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LEGISLATIVE  RESOLUTION  mourning  the death of famed singer and actress
Whitney Houston

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to pay tribute to  the
lives of those esteemed individuals of national renown who distinguished
themselves through their life's work; and
  WHEREAS, Born in Newark, New Jersey, Whitney Houston died on Saturday,
February 11, 2012, at the age of 48; and
  WHEREAS,  Whitney  Houston's death was on the eve of the Grammy Awards
which sent shock waves through  the  music  industry,  with  many  stars
expressing surprise and sadness; and
  WHEREAS,  Overcoming many obstacles in her life, Whitney Houston shall
be forever remembered for her remarkable contribution to music  fans  in
general, and, in particular, her close ties with the Grammy telecast and
her Grammy wins and nominations over the years; and
  WHEREAS,  Whitney  Houston  first  started  singing in the church as a
child; in her teens, she sang backup for Chaka  Khan,  Jermaine  Jackson
and  others, in addition to modeling; it was around that time when music
mogul Clive Davis first heard her perform; and
  WHEREAS, Whitney Houston made her album debut in  1985  with  "Whitney
Houston",  which sold millions and spawned hit after hit; "Saving All My
Love for You" brought her her first Grammy, for best  female  pop  vocal
and  "How  Will I Know", "You Give Good Love", and "The Greatest Love of
All" also became hit singles; and
  WHEREAS, At her peak, Whitney Houston was the golden girl of the music
industry; from the mid 1980s to the late  1990s,  she  was  one  of  the
world's  best-selling  artists;  she  wowed  audiences  with effortless,
powerful, and peerless vocals that were rooted in the black church,  but
made palatable to the masses with a pop sheen; and
  WHEREAS, Whitney Houston performed "The Star Spangled Banner" at Super
Bowl  XXV  at  Tampa  Stadium  on  January 27, 1991; due to overwhelming
response to her moving rendition, it was released as a commercial single
and video of her performance; and
  WHEREAS, Following the attacks on 9/11, Arista Records re-released her
recording of "The Star Spangled Banner" and Whitney Houston donated  her
share  of  the royalties, as did Arista Records, to the firefighters and
victims of the attacks; and
  WHEREAS, Whitney Houston's success carried her beyond music to movies,
where she starred in hits like "The Bodyguard" and "Waiting to  Exhale";
she  had  the  perfect voice, and the perfect image of a gorgeous singer
who maintained perfect poise; and
  WHEREAS, Six-time Grammy winner Whitney Houston was one of the world's
greatest pop singers of all time who  leaves  behind  a  robust  musical
soundtrack  spanning  the  past three decades; she surpassed the Beatles
and the Bee Gees to become  the  first  recording  star  to  have  seven
consecutive No. 1 hits; and
  WHEREAS, A musical legend, Whitney Houston possessed one of her gener-
ation's  most  powerful  gospel-trained voices, but eschewed many of the
churchier mannerisms of her  forerunners;  she  used  ornamental  gospel
phrasing  sparingly,  and communicated cool self-assurance and strength,
building pop ballads to majestic, sustained peaks of intensity; her long
contributions of entertaining society will  indefinitely  withstand  the
test of time; and
  WHEREAS,  Whitney  Hoston is survived by her daughter, Bobbi Kristina,
mother, Cissy, cousin Dionne Warwick, godmother, Aretha Franklin as well
as numerous other family members; and

  WHEREAS, Armed with a humanistic spirit and imbued  with  a  sense  of
compassion,  Whitney  Houston  leaves  behind  a  legacy which will long
endure the passage of time and will remain as a comforting memory to all
she served and befriended; now, therefore, be it
  RESOLVED,  That  this  Legislative  Body pause in its deliberations to
mourn the death of famed singer and actress Whitney Houston; and  be  it
further
  RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to the family of Whitney Houston.