**Legendary Soul Singer Cissy Houston Passes Away at 91**

Renowned soul singer Emily 'Cissy' Houston, mother of the late Whitney Houston, passed away on Monday at her home in New Jersey at the age of 91. Houston had been receiving hospice care for Alzheimer's disease, her family confirmed. Known for her powerful voice and prestigious collaborations, her death marks 12 years since her daughter Whitney tragically drowned at the age of 48.

Cissy Houston's daughter-in-law, Pat Houston, expressed the family's deep sorrow in a statement. "Our hearts are filled with pain and sadness. We lost the matriarch of our family," she said. "Mother Cissy has been a strong and towering figure in our lives. A woman of deep faith and conviction, who cared greatly about family, ministry, and community. Her more than seven-decade career in music and entertainment will remain at the forefront of our hearts... May she rest in peace, alongside her daughter, Whitney and granddaughter Bobbi Kristina and other cherished family members."

Before Whitney's rise to fame, Cissy made her mark with the backup group Sweet Inspirations, performing alongside legends such as Otis Redding and Lou Rawls. Her last performance with Sweet Inspirations took place in 1969, when the group collaborated with Elvis Presley in Las Vegas. After achieving considerable success with the group, Houston embarked on a solo career, soon becoming an in-demand session singer and recording over 600 songs across multiple genres.

Throughout the decades, Houston worked with some of the biggest names in the music industry, including Jimi Hendrix, Beyonce, Luther Vandross, and notably, her daughter Whitney. In addition to her illustrious singing career, Houston authored three books: "He Leadeth Me," "How Sweet The Sound: My Life with God and Gospel," and "Remembering Whitney: A Mother's Story of Life, Loss and The Night The Music Stopped."

Houston began her musical journey at a young age, joining a church choir in New Jersey. Throughout her career, she remained connected to her roots, actively participating in her local New Hope Baptist Church in Newark for over fifty years as her stature in the music world grew.