Early Whitney Houston was Amazing

She did change so much. Even at the height of the Bodyguard you could hear her voice start to diminish a little.

When she released Waiting to Exhale, you could hear some of the light was starting to burn out.

Here is Whitney Houston singing Home on The Merv Griffin Show in 1983. She starts singing @ 2:20.

1985 appearance on The Tonight Show

On Letterman:

"Someone For Me" in 1984, slightly different version from the album.

She was very talented vocally. She had no musical ability (couldn’t even read music), but had a great voice.

She ruined that with the crack pipe.

Sad!

At least her house wasn't cold and sterile and actually had a lived-in feel to it

R6 singing is musical ability. she could also play the piano.

I will always love you kills her music career, It was too big , and she never got that acclaim after that song

Her drug den photo is still a shock to me

She lived in squalor.

I was shocked that she mainly lived in Atlanta.

Couldn’t even afford New York or LA.

Sad!

Early to mid 80s she was amazing.

She looked liked an ape.

r13 Hi Roseanne, too much Ambien again?

She had it all.

Didn't we almost have it all?

She and Robyn never did drugs together did they?

Remember when we held on in the rain?

Most of her material was extremely cheesy MOR and even the stuff that was supposed to be good, "Saving All My Love For You" I honestly don't really like singing style that much. She was shoved down our throat as someone you must like. Fuck that, I didn't, and I don't.

I’m like OP and up until recently only knew about ‘90s Whitney (& Bobby, from ‘BBB’ etc.). These clips in this thread shed new light (R5’s is staggering...that pitch!), and prove that her talents and presence and grace were never in question.

As for her later scandals...hmmm. I am usually the first person in the room dismissing the dude in any straight relationship gone sour & ugly, especially when violence or child endangerment is involved. But somehow, and even though knowing he’s foolish & selfish, it is hard to stay mad at Bobby and blame him for it all due to a strange quality that makes it impossible to totally dislike him.

OP I am probably 10 years older than you. I loved Whitney since I was in sixth grade and had her first album on cassette. I thought she was beautiful. I adored everything about her.

I hold onto that time before it all went wrong. It’s too easily forgotten.

Incredible voice but no stage presence. Never cared for her live versions. They were Sunday church versions of the song that sounded so different and not in a good way.

She was an excellent singer but it was all too brief, due to a dependant family and drugs.

Even her own drug dealer named 'Uncle Rob' didn't want her hanging around when she showed up at his house and started to sing and talk through his windows. He finally phoned Bobby Brown and told him to come and take her home. Once she got into drugs it was the beginning of the end for her. So sad.

It's all Cissy's fault. If she allowed her daughter to be who she really was maybe she would've lived longer.

[quote] 'Uncle Rob' didn't want her hanging around when she showed up at his house and started to sing and talk through his windows. He finally phoned Bobby Brown and told him to come and take her home.

You know it’s bad when you’re calling on Bobby to do something responsible. I wonder if he did go over and collect her?