Whitney Elizabeth Houston was born August 9, 1963 in Newark, New Jersey. She is an American pop and R&B singer, actress, film producer, and former model.

Whitney is the daughter of gospel singer Cissy Houston. In 1985 she released her first album, Whitney Houston, a Grammy-winner and international hit; her second album, 1987's Whitney, debuted at #1 on the charts.

Houston tried her hand at acting and landed lead love-interest roles in The Bodyguard (1992) and The Preacher's Wife (1996), and played the Fairy Godmother in the 1997 TV version Cinderella.

Houston's recent record releases have sold modestly, but her production company has had box office success with the films The Princess Diaries (2001) and the Disney TV movie The Cheetah Girls (2003).

As her career was blossoming in the mid-1980s, Houston was reportedly romantically linked to Jermaine Jackson, Eddie Murphy, and Arsenio Hall. She married singer Bobby Brown in 1992; their stormy relationship became fodder for the tabloids and seemed to lead to a decline in her career in the early 2000s, and in September of 2006 Houston filed for divorce.

Filmography

• Cinderella (1997) (TV)
• Te Preacher's Wife (1996)
• Waiting to Exhale (1995)
• The Bodyguard (1992)
• "Gimme a Break!" (1 episode, 1984)

Awards

• Grammy Best R&B Vocal Performance "It's Not Right, But It's Okay" 2000
• NAACP Image Award Outstanding Female Artist "Heartbreak Hotel" 1999
• People's Choice Award Favorite Female Musical Performer 1998
• NAACP Image Award Outstanding Gospel Artist (Soundtrack) "The Preacher's Wife" 1997
• NAACP Image Award Outstanding Album "The Preacher's Wife" 1997
• NAAPC Image Award Outstanding Lead Actress in a Motion Picture "The Preacher's Wife" 1997
• American Music Award Contemporary Artist 1996
• NAACP Image Award Best Female Artist "Exhale (Shoop, Shoop)" 1995
• American Music Award Pop/Rock Single "I Will Always Love You" 1993
• American Music Award Pop/Rock Female Vocalist 1993
• American Music Award Soul/Rhythm and Blues Single "I Will Always Love You" 1993
• American Music Award Soul/Rhythm and Blues Vocalist 1993
• Billboard Music Award Number 1 World Artist 1993
• Billboard Music Award Number 1 World Single "I Will Always Love You" 1993
• Billboard Music Award Number 1 R&B Single "I Will Always Love You" 1993
• Grammy Record of the Year "I Will Always Love You" 1993
• Grammy Album of the Year "The Bodyguard" 1993
• Grammy Best Pop Vocal Performance-Female "I Will Always Love You" 1993
• MTV Movie Award Best Song "I Will Always Love You" (from "The Bodyguard") 1993
• People's Choice Award Favorite Female Musical Performer 1993
• Special American Music Award 1993
• Billboard Music Award Top R&B Artist 1991
• Billboard Music Award Top R&B Album "I'm Your Baby Tonight" 1991
• People's Choice Award Favorite Female Musical Performer 1989
• American Music Award Pop/Rock Female Artist 1988
• American Music Award Soul/Rhythm and Blues Female Artist 1988
• Grammy Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)" 1988
• People's Choice Award Favorite Female Musical Performer 1988
• American Music Award Pop/Rock Single "I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)" 1987
• American Music Award Pop/Rock Female Artist 1987
• People's Choice Award Favorite Female Musical Performer 1987
• American Music Award Pop/Rock Album "Whitney Houston" 1986
• American Music Award Pop/Rock Female Artist 1986
• American Music Award Soul/Rhythm and Blues Album "Whitney Houston" 1986
• American Music Award Soul/Rhythm and Blues Female Artist 1986
• American Music Award Soul/Rhythm and Blues Video Single "The Greatest Love of All" 1986
• Grammy Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female "Saving All My Love for You" 1986
• MTV Video Music Award Female Video "How Will I Know" 1986
• American Music Award Soul/Rhythm and Blues Single "You Give Good Love" 1985
• American Music Award Soul/Rhythm and Blues Video Single "Saving All My Love for You" 1985
• Emmy Outstanding Individual Performance in a Variety or Music Program "The 28th Annual Grammy Awards" 1985 - 86