Whitney Houston (1963--2012)

     Am writing after just hearing about the death of Whitney Houston, and at this time (8:00 pm Central US) it is has not been released where she was or how she died. Which is why I want to write now rather than to have anything color my initial writing.
     During a 15 year period she could do no wrong professionally. Eight to 10 albums, twenty-two top 10 hits with eleven of them reaching number one. A starring role in three major hit movies during the 90's, "The Bodyguard", Waiting to Exhale", and The Preacher's Wife. And who could forget her rendition of the National Anthem during Super Bowl XXV in 1991?
     I always appreciated her talent, although couldn't necessarily call myself a fan, but watch warily as she entered into a romance then marriage with Bobby Brown... watched her slow decent and pulled for her as she attempted to pull out of her drug induced haze. Was always hoping that she could make a career comeback, but was more hoping that she would make a life comeback. As news will eventually leak out about her death....we will know more about how successful she was at that. No matter what the cause however, we will be left with many good memories, but somewhat haunted about the potential of a star gone way too soon.

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Bobby Brown--My Prerogative (1988)

     It's almost been a generation ago now, but once a upon a time, Bobby Brown was at the top of the musical heap in the late 80's/early 90's. At one point, he had 10 straight top 20 hits, and was seen as a pioneer of New Jack Swing, which was a hybrid of hip hop and R&B.
     Most people under the age of 21 has only seen the decline. It wasn't that his fall couldn't be predicted either. He was voted out of the group New Edition back in 1986 because the others felt his onstage (and offstage) antics would hurt their careers. However, for a 5 year period he was by far the most successful former member of that group. As his reign on the charts began to wain, his anger (and drug) issues began to flare. Am not sure I remember meeting anyone who thought that his marriage to Whitney Houston would end up well. As it turned out, not only did his career disintegrate, but eventually her's along with it. Now Houston it attempting to pick up the pieces. Brown has not released an album since 1997, but has been touring with former New Edition mates Ralph Tresvant and Johnny Gill in a group called, "Heads of State" and showed up on Macy Gray's 2010 album. Here is hoping he can get his life back together....

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