Cissy Houston, Grammy-winning singer and mother of Whitney Houston, dead at 91

Cissy Houston, Grammy-winning singer and mother of Whitney Houston, has died, according to Gwendolyn Quinn, a representative for The Estate of Whitney E. Houston. She was 91.

Cissy Houston, Grammy-winning singer and mother of Whitney Houston, has died, according to Gwendolyn Quinn, a representative for The Estate of Whitney E. Houston. She was 91. According to a statement, the singer was surrounded by family when she died Monday at 10:30 a.m. ET while in hospice for care. She had Alzheimer’s disease, the statement said. “Our hearts are filled with pain and sadness. We loss the matriarch of our family,” her daughter-in-law Pat Houston said. “Mother Cissy has been a strong and towering figure in our lives. A woman of deep faith and conviction, who cared greatly about family, ministry, and community. Her more than seven-decade career in music and entertainment will remain at the forefront of our hearts.” Her daughter-in law added: “Her contributions to popular music and culture are unparalleled.” Born Emily Drinkard, Cissy Houston was the youngest of eight children to the late Nitcholas and Delia Mae Drinkard, according to a biography provided by the family. Houston was educated through the Newark Public School system and she attended New Hope Baptist Church, where she later become Minister of Sacred Music.