Whitney HoustonB次元官网网址檚 brother remembers when his young sister listened to their mother during gospel rehearsals before she mimicked every tune that was sung.

As Houston rose to pop superstardom, her exceptionally talented vocals were rooted in gospel music. And now, her family B次元官网网址� led by her sister-in-law Pat and brother Gary Houston B次元官网网址� wants the foundation of her musical legacy to continue to live on through her new posthumous gospel album and documentary under the same name, B次元官网网址� B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淕ospel was in her heart,B次元官网网址� said Gary Houston, who recalled his sister around the age of 5 wearing their mother Cissy HoustonB次元官网网址檚 wig and high heels while using a broom as a microphone. B次元官网网址淲e woke up to and went to sleep to gospel. She would sing exactly what she heard my mother and her siblings. No secular music. It was all gospel.B次元官网网址�

Pat Houston, the executor of Whitney HoustonB次元官网网址檚 estate, said sheB次元官网网址檚 excited for listeners to hear the six-time Grammy-winnerB次元官网网址檚 message of hope and faith and the influential mark gospel music had on her life and career through both projects, which both were released Friday last week. The documentary, hosted by CeCe Winans, aired on UPtv and AspireTV and will be available on DVD.

The singerB次元官网网址檚 14-track album features several tunes from notable soundtracks including B次元官网网址淛esus Loves MeB次元官网网址� from B次元官网网址淭he Bodyguard,B次元官网网址� from B次元官网网址淪parkleB次元官网网址� along with and from B次元官网网址淭he PreacherB次元官网网址檚 WifeB次元官网网址� soundtrack B次元官网网址� the best-selling gospel album of all time. The project also includes six unreleased tracks B次元官网网址� three of which (B次元官网网址淗e Can Use Me,B次元官网网址� B次元官网网址淚 Found a Wonderful WayB次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址淭estimonyB次元官网网址�) were recorded when she was 17 years old.

B次元官网网址淵ou heard the innocence of her voice,B次元官网网址� said Pat Houston. B次元官网网址淵ou could see where she started and how she ended up with all her hits throughout her career. Any song is a great song of Whitney HoustonB次元官网网址檚. You heard her gospel roots all wrapped up in her music.B次元官网网址�

Whitney Houston first started singing at the New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, New Jersey, as a child. Between the mid-1980s to the late 1990s, she was one of the worldB次元官网网址檚 best-selling artists with her effortlessly powerful vocals rooted in the Black church but made palatable to the masses with her pop persona.

It understandably took time for the family to grieve after Whitney HoustonB次元官网网址檚 death in 2012. Her brother, Gary, said he still feels his sisterB次元官网网址檚 spirit whenever it rains, or when a bird visits him while heB次元官网网址檚 at home adding that B次元官网网址渨hen the doorbell rings, I think itB次元官网网址檚 her.B次元官网网址�

But now, Gary and Pat Houston feel like theyB次元官网网址檙e in a better place. ThatB次元官网网址檚 one of the reasons Pat felt now is the perfect time to release the gospel-centric projects B次元官网网址� especially with Easter next month and Whitney HoustonB次元官网网址檚 60th birthday celebration on the horizon in August.

B次元官网网址淎n Easter project is something she always wanted to do since her visit to Israel,B次元官网网址� Pat Houston said. B次元官网网址淚t never came into fruition. WeB次元官网网址檙e doing this all through WhitneyB次元官网网址檚 lens. ItB次元官网网址檚 special because this is her 60th birthday celebration. This project is definitely a labor of love for her. It represents her in such a very spiritual way.B次元官网网址�

Pat Houston said she hopes viewers can find closure through watching the documentary with several guest appearances including Jenifer Lewis, Kim Burrell and Kevin Costner. It features the singerB次元官网网址檚 first-ever performance in front of an audience as well as many others including her singing B次元官网网址淚 Go to the RockB次元官网网址� with The Georgia Mass Choir on B次元官网网址淪aturday Night LiveB次元官网网址� in 1996, B次元官网网址淛esus Loves MeB次元官网网址� in Santiago, Chile, in 1994, and B次元官网网址淕uide Me O Thou, Great JehovahB次元官网网址� on B次元官网网址淭he Arsenio Hall ShowB次元官网网址� in 1990.

B次元官网网址淗opefully one could have peace and knowing that Whitney Houston was a woman of God,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淣o one is really exempt from the harsh realities of the world. She certainly understood that. But Whitney expressed her love for God. She knew where her strength was coming from and she showed it throughout the documentary.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址擩onathan Landrum Jr., The Associated Press

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