Cissy Houston, renowned soul vocalist and mother of pop legend Whitney Houston, has passed away. She was 91 years old.

Cissy’s death occurred on Monday morning at her home in New Jersey, where she was receiving hospice care for Alzheimer’s disease. This was confirmed by her daughter-in-law, Pat Houston, in a statement to YSL News through Gwendolyn Quinn, a representative for Whitney Houston’s estate.

“We are heartbroken and grieving the loss of the matriarch of our family,” Pat remarked. “Mother Cissy has been a pillar in our lives, a woman of significant faith and strong beliefs, deeply committed to her family, ministry, and the community. Her remarkable career spanning over seven decades in music and entertainment will always remain in our hearts.”

Cissy Houston, born Emily Drinkard in Newark, New Jersey, in September 1933, was inspired by her father, Nitcholas “Nitch” Drinkard, to pursue music and perform at church. Raised in the Methodist Episcopal faith, she later took on the role of Minister of Sacred Music at New Hope Baptist Church.

Cissy kickstarted her music journey as a member of The Drinkard Singers, a family group that included her siblings Anne, Larry, and Nick. They released “A Joyful Noise” in 1958, notable for being among the first gospel groups to have an album on a major label like RCA Records.

In the early 1960s, Cissy collaborated with family members again as part of the R&B girl group, The Sweet Inspirations. This group, which featured her nieces Dee Dee and Dionne Warwick—both of whom would later achieve Grammy nominations as solo artists—provided backing vocals for major artists like Otis Redding, The Drifters, Dusty Springfield, Elvis Presley, and the Jimi Hendrix Experience.

After her time as a background singer, Cissy launched her solo career with the debut album “Presenting Cissy Houston” in 1970, which produced two hit singles: “I’ll Be There” and “Be My Baby.”

In 1972, she recorded “Midnight Train to Georgia,” originally by Jim Weatherly, which later became a hit for the iconic Gladys Knight & the Pips.

Cissy then diversified her sound with disco-influenced albums including “Think it Over” (1978), “Warning – Danger” (1979), and “Step Aside for a Lady” (1980), all produced by Michael Zager.

Cissy Houston’s unwavering support for Whitney Houston during her rise to fame

Cissy was the mother of three children: Gary, Michael, and Whitney.

Whitney Houston, who followed her mother’s musical footsteps, debuted with her self-titled album in 1985 and became an international pop sensation, winning six Grammy Awards and selling over 220 million albums worldwide.

Cissy even performed backup vocals on her daughter’s debut album, as well as on the tracks “I Know Him So Well” and “Who Do You Love?”

Throughout Whitney’s challenges, including her struggles with addiction and her tumultuous relationship with R&B star Bobby Brown, Cissy remained a supportive presence. In her memoir “Remembering Whitney: My Story of Love, Loss and the Night the Music Stopped,” Cissy shared a poignant moment when she and two sheriff’s deputies went to Whitney’s home in Atlanta with a court order to persuade her to enter rehab.

“I was filled with emotion, extending the paper towards her,” Houston recalled. “She simply stood there, staring at me. The spark in her eyes had faded, and my little girl appeared utterly exhausted.”

Whitney Houston passed away in February 2012 at the age of 48, found in a bathtub at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. The official cause was labeled as accidental drowning, influenced by heart disease and cocaine use.

“It’s important for people to understand what a compassionate and generous person Whitney truly was,” Houston expressed during a 2013 conversation with YSL News. “Though she made numerous errors, many individuals stumble yet aren’t subjected to the same scrutiny and hurtful remarks about them, often based on truths or lies. I’m simply trying to clarify the misconceptions.”