Just Damn....Whitney Houston

The legend, the diva, the one and only, Whitney Houston dead today at 48 years old. (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012)  I had to say something, my eyes keep filling with water, as if I knew her personally. Haven't felt this saddened by a celebrity death since Michael Jackson passed on. Whitney Houston was one of my favorite singers and her voice was indeed a national treasure.

The news is fresh at this hour, but I am in shock and deeply saddened by it all.  It’s like I just saw her Oprah interview and she was oh so beautiful and upbeat.  I remember being 6 years old singing “The Greatest Love of All” with my cousins for my grandparents at their 50^th anniversary.  I can hear her duet “If you Say my Eyes are Beautiful” playing on Days of Our Lives at Bo and Hope’s wedding. I remember seeing her on Silver Spoon singing “Saving All My Love”, and  “One Moment in Time” from the 1988 summer Olympics, and who can forget her belting out the National Anthem years ago at the super bowl?  Her music is timeless and she will be missed. 

During this time, there is a lot of speculation and not a lot of facts. Many are speaking of her history of alcohol and drug abuse. I won’t speculate or judge because the disease of addiction is a strong one.  I just remember folks having the same reaction to the death of Amy Winehouse – when her death was in fact due to her cleaning up her life.  Though this is a part of her history, this is certainly not what I will remember about her.    

Whitney is and will forever be an icon…Icon…I-C-O-N. The vast majority of today’s female artists may not ever have that title.  The BodyGuard, Waiting to Exhale, The Preacher’s Wife, Cinderella, and the yet to be completed remake of Sparkle – she was an accomplished actress. She received 2 Emmy Awards, 6 Grammy awards, 30 Billboard awards, 22 American Music Awards…and 7 Soul Train awards.  There will never be another. Sorry Beyonce Stans. No disrespect to Bey, but I’m just saying.

In the weeks ahead we will find out the cause of death, but I will always remember her for her voice.  Her music will forever live on.  The movies are just icing.  My heart is so heavy especially for her daughter.

"We all die. The goal isn't to live forever, the goal is to create something that will." - Whitney Houston

Rest in power, Nippy…rest in power.