Whitney Houston and Aretha Franklin are two of the greatest singers of all time and they shared an extraordinary friendship full of love and support. Many fans have wondered if they were related by blood or by godmotherhood, but the truth is more nuanced than that. Here’s what you need to know about their close relationship and how it influenced their music and lives.
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How Whitney Houston Met Aretha Franklin
Whitney Houston was related to Aretha Franklin through her mother. Aretha was good friends with Whitney’s mother Cissy Houston and had close connections to Whitney’s family. Cissy was a talented singer herself and sang backup vocals for Aretha in the late ’60s, as part of the all-female, all-Black R&B backup vocal group The Sweet Inspirations.
Cissy would sometimes bring a young Whitney to Aretha’s recording sessions, where Whitney was exposed to Aretha’s voice and music. Whitney grew up around Aretha and was inspired by her talent and success. Aretha encouraged Whitney in her talent and their friendship grew as Whitney established herself as an artist.
In a rare interview footage from MTV, Aretha explained her relationship with the Houston family. She said: “Whitney’s mother Cissy Houston was a very old friend of mine. We’ve sung together many many times, she’s done a lot of background work with me and accompanied me on a number of dates.”
Aretha spoke of meeting Whitney as a child and described her as “shy” and “very lovely”. She said: “Whitney was, well she still is very young and kind of [a] shy, lovely girl, very nice young lady.”
Aretha also mentioned that she didn’t realise how much Whitney looked up to her and how she impacted her early life. She said: “I had no idea that Whitney felt as close to me as she does but it’s lovely, it’s fabulous.”
The Godmother Myth
Although it has sometimes been reported that Aretha was Whitney’s godmother, that was not, in fact, the case. Cissy did refer to Aretha as Whitney’s honorary aunt, however, leading Whitney to call Aretha, 21 years her senior, “Auntie Ree”.
Aretha clarified this misconception in an interview with Wendy Williams in 2011. She said: “I am not Whitney’s godmother. I’ve known Cissy for years and years before she had Nippy [Whitney’s nickname], before she had Michael [Whitney’s brother]. And we were always good friends.”
She added: “I think maybe what they meant was I am like a godmother to all of these young artists who have come along since I started singing.”
Their Musical Collaboration
Whitney Houston and Aretha Franklin collaborated on a song called “It Isn’t, It Wasn’t, It Ain’t Never Gonna Be” in 1989. The song was written by Albert Hammond and Diane Warren and produced by Narada Michael Walden. It was released as a single from Aretha’s album Through the Storm and also appeared on Whitney’s album I’m Your Baby Tonight.
The song peaked at number 41 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and number five on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. It also reached number 29 on the UK Singles Chart.
The song is a duet between the two divas, who sing about a man who is trying to get back with them after breaking their hearts. They reject his advances and declare that they are better off without him.
The song showcases their powerful vocals and their chemistry as singers. They also filmed a music video for the song, which shows them performing in front of a live audience.
Their Mutual Respect and Love
Whitney Houston and Aretha Franklin had a mutual respect and love for each other as artists and as friends. They praised each other’s talents and achievements in interviews and public events.
In 1986, Whitney presented Aretha with the Soul Train Music Award for Career Achievement. She said: “She is my idol, my mentor, my friend. She is truly the Queen of Soul.”
In 1994, Aretha presented Whitney with the Grammy Award for Album of the Year for The Bodyguard soundtrack. She said: “I’m so proud of you tonight. You have made history tonight.”
In 1997, Whitney paid tribute to Aretha at the VH1 Divas Live concert. She sang “I’m Every Woman” and “I Will Always Love You” and then introduced Aretha to the stage. She said: “Ladies and gentlemen, I have the extreme pleasure of introducing to you not only the Queen of Soul, but my godmother. I love this woman with every bit of my soul. Please welcome Miss Aretha Franklin!”
Aretha joined Whitney and other divas such as Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, Gloria Estefan and Shania Twain for a medley of songs, including “Natural Woman”, “You Make Me Feel Like A Natural Woman” and “Testimony”.
Their Grief and Loss
Whitney Houston and Aretha Franklin also shared heartbreak, loss and grief in their lives. They both struggled with personal issues, such as addiction, divorce and health problems. They also lost some of their loved ones, such as Whitney’s father John Houston, who died in 2003, and Aretha’s father Reverend C.L. Franklin, who died in 1984.
Whitney Houston died at the age of 48 on February 11, 2012, after accidentally drowning in her bathtub at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. She was found to have cocaine, marijuana, Xanax, Benadryl and other substances in her system at the time of her death.
Aretha Franklin was devastated by Whitney’s death and released a statement expressing her sorrow. She said: “I just can’t talk about it now. It’s so stunning and unbelievable. I couldn’t believe what I was reading coming across the TV screen. My heart goes out to Cissy, her daughter Bobbi Kris, her family and Bobby.”
Aretha was expected to sing at Whitney’s funeral on February 18, 2012, but she cancelled her appearance due to health reasons. She said: “Regretfully, I am so sorry that I was unable to be with you at Whitney’s service today. I had every intention of being there. But unfortunately I had terrible leg spasms and locked leg muscles until 4:00AM this morning following my concert last night, which I’ve been having for the last few days.”
She added: “I feel it was my responsibility to stay home and try to rest up and take care of the situation at hand. Please know that I wholly feel your pain.”
Aretha Franklin died at the age of 76 on August 16, 2018, from pancreatic cancer. She had been battling the disease for several years and had retired from performing in 2017.
Cissy Houston shared a thoughtful statement in memory of her late friend Aretha when she passed away. She said: “Aretha was my dear friend who I will deeply miss. I have known Aretha for over 50 years, both professionally as her back up singer and then as a friend.”
She added: “We have shared heartbreak, loss, as well as exaltation and great laughter and most importantly our mutual love of God. Although my heart is broken, my soul rejoices that I was able to watch God move through Aretha’s life. God bless you Re, I will always love you.”
Conclusion
Whitney Houston and Aretha Franklin were not related by blood or by godmotherhood, but they were related by friendship, music and soul. They had a close bond that spanned decades and influenced their careers and lives. They supported each other through thick and thin and celebrated each other’s successes and talents. They were two of the most iconic singers of all time and their legacy lives on through their music and their fans.
