COMMENTARY | Whitney Houston’s death was announced by her publicist late on Feb. 11. She was 48 years old. Ms. Houston was found dead at the Beverly Hilton, being pronounced dead at 3:55 p.m. Pacific Time after resuscitation attempts. She was found in the hotel bathroom, reportedly submerged in the bathtub after ingesting prescription medication.
Houston was a superstar with an awe-inspiring voice who was ravaged by scandal, drug abuse and domestic issues. Whitney Houston had it all at one point; A thriving music career, a starring role in a major motion picture and a marriage to another powerhouse in the music industry. One by one, the house of cards fell apart.
Houston’s career started early in life. By 15 she was performing and seeking a recording contract. At 19, she was discovered. In 1985 she rose to fame with her self-titled debut album, Whitney Houston. Followed two years later by an equally successful follow up album entitled Whitney. In the early 1990s, she found love with singer Bobby Brown. In 1992 she found success on the big screen starring opposite Kevin Costner in “The Bodyguard” with one of her biggest singles to date, “I Will Always Love You.” The love in her marriage, however, quickly spiraled the talented singer away into a world of drugs and bizarre choices. Through the late 1990s and 2000s when Houston should have found herself at the height of her career, she instead found herself in a string of rehabs. The once bright star became another Hollywood cautionary tale.
Towards the end of the 2000s it looked like life was turning around for Houston. Her mother stepped in, forcing the singer to re-evaluate her life. Houston divorced her husband and tried to pull her life back together. This bright spot in her life was not to last. An attempt at a comeback did not even get off the ground before Houston appeared on “Good Morning America” in 2009 with a voice that was a mere shadow of its former glory. Ruined by years of drug abuse, she could no longer perform in the professional capacity that her fans expected from her. This was the first domino that led to a failed world tour.
With her long struggle with substance abuse, the announcement of her young death is not surprising. Her talent of years ago will not be forgotten. Houston’s story will be another lesson for the young stars of today about the effects of drugs on the voice and most precious, the life.