Brief background:

Houston was born in Newark, New Jersey on August 9, 1963. Her mother, Cissy Houston, was a nightclub performer and recording artist. Her father, John, was an aspiring singer who later managed his wife's career. Whitney's extended family and close friends included a number of prominent entertainers.

Houston started singing at age five at New Hope Baptist Church in Newark where her mother was music director. She performed her first solo in the church when she was eleven. That performance persuaded both Whitney and her mother that the young soloist should become a professional singer.

As a teen, Whitney was able to fine tune her stage presence when she was allowed to perform on tour with Cissy Houston in the 1970s. Her parents however encouraged her to stay in school and would not allow her to launch a professional singing career until she graduated from high school in 1981.

Musical styles:

Houston was gospel-trained, but her voice also lent itself to R&B, pop and ballads, and she was adept at each style. Whitney Houston's career also influenced many of the pop music.

Artists who influenced them:

Artists like Mariah Carey, Beyoncé, Kelly Clarkson, Jennifer Hudson, and a number of others all claim that Houston was a strong influence on their careers.

Events in that era that made them popular:

Houston’s effortless vocal skill attracted interest from multiple record labels and at age nineteen, Clive Davis signed her to Arista Records in 1983. Her first big hit is ‘Saving all my love for you’ and it hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Her ability to connect with audiences set dozens of industry records. She was the first artist to have seven consecutive #1 hits and the first woman to enter the Billboard 200 at #1 with her album, Whitney. She earned the longest reigning #1 single on the Hot 100 with “I Will Always Love You.”

Discography:

In 1985 21-year-old Houston released her first album, Whitney Houston that also became the best-selling album by a female and a new artist in the 1980s in the United States. It sold 20 million copies worldwide and became the biggest debut album in history at that time.

Her single from the album, I Wanna Dance With Somebody (who loves me), entered the charts at number one, the first single by a woman performer to do so. Her 1987 album, Whitney, broke the record for the most consecutive number one singles.