Cissy Houston, the legendary powerhouse who once gave her vocal cords a passport to travel through seven decades of music, has officially clocked out at the age of 91. The woman was unstoppable, winning Grammys, raising icons, and serving the kind of gospel that could make you feel like a saint on Sunday and a sinner by Monday.
On October 7th, Cissy decided to take her final bow from the grand stage of life, right from her cozy New Jersey home, while under hospice care. Alzheimer’s may have been playing the villain in this story, but Cissy? She still kept her diva crown on tight till the end.
Pat Houston, her daughter-in-law (and likely CEO of Emotional Damage, LLC), issued a heartfelt statement that had all the feels: “Our hearts are overflowing with sadness. We’ve lost the Beyoncé of our family.” (Okay, she didn’t exactly say that, but we all know Cissy was the OG queen bee.) Pat went on, “Mother Cissy was like a spiritual skyscraper in our lives. She believed in faith, family, and hitting the high notes. Her career? Yeah, it only spanned more than SEVEN DECADES. No biggie. Her legacy in music? Absolutely untouchable. We’re lucky God gave us this much time with her – she basically lived two lives. And we’re thankful for all the sermons, songs, and spicy life lessons she dished out. Now, she’s probably up there forming a supergroup with Whitney and Bobbi Kristina, auditioning angels for background vocals. Rest in peace, Queen Cissy!”
The Houston family wrapped things up by saying, “Thank you all for the love, support, and all those ‘thoughts and prayers’ that you copy-pasted. We appreciate it, but please respect our privacy as we figure out how to carry on without the matriarch. And by the way, you all know there’s a ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign hanging on our door, right?”
Now, let’s not forget: Cissy wasn’t just Whitney’s mom. She was a two-time Grammy winner, people! She snagged those shiny trophies in 1997 and 1998 for her gospel albums Face to Face and He Leadeth Me. And don’t even get us started on The Sweet Inspirations, the group she sang with. They were so sweet, they could’ve given Willy Wonka’s candy factory a run for its money.
Oh, and if you think she only lived through song, think again. Cissy also put pen to paper, writing three books: He Leadeth Me (because one Grammy-winning album named that wasn’t enough), How Sweet The Sound: My Life with God and Gospel (spoiler alert: her life was incredibly sweet), and Remembering Whitney: A Mother’s Story of Life, Loss and The Night The Music Stopped (where she probably wrote some mom-level side-eye moments about Whitney’s wild years).
So, here’s to Cissy Houston, a woman who turned every note into a blessing and every stage into a sanctuary. May she rest in the ultimate peace – probably lounging in a cloud, sipping tea with Whitney, while directing a heavenly choir. Our thoughts are with her family, friends, and anyone who had the pleasure of being touched by her incredible legacy.
RIP, Cissy. You were the original diva, and there’s no Auto-Tune in the world that could replace you.
