Inside Whitney Houston’s mother Cissy’s surprising bond with Elvis Presley

When news broke of Cissy Houston’s death, aged 91 , many people knew her as Whitney Houston’s mom. Cissy passed away the morning of October 7 in her New Jersey home while under hospice care for Alzheimer’s disease, according to her daughter-in-law Pat Houston.

While known for her talented daughter, she was a singer within her own right who played an important role in music history beyond her role in Whitney’s life.

© L. Busacca

As a backing vocalist, Cissy performed alongside a number of utterly iconic singers, from Aretha Franklin and Otis Redding, to Dusty Springfield. But one of the most iconic musicians she worked with was the King of Rock and Roll himself: Elvis Presley.

Here’s all you need to know about the former singer’s relationship with Elvis.

Playing in The Sweet Inspirations

© Gilles Petard

Not long before she was set to give birth to Whitney, Cissy formed The Sweet Inspirations with her niece Dee Dee Warwick and Doris Troy. Sylvia Shemwell, Estelle Brown and Myrna Smith would later form the remaining lineup under a contract with Atlantic Records.

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