Whitney Houston - Tapa dura

Whitney Houston burst onto the music scene in 1985 with her debut album, which earned numerous industry awards including a Grammy for the single "Saving All My Love For You". Since then, the acclaimed artist has released only a limited amount of new material, and yet she retains her pre-eminence in the industry and her popularity with music fans. Similarly, as an actress, since starring in the movie "The Bodyguard" she has chosen to appear in only three other movies to date. And yet she remains in demand among casting directors and, in 2003, has the choice of whether to star in the remake of the French classic "Diva" or to join Pierce Brosnan in a forthcoming Bond adventure. As Whitney Houston approaches her 40th birthday, this biography reflects on the journey which has taken her from a problematic childhood in a broken New Jersey home, to becoming the protegee of Arista producer Clive Davis, to today's diva, mired in rumours of peculiar behaviour and drug abuse. He explains how the shy, pretty young girl from a devoutly religious background, once dubbed the "Prom Queen of Soul", turned into the subject of lurid tabloid gossip, much of it concerning her often turbulent relationship with her husband, hiphop star Bobby Brown. Despite a string of highly publicized episodes of violence, adultery and substance abuse, Bobby still holds a strange attraction for Whitney, who insists "I've got a good man. He takes care of me". This biography tells the whole story of Whitney Houston's dramatic and turbulent life.

Whitney Houston burst onto the music scene in 1985 with a stunning debut album, garnering numerous awards, including a Grammy for the single, “Saving All My Love for You.” Since then, she’s released limited new material, yet she retains her preeminence in the industry and her enormous popularity with fans. Similarly, as an actress, since starring in the blockbuster movie The Bodyguard, she’s chosen to appear in only three other movies. Still, she remains much in demand among casting directors. Now James Robert Parish reflects on the extraordinary journey that has taken her from a difficult childhood, to becoming the protégée of powerful Arista producer Clive Davis, to today’s diva, mired in rumors of peculiar behavior and drug abuse. He also looks at how the shy, pretty young girl from a devout background became the subject of lurid tabloid gossip, much of it focused on her turbulent relationship with her husband, bad–boy hiphop star Bobby Brown.

James Robert Parish is the author of many biographies and reference books on the entertainment industry, including The Hollywood Book of Death and Hollywood Divas.