Unfortunately, Cissy Houston, 91, passed away on October 7, 2024. She was battling Alzheimer’s disease while in hospice care.
Houston’s real name is Emily Drinkard. She made quite a wave in the American soul and gospel music industry.
Highlights
- Cissy Houston’s sister, Lee Drinkard Warrick, is the mother of Dionne Warwick.
- Despite their aunt-niece relationship, Cissy and Dionne shared a sibling-like bond due to their close age difference.
- Meanwhile, cousin Dionne called Cissy’s late daughter, Whitney Houston, “the little girl I never had.”
Her musical journey began in childhood when she formed the gospel group The Drinkard Four with her siblings.
Eventually, this group later evolved into The Drinkard Singers, gaining acclaim for their performances, including a memorable appearance at Carnegie Hall in 1951.
Similarly, Dionne Warwick is a prominent American singer, actress, and television host. She is celebrated for her contributions to R&B and pop music, particularly through her collaborations with the legendary songwriting duo Burt Bacharach and Hal David.
Given that both women have made remarkable strides in the music biz and garnered extensive fan bases, many often wonder about their relationship.
Dionne Warwick And Cissy Houston: Celebrating Their Family Legacy In Music
Dionne Warwick and Cissy Houston are related, and they have a tight family connection as an aunt and niece. They come from a famous family of gospel singers, the Drinkards.
As mentioned above, Cissy’s birth name is Emily Drinkard, and she is the sister of Warwick’s mom, Lee Drinkard Warrick.
Talking about Lee, she played a key part in shaping the music careers of her daughters, Dionne and Dee Dee Warwick.
Sadly, Lee is no longer between us. She was born on March 1, 1920, and passed away on February 23, 2005.
As Cissy and Dionne are aunt and niece, respectively, this family tree means Cissy’s daughter, the iconic Whitney Houston, is Dionne Warwick’s cousin.
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Likewise, as Warwick and Cissy grew up in a home filled with music, they often sang together at church.
Although they are aunt and niece, Warwick has said Cissy feels more like an older sister because they’re close in age.
Their bond went beyond their personal lives and stretched into their work lives, with both reaching great success in the music world.
Similarly, Warwick felt a strong love for Cissy’s daughter, Whitney Houston, who passed away.
Warwick even said Whitney was “the little girl I never had,” showing how close their families were. Sadly, Whitney passed away in 2012 when she was 48.
While Cissy Houston Made Millions, Dionne Warwick’s Net Worth Is In Six-Figure Only
Cissy Houston has amassed a net worth of around $5 million, which appears reasonable given her extensive and fruitful career in gospel and soul music.
She built her fortune through her work as a solo performer and as a member of groups like The Sweet Inspirations.
Cissy’s musical endeavors, including providing backing vocals for major artists and releasing her own albums, have led to her financial prosperity.
In contrast, her niece Dionne Warwick, despite her iconic status in the music world, has encountered major money problems.
So, while Cissy made millions in her lifetime, Dionne is estimated to have a six-figure fortune as of now.
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As of 2024, experts estimate Warwick’s net worth at a mere $300,000. Warwick’s financial woes became known to the public in 2013 when she declared bankruptcy, citing debts exceeding $10 million from tax obligations.
At that time, she owned assets worth $25,000. The majority of her debt consisted of almost $7 million she owed to the IRS and more than $3 million in California franchise taxes.
Warwick’s hit-filled career has been overshadowed by poor money management, resulting in her current reduced net worth even though she holds iconic status in the music world.
Additional Information
- Cissy Houston authored a memoir titled Remembering Whitney: A Mother’s Story of Life, Loss, and The Night The Music Stopped, reflecting on her daughter Whitney’s life and struggles.
- Houston was a two-time Grammy Award winner; her first Grammy was in 1997 for her soul gospel album Face to Face, and she again won in 1999 for He Leadeth Me.
- She has been married twice; her first marriage was to Freddie Garland in 1955 and her second in 1959 to John Russell Houston Jr.
