Whitney
Mollie Hemingway, Ed. ·
February 12, 2012 at 2:50am
Many media outlets are reporting that "Queen of Pop" Whitney Houston, the most awarded female artist of all time, was found dead today at the Beverly Hills Hilton. She was only 48.
What's striking is how slow this wreck occurred. Her drug use had ravaged her body and voice for years. For those of us who have addicts in our families, the slow pace of their destruction is an added pain.
She was Dionne Warwick's niece and Aretha Franklin's godchild. Whitney leaves behind a mother and daughter among many others who mourn the loss.
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Jul '10
Re: Whitney
Another beautiful rendition of an older song - which she made hers. This and the Star Spangled Banner (and many other songs) is what we will remember. RIP, Whitney.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QaI-M9sxW4
Jul '11
Re: Whitney
Pill poppers that drink or use cocaine have a high mortality rate. When there are kids involved, the drug abuse changes from a sad pitiful issue to a selfish despicable one. Trying to help these people is a low percentage endeavor as well.
Re: Whitney
Amazing isn't it...how there are people of extraordinary ability, with so much to give and so much happiness to share,... living lives that others merely dream about,...and they self destruct. So horrifyingly sad.
Dec '11
Re: Whitney
Despite my devotion to the concept of personal responsibility, I just want to punch Bobby Brown in the mouth right now.
Nov '10
Re: Whitney
James Gawron: Mollie,
When Clinton said, "It's the economy stupid." I said, "It's not the economy stupid, it's the lack of morality you hamburger eating moron!!!"
As with Michael Jackson, Whitney had all the money and power in the world. Both were twisted by the amoral culture of which they were a large part and profited from.
They both died of an amorality overdose.
Regards,
Jim · 42 minutes ago
Exactly right. She should never have gotten involved with Bobby Brown.
Women and "bad boys." There was a time in America when women were "turned on" by gentlemen and grace. As society's men increasingly divide into two camps -- wimps and barbarians -- we shouldn't be surprised that girls are increasingly attracted to bad boys and character-destroying fads. Women by their nature are far more slavish to convention than men are, as Rousseau pointed out long ago.
Nov '11
Re: Whitney
This will doubtless be a minority opinion of one, but with all due respect for the dead and for Houston's obvious talent and huge popularity and her effect on other singers, in my opinion this is not even close to the greatest singing and music America has produced. From a musical point of view, the kind of stuff Houston sang is commercial, simplistic, and boring, typically melodramatic, and in the case of the Star Spangled Banner, not true to the music or its purpose and even offensive. Certainly it is not worthy of her voice. America has lost its audience for most of its great musical traditions, and in my opinion the fact that FOX interrupted serious programming for hours of attention to her death is a sad commentary on our times. Give me real black gospel and Mahalia Jackson any day, or just an ordinary member of the Army chorus singing the Star Spangled Banner in a simple, straightforward way, the way it was meant to be sung, without the rhythmic changes introduced by Houston.
Oct '10
Re: Whitney
whitney houston died on the eve of grammys
May '10
Re: Whitney
James Gawron: Mollie,
When Clinton said, "It's the economy stupid." I said, "It's not the economy stupid, it's the lack of morality you hamburger eating moron!!!"
As with Michael Jackson, Whitney had all the money and power in the world. Both were twisted by the amoral culture of which they were a large part and profited from.
They both died of an amorality overdose.
Regards,
Jim · 2 hours ago
Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?
Jan '12
Re: Whitney
Anyone who knows people having substance abuse problems refer them to this website drugfreeworld.org
Jun '10
Re: Whitney
Whitney's life and death are evidence that life is tragic, sometimes self-inflicted, sometimes from just living in a world where good things happen to bad people, and sometimes because evil exists.
Tragic. She had a great gift from God.
Jun '11
Re: Whitney
Thank you, Blue Yeti. For me, that voice is life-affirming. Yet her addiction and horrible death proves that Satan is real.
May '11
Re: Whitney
I only heard about this several hours ago. She narrated parts of my life that were made better for it. Her talent and skill were amazing. This is a shame in many ways.
Aug '10
Re: Whitney
You're not alone, Sandy. I concur. Ms Houston went off track not when she married Bobbie Brown, but years earlier when she abandoned the gospel tradition into which she was born and nurtured, and to which (at least it seems to me) her remarkable gift seemed most suited.
Her voice sounded good on some pop songs, sure, but it was miscast. Even her signature 'And I will always love you' is really Dolly Parton's song, and Dolly sang it better. It's an intimate caress of a song, not a blaring power ballad.
Anyway, it's water under the bridge, unfortunately. May she rest in peace after so many years of turmoil.