Remembering Whitney

This past week, the world lost another superstar - the incomparable Whitney Houston. I felt I needed to dedicate a post to her because I was surprisingly upset by her passing at the very young age of 48. Another talent lost to dark forces. Whilst many have described her as "just a junkie" or "just a singer" (because she didn't write her own material), I can't dismiss her quite so easily.

I grew up loving Whitney and listening to her on constant rotation (in the time of records and cassette tapes) - and even singing along with her - despite being tone deaf and not being capable of holding a single note :) At the height of her career, Whitney seemed untouchable. But I guess her story demonstrates the powerful force of bad influences, drugs and whatever else. Sad beyond words.

There's a generation out there who probably don't know her music. However, just a glance at her records and achievements should silence those who call her "just a singer". For those who still doubt, for those who want to see what all the fuss was about or for those who want to pause and reflect on Whitney's great gift, here she is in just one of her many, many powerful performances...

Whitney Houston's performance of One Moment in Time at
the Grammy Awards (click on picture)

And for those who are big fans, here are some highlights from Oprah Winfrey's 2009 interview with Whitney. It's lengthy but so very poignant, considering how her story ended. In it she speaks of her abusive marriage, her decision to leave, her resolve to stay away from drugs, her sadness at Michael Jackson's passing and her love for her daughter (who appears at the end of the clip).

Click pic to watch interview.

Remembering the Whitney I grew up listening to...

Do you have a favourite Whitney song or memory of her?