Cissy Houston

Cissy Houston
Houston in 1975.
Born	Emily Drinkard (1933-09-30) September 30, 1933 Newark, New Jersey, U.S.
Occupation	Singer
Years active	1938–present
Spouses	Freddie Garland ​ ​ (m. 1955; div. 1957)​ John Houston Jr. ​ ​ (m. 1964; div. 1991)​
Children	3, including Whitney and Gary
Relatives	Bobbi Kristina Brown (granddaughter) Dionne Warwick (niece) Dee Dee Warwick (niece) Leontyne Price (cousin) Damon Elliott (grandnephew)

Emily "Cissy" Houston (née Drinkard; born September 30, 1933) is an American soul and gospel singer. After a successful career singing backup for such artists as Roy Hamilton, Dionne Warwick (her niece), Elvis Presley, Aretha Franklin, and Chaka Khan, Houston embarked on a solo career, winning two Grammy Awards for her work.

Houston is the mother of singer and actress Whitney Houston, the aunt of singers Dionne Warwick and Dee Dee Warwick, and a cousin of opera singer Leontyne Price. Houston was the grandmother of Whitney Houston's only child, Bobbi Kristina Brown.