Cissy Houston News

Vy Higginsen, the creator of the classic gospel musical Mama, I Want to Sing, will be honored at the "BET AWARDS 12," receiving a SHINE-A-LIGHT recognition on the live telecast.

Vy Higginsen, the creator of the classic gospel musical Mama, I Want to Sing, will be honored at the "BET AWARDS 12," receiving a SHINE-A-LIGHT recognition on the live telecast.

Joe's Pub gives you a look ahead at its July 9-July 15 performances, including Amanda Holley, Bridget Everett & The Tender Moments, Matt Munisteri, Mary C., Happy Ending Music & Reading Series, Charles Perry, Kalman Balogh Gypsy Cimbalom Trio, Summer & Eve, Batz, Bhi Bhiman, Justin Robinson & The Mary annettes, Ilusha Tsinadze's Dede Ena, Russian Red with special guest Tulsa, Lori Lieberman, Michael Serveris, and Loose Cattle. See full details below!

TVGuide.com reports that Cissy Whitney, mother of the late Whitney Houston has signed a book deal to write a book about her daughter.

Lifetime has picked up THE HOUSTON CHRONICLES (working title), an all-new docu-series that will follow the lives of the late Whitney Houston's family, led by Pat Houston, Whitney's sister-in-law and manager, and including Pat's daughter Rayah, Whitney's brother Gary, daughter Bobbi Kristina and mother, Grammy(R) Award-winning singer Cissy Houston.

Vy Higginsen's Gospel for Teens Choir, will be performing at the TED2012 Conference, which will take place from February 29 through March 2 in Long Beach, CA.

Vy Higginsen's Gospel for Teens Choir, will be performing at the TED2012 Conference, which will take place from February 27 through March 2 in Long Beach, CA.

In an exclusive interview with the 'Today' show's Al Roker this morning, Aretha Franklin revealed that she learned the news of Whitney Houston's death much the same way most of America did, on TV.

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. 'Show Boat' and 'South Pacific' in the Loop, the Grammys, Whitney Houston's showtune connections, 'Charlie Brown,' 'Pippin' and more....

At last night's Grammy Awards, musicians and singers marked the loss of one of the music industry's greatest entertainers of all time, Whitney Houston, who died Saturday night in her hotel room at the Beverly Hills Hilton. One of the evening's most stirring moments came as Jennifer Hudson, who has called the late singer an inspiration and one of her biggest idols, performed Houston's signature song, 'I Will Always Love You.'

A rep for singer Whitney Houston announced to the Associated Press that Houston died yesterday at age 48. The singer died in her room at the Beverly Hilton hotel, where she was for Clive Davis' Grammy Awards party. No cause of death has yet been revealed.

The entire entertainment world is reeling. We have lost one of our most iconic pop, R&B and soundtrack performers this evening - as well as a formidable movie star in her own right - Whitney Houston was just reported dead at the age of 48. Having had one of the most successful and most multimedia of careers of any multi-hyphenate star in recent memory, Houston scored multiple Grammys and racked up countless nominations over the course of her multi-decade recording career, yet her most notable contributions to the world of music reside in her outstanding soundtrack work - most of all, the songs for the film in which she made the transition into feature film leading lady, 1992's THE BODYGUARD. The biggest hit from THE BODYGUARD's blockbuster soundtrack was undoubtedly Houston's rendition of a Dolly Parton song originally recorded in 1974 and later made famous by Parton in the feature film version of the Broadway hit THE BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE IN TEXAS, "I Will Always Love You". In addition to Houston's sensational work on that mega-selling soundtrack - one of the Top 5 best-selling soundtracks of all time - she also provided her dramatic and vocal skills to the multi-platinum soundtracks to THE PREACHER'S WIFE and WAITING TO EXHALE, both films which she also starred in to much box office success. An Oscar-winning duet with Mariah Carey, "When You Believe" by WICKED's Stephen Schwartz from THE PRINCE OF EGYPT is yet another diadem in Houston's triple crown of accomplishments in the realms of music, film and television - having dominated all. Theatre fans may know Houston best for her incomparable portrayal of the Fairy Godmother in the incredibly successful 1997 ABC TV adaptation of Rodgers & Hammerstein's CINDERELLA starring Brandy and produced by Craig Zadan and Neil Meron. In addition to Houston's contributions to THE BODYGUARD, THE PREACHER'S WIFE, WAITING TO EXHALE, THE PRINCE OF EGYPT and CINDERELLA, Houston also rose to fame early in her career for her rendition of "Home" from THE WIZ on THE Merv Griffin SHOW, as well as made a mark with a Cissy Houston duet on the CHESS international smash, "I Know Him So Well" on her second hit album. The last project Houston was working on prior to her death on Saturday night was the feature film musical SPARKLE, co-starring AMERICAN IDOL winner and Broadway standout Jordin Sparks. SPARKLE reportedly completed production of principal photography and soundtrack sessions, though it is not clear when the musical remake will now be released in light of Houston's unexpected death. No matter the circumstances of her life and death, Whitney Houston most surely left a legacy that will never be forgotten by those that adored her for her vast multitude of talents and many notable accomplishments in all areas of entertainment.

The 70th birthday of Queen Of Soul Aretha Franklin, winner of 15 Grammy Awards® and the first female ever to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame, will be celebrated on March 25, 2012. In honor of this momentous occasion, and also in advance of Black History Month in February, KNEW YOU WERE WAITING: THE BEST OF ARETHA FRANKLIN 1980-1998 will be available at all physical and digital retail outlets starting January 31, 2012, through Arista/Legacy, a division of SONY MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT.

The 70th birthday of Queen Of Soul Aretha Franklin, winner of 15 Grammy Awards® and the first female ever to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame, will be celebrated on March 25, 2012. In honor of this momentous occasion, and also in advance of Black History Month in February, KNEW YOU WERE WAITING: THE BEST OF ARETHA FRANKLIN 1980-1998 will be available at all physical and digital retail outlets starting January 31, 2012, through Arista/Legacy, a division of SONY MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT.

Mama, I Want To Sing: The Next Generation, the acclaimed revival of Mama I Want To Sing! - the 1983 musical based on the life and times of singer Doris Troy - continues at The Dempsey Theater (127 W. 127th Street, between Adam Clayton Powell Jr. and Malcolm X Boulevards).

VY HIGGINSEN'S GOSPEL FOR TEENS: A HARLEM HOLIDAY BENEFIT CONCERT, featuring both gospel standards and Christmas carols, will take place at The Dempsey Theater, located at 127 West 127th Street (between Lenox and 7th Aves) on Friday, December 9th at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $25 and are available by calling 212- 868-4444 or online at www.smarttix.com.

VY HIGGINSEN'S GOSPEL FOR TEENS: A HARLEM HOLIDAY BENEFIT CONCERT, featuring both gospel standards and Christmas carols, will take place at The Dempsey Theater, located at 127 West 127th Street (between Lenox and 7th Aves) on Friday, December 9th at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $25 and are available by calling 212- 868-4444 or online at www.smarttix.com.

Mama, I Want To Sing: The Next Generation, the acclaimed revival of Mama I Want To Sing! - the 1983 musical based on the life and times of singer Doris Troy - continues at The Dempsey Theater (127 W. 127th Street, between Adam Clayton Powell Jr. and Malcolm X Boulevards).

Village Art Pictures presents THIS TIME - a music documentary starring The Sweet Inspirations (The legendary back-up singers for Elvis Presley, Aretha Franklin, Dionne Warwick and the unforgettable voices behind Dusty Springfield's 'Son of a Preacher Man').