still no reported cause of death or signs of foul play. There are reports of an earlier altercation with an Ex-Factor co-star that became physical and reports of two loud thumps minutes before EMS arrived and pronouncement of death.

Watch the Tribute BET, 02/12/2012, 12 noon.

The Grammys Award Show will air tonight. Jennifer Hudson and Chaka Kahn are scheduled to pay tribute in song to Whitney Houston.

March 2012 - Update
Autopsy reports reveal Whitney Houston died of drowning and heart disease. There were traces of cocaine, marijuana, Xanax, Flexeril, and Benadryl found in Houston's system. Chief Coroner Craig Harvey believes Houston got into the bathtub under the influence of a concoction of drugs, suffered a mild heart attack, and was unable to lift herself out of the bathtub. There are rumours that her room was cleaned of illegal drugs before law enforcement arrived and allegations that singer Ray-J was seen at the hotel on the day of Houston's death. A full autopsy report will be released mid April. 

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