The Voice of An Icon: Whitney Houston The woman who has influenced so many and has become an icon in the music industry. Whitney was born in a musical family who was the daughter of gospel singer Cissy Houston, cousin of singing star Dionne Warwick and the goddaughter of soul legend Aretha Franklin. By the age of 22, Whitney became one the greatest female voices of her generation. Whitney was an artists who came alive and was able to express herself in full confidence when she was singing. When she performed she always look as though she was understood, at peace, and full of joy when she would sing. Houston was a beautiful woman with a powerhouse voice within her petite body, she had a way of making the audience respond in awe and pay …show more content…
Houston expresses in the song that she was sad because of this man giving her empty promises about leaving his family for her “You used to tell me we’d run away together/You said be patient just wait a little longer, but that’s just an old fantasy.” Whitney Houston All The Man I Need (1990) All The Man I Need was a song that was originally written for Linda Clifford in 1981, Whitney then recorded this song years later. This song entered the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart at number 53 in 1990. Whitney in this song speaks about how she used to cry about the man before her current relationship “He fills me up/He gives me love/More love than I ever seen/He’s all I got/He’s all I got in this world.” The saxophone creates texture to the song, there is a smooth yet powerful addition. Towards the end of the song she added a gospel choir sound to the end of the song during “He builds me up/He gives good love” adding the choir texture to the song created a passion behind the words that were sung that really made the audience feel what she was saying. Whitney Houston I Will Always Love You (1992) I Will Always Love You was a song
George Straits daughter was killed in a car crash in 1986 when she was just 13. When most people see this song they immediately think that it is a love song and in a way, it is, but I think that this could maybe not be a song addressed to a significant other but rather to his daughter. This could be a possibility in his intention for this song. Yes, the song may sound worldly when he is telling her how to get to him, but when he tells her “cut a path across the blue skies, straight in a straight line you can’t get here fast enough.” Maybe he is trying to talk to his daughter again and wants her to seemingly fly down from heaven to him so he can see her once more. This would also explain why he misses her so much, maybe it’s his little girl who died who he is writing to. In many of his other songs George talks about Dallas and always sings about Dallas, perhaps in this song when he talks about her leaving Dallas to return to him he is thinking of Dallas as his form of heaven. So, he is begging his daughter to come from Dallas which is his representation of heaven, to come back to him if at all possible. This is the only variation I can think of for the lyrics: instead of the thought of it being toward his wife or lover it may be for his daughter who passed away in a car
The childhood of any individual is vital to preparing a person for their future. Taylor wasn’t born into a rich and famous family, she had to learn that one must work hard for what they have. It was that same drive she learned at a young age that lead to her incredible achievements later in life. Taylor
She began singing solo’s at New Bethel Church. At the age of fourteen Aretha’s talent for singing was recognized by her father, and he started managing her shortly after, so he could get her a recording deal. She started off by going on the road with her father and singing at various churches while he preached. This resulted in Aretha Franklin getting signed to her first record deal with J.V.B. Records Label. Her first studio album was titled “Songs Of Faith”. Although this did not put her on the map as the Queen of Soul. Aretha decided at the age of 18 that she wanted to go in the direction of Sam Cooke and sing Pop music. It was not until she signed with the Columbia Records in 1960, that she had her first single chart the Billboard on the Hot 100 with her song “Won’t Be Long” off her first pop studio album Aretha: With the Ray Bryant Combo. With her talent Franklin was able to record in diverse genres such as vocal jazz, blues, standards, rhythm and blues and doo-wop. In 1962, she released two more studio albums: ‘The Electrifying Aretha Franklin’ and ‘The Tender,The Moving,Swinging Aretha Franklin’. Her number-one R&B singles are “Respect” in 1967, “Chain Of Fools” in 1967, “Think” in 1967, and “Share Your Love With Me” also in 1967. In 1968 Aretha performed at Dr. Martin Luther King’s Funeral. She also performed at the presidential inauguration of Jimmy Carter. Doing her music is the reason why Franklin is where she is now and why she is known as the queen of
Natalie Cole was a renowned singer who won nine Grammys in her life and a person that many people came to love her over her years as a singer and she will always be remembered for what she did and who she was. Natalie Cole was born Feb 6,1950 in Los Angeles, California and she was the daughter of vocal legend Nat King Cole and jazz singer Maria Cole. She grew up in an environment that nurtured her musical ability and at age 11 she was already performing in a community and everyone loved her.
Aretha Louise Franklin also known as the Queen of Soul was born on March 25, 1942 in Memphis Tennessee. She is known for being a solo singer, and also a very talented pianist. Soul, R&B, Jazz, and Gospel are genres that she sings. Throughout her career she signed with Colombia Records and has released many popular singles that would now be considered classical. Aretha became the first female artist to be introduced into the Rock and Roll Hall of fame. Up until this day Aretha is still alive living at age seventy two and has won many Grammy awards and considered one of the most honored artist.
Barbara Charline Jordan contributed many things to help equality for African-Americans and to put an impact on society. She was a lawyer, educator, and was the first African-American women from the south to join Congress. Ever since she was in high school, Barbara had been a very talented public speaker. As a result of being such an inspirational speaker, she gave the opening speech for President Nixon impeachment hearing in 1974. Barbara’s time in Congress ended after three terms and became a professor and policy advocate.
Whitney Houston grew up in humble beginnings, with fame on her side, helping her to become the modern-day tragic hero that the public knows. According to Biography, “Born on August 9, 1963 in Newark, New
She performed at top venues all over the world, and packed them to the hilt. Her audiences were as diverse as her vocal range. They were rich and
Selena Quintanilla was such an amazing person inside and out more known as the queen of tejano music. She won the hearts of many people young and old in the little time she was here on earth. Blessing many people with her contagious smile, and positive upbeat attitude. Selena has always had where to pull from when it came to being musically talented. Her father Abraham Quintanilla played in a band called Los Dinos which means the boys in Spanish. He had to give his life up as an artist because he got married and had his first kid. Therefore he had to find a better support system for his family. So when he saw that Selena had talent he focused all his goals and dreams on her. Therefore selena had to make a lot of sacrifices and not live a normal childhood.
This song creates yet another heartwarming story by incorporating the values of love and marriage into its lyrics. For example, the line “So, we planned it all out for the middle of June, from the wedding cake to the honeymoon, and your momma cried when you walked down the aisle,” gives the audience the classic, lovely vision of getting married. Similar lyrics in the song such as “Yeah baby I love you a lot” and “I think we’ve got a real good shot” also tie in the human desire to be loved by another individual. These specific lyrics are significant because they all appeal to human nature’s yearning for interpersonal connection. This means an audience member can connect to the lyrics in this song on a deep level.
Although in the 60’s, when this song was first released, women might have had positive views about this song; because in fact women’s role 50 years ago was mainly adhering to their man’s need, whether it being supporting him, serving him or pleasing him. In which the
Aretha Franklin was known as Lady Soul in the 60’s. Born in Memphis raised in Detroit made Pop and R&B music and dominated. Artist always have an inspiration and Aretha’s was gospel music. Since she was raised in the church. Her father was a Reverend and a well-known Detroit gospel singer along with her mother who lead the church choir. Just like any normal person Aretha had a family. She was unique compared to woman in that time. She had two sons before her seventh birthday. Which then lead to her marriage with Ted White who was her manager and a pimp in Detroit. Who was a bad influence on Aretha he introduced her to marijuana and alcohol. Which began taking a toll on her music career she was unfocused and unhappy. On top of all the stress
Crowned as "The Queen of Soul", Aretha Franklin is one of the most honored female vocal artists of the last 50 years. She is an American soul singer, songwriter as well as a pianist. Her soulful, soaring voice has earned her mythic status over the years. It has been said that Aretha was a child prodigy of the golden age of gospel and was the anointed successor to gospel singers Clara Ward and Mahalia Jackson. Many idolize her and her musical intelligence to this day. She is said to be one of the most quintessential sounds of America alongside The Beetles, The Stones, and Louis Armstrong.
Whitney Houston is a superstar. She works with a lot of people who struggle with additive behaviors. This social exposure has been difficult for her to handle. From media reports, Ms. Houston appears to be very stressed over family matters. She reports that she had a tumultuous marriage; suffering through many years of infidelity and public scandals in addition to the drug and alcohol arrests of her husband. Additionally, Whitney has been embroiled in another legal battle with her father for failure to settle a $100 million debt she owed his company (Whitney Houston, 2011).
She was idealized by every young African American girl in the 70's. She produced number one hits one after the other and became a social icon.