Whitney Houston would go on to sell 13 million copies in the U.S. alone, while achieving gold, platinum, or multi-platinum status in an additional 15 countries. It also garnered Whitney over 20 prestigious awards, including Grammy's, American Music Awards, and the People's Choice. But Whitney did not rest on her laurels. She kept the momentum going with her simply titled sophomore set, Whitney. I can still remember the excitement of seeing the premiere of the music video for "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)," the album's lead-off single. Although the tune and arrangement (courtesy of Narada Michael Walden) bore some similarity to "How Will I Know," the overall sound was considerably groovier and spunkier than the softer ballads with which many had begun to associate Whitney. The video added to that new energy with Whitney trying a few of her own dance moves and a fun supporting cast. As a second-grader, I called the local record shop with that same energy the day before the album's release to make sure there would be a copy for me when school was dismissed.
The happening of Whitney's concert at The Scope in Norfolk, Virginia forever immortalized my ninth birthday—as I'm sure it forever made a landmark of that day for all in attendance. While I was in school, my dad had stood outside the box office for hours to ensure good tickets—third row! The whole experience of a stadium concert was totally new and overwhelming for me, but I remember being in awe of the sheer elegance and power Whitney let shine through in that concert. It was as if the performances on the Whitney LP—"Love Will Save the Day," "Where Do Broken Hearts Go," and "Didn't We Almost Have It All"—were reflective of only one aspect of her vocal abilities. In concert, she presented another dimension with a further glimpse into her gospel upbringing via improvised melodies and unexpected phrasing. Paired with delightful glamour and refined stage mannerisms unscathed by negative forces in the music industry, her indisputable musical talent was magnified even further.
Whitney was the first-ever album by a female artist to debut at number one on Billboard's Top Pop Albums chart. When all was said and done, it moved nine million units in the U.S. and obtained platinum (or better) certification in ten additional countries. The follow-up album, 1990's I'm Your Baby Tonight, came close to duplicating this success; but it was by way of a notable career transition in 1992 through which Whitney would achieve her greatest success ever. Co-starring alongside Kevin Costner in the action film The Bodyguard, she recorded half of the movie's original soundtrack. A heart-wrenching cover of Dolly Parton's 1974 country hit, "I Will Always Love You" served as the theme song, breaking world records by staying at number one for fourteen weeks on Billboard's Pop Singles chart. She won Grammy's, MTV Movie, and Soul Train Music Awards—to name a few—in the process. The soundtrack's momentum continued for over a year after the movie's release with long-running hit singles such as "I Have Nothing," "Run to You," and "I'm Every Woman" (originally recorded by Chaka Khan).
Article comments
1 - Glen Boyd
Nice, comprehensive career retrospective Justin. Very well done.
-Glen
2 - Rob Spiegel
Justin, you did a wonderful job though I expected nothing less from you. To have written this piece in less than 24 hours of receiving this tragic news is even more commendable. You recognized Whitney's legacy respectfully and proud.
3 - Brother EDEN
Impeccably written. Heartfelt. Honest. Humane. Thank You, Justin.
4 - Pattie Howard
Love the article Justin. Particularly noted is your reference to the time period Clive and Whitney embarked upon crossing racial lines. Glad you pointed that out. Whitney's contribution to the acceptance of African American female artists into the pop genre, as well as her acceptance in the Christian and secular music markets simultaneously opened doors for many artist. Its great to read an article that places her in a positive light.
5 - Terrence G. Morgan
Thank you for your research and knowledgeable impute Justin. I really wanted to hear how your generation interprets this tragedy. I also learned how several other artists have reached higher levels in their career through collaborating with Whitney. Keep up the good work.
6 - Justin Kantor
Thank you all for reading and the kind words. I strived to provide a comprehensive career portrait of Whitney that also reflected her personal significance to my life and generation. It was hard to do in an eight-hour time frame, but I think I got across a good amount of the important points.
7 - Laural Thurston
Justin, This was a wonderful portrait! The best I have read and there is a lot out there..Thank you so much for your gift of writing. While you were listening in grammar school, I was a young teacher teaching Whitney's beautiful song in Sign Language! "The Greatest Love Of All" was a hit at many a high school graduations.. The video from the Apollo(1985)will bring tears to many that have not seen it.. Her voice, her talent,her beauty will always be cherished.
8 - Justin Kantor
Hi Laural, thank you so much. That's so cool that you were able to teach the "Greatest" in sign language. Whitney gave impeccable performances, indeed. She is very missed.
9 - Kobina Roberts
Wonderful article Justin! :-)