Cissy Houston, the Grammy-winning singer and mother of the late Whitney Houston, has passed away at the age of 91.
According to Page Six, Cissy died at 10:30 a.m. at her home in Newark, N.J., “while under hospice care for Alzheimer’s disease.”
At the time of her passing, Cissy was surrounded by her family.
“Our hearts are filled with pain and sadness. We lost the matriarch of our family,” her daughter-in-law Pat Houston said in a statement.
“Mother Cissy has been a strong and towering figure in our lives. A woman of deep faith and conviction, who cared greatly about family, ministry, and community. Her more than seven-decade career in music and entertainment will remain at the forefront of our hearts.
“Her contributions to popular music and culture are unparalleled. We are blessed and grateful that God allowed her to spend so many years with us and we are thankful for all the many valuable life lessons that she taught us. May she rest in peace, alongside her daughter, Whitney and granddaughter Bobbi Kristina and other cherished family members.”
Cissy’s singing career began in 1938 when she joined her siblings in a gospel group called The Drinkard Four.
During her time with the group, which was later renamed The Drinkard Singers, she made her television debut on TV Gospel Time.
Before giving birth to her daughter Whitney in 1963, Cissy formed The Sweet Inspirations with Doris Troy and her niece Dee Dee Warrick.
Cissy also enjoyed a successful solo career, winning two Grammys for her albums “Face to Face” in 1996 and “He Leadeth Me” in 1998.
Cissy is survived by her sons, Micheal Houston and Gary Garland.
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