Whitney Houston 2, 2003), and gospel singer Emily "Cissy" (Drinkard) Houston. Her elder brother Michael is a singer, and her elder half-brother is former basketball player Gary Garland. Her parents were both African American. Through her mother, Houston was a first cousin of singers Dionne Warwick and Dee Dee Warwick. Her godmother was Darlene Love and her honorary aunt was Aretha Franklin, whom she met at age 8 or 9 when her mother took her to a recording studio. Houston was raised a Baptist, but was also exposed to the Pentecostal church. After the 1967 Newark riots, the family moved to a
Midnight Train to Georgia (Cissy Houston album) her version of "Midnight Train to Georgia", which was later covered by Gladys Knight & The Pips. The album's liner notes includes special messages from her daughter pop/R&B singer Whitney Houston and R&B singer Luther Vandross. Midnight Train to Georgia (Cissy Houston album) Midnight Train to Georgia is a compilation album by American soul singer Cissy Houston, released in 1995 on Ichiban Records. The album consist of songs recorded when she was on the Janus Records label, which released her debut album, "Presenting Cissy Houston", as well as bonus tracks. The songs were produced by Donald Rubin, Charles Koppelman, Bob