Cissy Houston

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Lore & Background

Cissy Houston's musical journey began at age five as a founding member of the Drinkard Singers, a family gospel group that turned professional in 1951 when radio announcer Joe Bostic hired them to open for Clara Ward and Mahalia Jackson at Carnegie Hall. The group later recorded for Savoy Records and RCA Victor, releasing A Joyful Noise in 1958, one of the first gospel albums on a major label. By the early 1960s, Houston moved into session work, and in 1967 she formed the Sweet Inspirations, a group that backed Aretha Franklin on hits like "Think" and "(You Make Me Feel Like A) Natural Woman" and Elvis Presley at his 1969 International Hotel performances. Her solo career produced the top 20 R&B single "I'll Be There", the first commercial recording of "Midnight Train to Georgia", and the top 5 dance single "Think It Over", earning two Grammy Awards in the Traditional Gospel Album category. Houston was inducted into the National Rhythm and Blues Hall of Fame in 2014 with the Sweet Inspirations and the New Jersey Hall of Fame in 2020.

In Their Own Story

In October 1951, a young Cissy Houston and the Drinkard Singers stood backstage at Carnegie Hall, about to open for gospel legends Clara Ward and Mahalia Jackson at the Negro Gospel and Religious Music Festival. It was the group's first professional gig, arranged by radio announcer Joe Bostic. The performance led to regular appearances on Bostic's Gospel Train radio show and a recording contract with Savoy Records. Years later, in 1967, Houston formed the Sweet Inspirations, and the group's first album charted at number 90 on the Billboard 200. Their single "Sweet Inspiration" reached number 18 on the Hot 100 and earned a Grammy nomination for Best Rhythm & Blues Performance by a Duo or Group at the 11th Annual Grammy Awards in 1969. In July 1969, the group backed Elvis Presley at the International Hotel, with Presley introducing them by saying, "They really live up to their name, ladies & gentlemen: The Sweet Inspirations!"

Reader's Guide

Cissy Houston is the spiritual and musical bedrock of the Whitney Houston story. She is a gospel and soul singer, choir director, and the mother of Whitney Houston. Her role in the broader narrative is that of mentor, mother, and artistic influence—the woman who shaped the vocal discipline and emotional depth that would later define Whitney's recordings and performances. Her career began at age five with the Drinkard Singers, and she later formed the Grammy-nominated Sweet Inspirations, backing Aretha Franklin and Elvis Presley. Her solo career yielded two Grammy Awards and hits like "I'll Be There" and "Midnight Train to Georgia". Houston's defining moments include the 1951 Carnegie Hall debut, the Sweet Inspirations' 1969 Grammy nomination, and her 2025 induction into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame Missouri. Her 'powers' in this narrative are her voice, her ear for pitch and tone, and her unwavering standards, rooted in her role as minister of music at New Hope Baptist Church for over 50 years.

Did You Know?

• Cissy Houston was romantically involved with Sam Cooke, then lead singer of the Soul Stirrers, and the two were even engaged at one point before she broke it off because Cooke was 'wild'.
• Houston's solo career included the first commercial recording of 'Midnight Train to Georgia', which was later a hit for Gladys Knight & the Pips.
• At age seven, Houston's mother Delia died of a cerebral hemorrhage.