Pipes Never Die: A Tribute to Whitney
Editor’s note: Whitney Houston had a profound impact on a generation. As we grapple with the loss of yet another legend, we thought it fitting to honor her with a special issue dedicated solely to her impact on our lives.
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The night before Whitney Houston died, I was skimming a gossip website when I happened on the headline “Whitney Houston is a Bloody Mess.” The accompanying pictures revealed a familiar scene — the singer was sweaty, disoriented, her wig tangled — but this time, blood flowed from scratches on her arms and legs. I didn’t read the comments section of the article. I knew folks would joke about how busted she looked, would speculate about her drug use and mighty fall from the perch of pop stardom.
I’m guilty of joking about Whitney’s decline as well.
Last May when Chaka Khan opened for Prince during his 21-day residency in Los Angeles, she surprised the crowd by pulling Whitney onstage. My excitement quickly melted. I was embarrassed for the performer. She wore an unflattering black dress that was too tight and accentuated her bulging stomach. A friend sitting a few rows away texted: “Is she preggers?” Whitney’s voice was raspy, and she sounded tipsy as she sang along to “Tell Me Something Good.” Nevertheless, I clapped and cheered as did thousands of concertgoers in the packed arena. Perhaps they were envisioning the Whitney of long ago. Perhaps the image gyrating on the Jumbotron that night was not of an aging songstress too many years, and addictions and bad relationships past her prime, but of the dew-skinned beauty who captivated millions with the soaring purity of her voice.
I must confess that there are no Whitney Houston songs on my iPod, yet her voice was the anthem of my youth. Although she couldn’t dance like Janet and didn’t possess a bad-girl persona like Madonna, even though she was white-girl thin and wore honey-blonde wigs and extensions, she was one of the first celebrities I looked up to as a teen. I could relate to her outlier status. Many of her lyrics were sappy, yet a chord of yearning pierced her songs, accentuating the pain I felt as a lonely black girl with no rhythm, but tons of blues. Whitney was classified as a pop princess, but her sweet mezzo-soprano straddled the boundaries of R&B and gospel. Her music could take you all the way to the sanctuary — church fans waving, hands raised high to testify when she hit those notes. But it was as if her label purposely reined in those mighty vocals so she wouldn’t be viewed as too black, scouring her image of any hint of soul.
Growing up, there were few performers of color featured on MTV and other music shows, so I was always thrilled whenever a black face appeared on my television screen. Whitney was a radiant brown-skinned woman whose smile was joy unfolding. She seemed comfortable with her beauty, and it never overshadowed her music, serving instead as an accessory like her crucifix necklace and glittery headbands. Although I couldn’t learn the latest dance steps from her as I did with Janet Jackson or emulate the flyest hairstyles and fashions as I did with Salt ‘n Pepa, I still popped a VHS into the recorder to tape her appearances. She was both goddess and girl-next-door. There was a playful, carnival-like feel to her 80s videos — Whitney in mermaid drag with big hair being pursued by men of all races. In my mind, I will always see her in a metallic dress running through a pastel-splashed labyrinth, a Warhol-esque fun house, searching for a friend, the perfect lover, her lost self.
It seems as if Whitney’s legacy has been reduced to “Crack is Wack” memes and pictures of the star looking gaunt and unkempt. It saddens me how quickly society discards its legends, how unforgiving we become when our icons fall off. The same people who castigated the crooner for marrying Bobby Brown and looked down their nose at her drug addiction have forgotten the gooseflesh that cropped up on their arms when she sang “I Will Always Love You,” have overlooked their renewed patriotism when she sang “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Myself included. America loves an underdog. We love The Comeback Kid; we just loathe the journey to healing and restoration.
Prior to reading the above-mentioned article about a bloodied Whitney exiting a nightclub, I hadn’t thought about her in awhile. There are a lot of celebrities I don’t think about on the daily, yet they crowd a certain section of my brain — the neocortex of cool kids. Whitney wasn’t a member of that crew. I knew she was shooting a remake of the movie Sparkle, but I never bothered reading about the particulars. I was more interested in hunting down pictures of Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s baby than learning about Whitney’s halting return to the limelight.
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Wonderful piece. I remember seeing that same article too not long ago about her fighting in the club and shaking my head.So sorry she passed this way. I pray she had an opportunity to “get it right” with God before she made her transition.
Even if it is revealed that illegal drugs were not involved… there’s a good chance her body simply just gave out after years of abuse. Kept hoping she would come back… almost like M.J.
We tend to forget celebrities are human too when they are alive. They fight their own demons too. Just a few days ago, many bloggers were making fun of her. Go on YouTube and these blogs the comments are disheartening. Now that she’s dead people are starting to realize that she needed help not contempt. I can’t even imagine what her daughter and other members of her family her going through right now. I can only hope she has found peace at last.
I am just grateful to have been alive to have witnessed the instrument that was Whitney’s voice.
Same here. I can’t even really leave a good comment. It’s just sad.
It’s unfortunate the way her life ended. I think everyone was silently rooting for her, figuring since she hadn’t died yet of an overdose she was going to make it. I am not a Whitney stan, but I did like her music and her movies. Though she is gone our memories and her music is not. Everytime you hear I Am Every Woman we will think of her, everytime we watch Coming to America and see Sexual Chocolate we will laugh and think of her and so on and so forth. Lets pray for her family during this difficult time
Well-done piece.
“America loves an underdog. We love The Comeback Kid; we just loathe the journey to healing and restoration.”
This is so true. I truly hoped she would have recovered.
Great article, Nicole. I couldn’t believe anyone could stay sitting when “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” played.
Great piece. She will be missed.
Beautiful article.
I get the whole Whitney as that distant, dysfunctional aunt part. I hardly know how to process this. I felt the same way when Mike died. A piece of my childhood is gone now, far, far too soon. Every time I heard a Whitney song, it would be “bittersweet memories”. Listening would make me sad to hear the sheer gorgeousness of it knowing it was really no more. She was one of the greatest voices of our time and drugs took that gift away. But I, like most, held out hope that she would be ok in the end. I pray she is in peace now.
Wonderful article. Very touching and eye opening. Whitney’s essence is certainly captured by the author.
We’ve been inundated throughout the weekend with stories, speculations, & various tributes which all seemed to dwell on how Whitney died. This article by Ms. Sconiers, however, is the most honest, non-judgemental, & truly heartfelt writing that I’ve read! An excellent piece that I, a male who idolized Ms. Houston in her heyday, could empathize with and yes, feel somewhat guilty for discarding such a great songstress while feeling the awful sadness for such awesome talent wasted & devasted by drugs and careless living – we thought she was somehow “more” than that. WE put her on that pedestal while she was just a mere mortal with all the frailties and insecurities we all share! In death, she’ll be raised, once again, on that pedestal for all time! Truly, “Pipes never die”! Great article, Nicole!!
Amazing article! I hope that her daughter Bobby is able to one day read this. The author put into words what many Black females felt regarding Whitney and the impact she had on our lives. R.I.P. Whitney, you will be missed!
Nicole – this is the best in memoriam article written about our dear Whitney, balanced, touching, mixed with the grief of losing someone who meant so much yet so quickly we discarded.
Thank you!
@ Sloane, I thought the same thing this morning as I read some of the mean-spirited comments on some blogs. It is we who assign demi-god statuses to celebrities forgetting they are inherently human capable of making some poor choices, sometimes repeatedly.
Thank you Nicole for such a compassionate tribute. One of my favourite songs by her was You Were Loved. I hope in the end she knew that she was loved, just as she was. Thank you again!
Happy Birthday Nicole. Great article Nicole. U r a gem. Many have been so impacted by Whitney’s passing. It has truly saddened me. I have found myself grieving as if I somehow knew her beyond the TV and music. This is so tragic. What a loss. I too was one of those who hasn’t thought about her in long time. I was so disappointed by her self destruction so much so that when asked in an interview recently what artist’s have inspired me I didn’t mention her name and she probably more than any had inspired me to sing. I wanted to be like her on that stage because she truly had the whole package. Her stage presence and vocals were always impeccable. The confidence she exuded was unmatched yet humble. She knew she was a great singer. She knew she was the real deal set apart. She lived it and owned it. She may not have had the dance steps but they certainly weren’t needed. Her presence and vocals soared and captivated u. She never did too much or too little. Her vocal ability was just simply incredible. Many can sing and have great big voices but many do not have that thing…that ”anointing”. She was the entire package which is rare.
I pray this is a wake up call for many. People the alarm keeps going off and the time between is getting shorter and shorter. These destructive habits will only lead to death. Whether it is spiritually or perhaps at it’s worst, physical death. When I asked the Lord why her? So many do this and are still alive why her? I recalled something my pastor said about people who will choose to change or not. I then recalled another pastor saying sometimes they are being protected from what is to come. I imagine had she continued living how much more damage would have been ahead of her. Perhaps change was not going to be in her plans. God is the only one who can truly judge a yes and a no of the hearts of man.
Today I am still in disbelief about Whitney. I feel I have lost too. I admired her as an artist set apart from others. I pray for her daughter. I know what it is like to lose a parent at a young age. It’s a pain that is indescribable. 15 years later you can find yourself crying your heart out like you just lost them yesterday. God knows I am so grateful my mom is still living and she has many many healthy years ahead. I pray for her mother that her heart is healed and there are no regrets for she did all she could do. I pray for God’s unfailing strength to carry all of her family and friends and fans through this tragedy. I pray the chains of self destruction in that family have now been broken and slaves of bondage have been set free. And they will receive it in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Nothing is impossible with God. He breaks bondages and destroys yokes if u will let him. Our participation is the necessary component to this freedom. Where there is Jesus there is liberty. Well you receive it? He will not over step the boundaries of the free will He has given us to choose. With that said, I am happy to say that she knew Jesus. And knew that he loves her. I pray Ms. Whitney Houston will rest in peace. Hallelujah.
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“Looking for a friend, a lover, her lost self,” right on target, Nicole. A beautiful tribute to a woman whose voice was like ‘hearing God,’ as Oprah Winfrey said, so truly …hearing the sacred in those pipes. Love the encounter with the tipsy brunette… my only wish is that her family didn’t drag her out of that marriage, that mess, that robbed her spirit, but a grown child, WOMAN, will only return of course, as in free will. That voice, that spirit, that smile, yes, JOY…
I am so surprised how torn up I am about this. I couldn’t even bring myself to finish reading this great piece.
Me too, my heart has been soo heavy!! I had a friend ask me today why I’ve taken it so hard and I couldn’t articulate my despair.
Nicole you got it perfectly right. As I listened to all the comments about Whitney the last few days I kept thinking none of the people who missed her so much bought her last CD and they were going to buy her next one if she had lived. hey are just going to buy her old CDs now that she is gone. It must have been hard to live in that reality. But she was living in it and trying to move forward even with that monkey on her back.
Your piece said it all beautifully. It made me feel the guilt you feel when you haven’t done your best by someone and now its too late. We all loved Whitney but maybe just not enough.
Great article Nikki. I couldn’t believe the news on Saturday – never in my wildest dreams did I expect to hear that Whitney passed away! I don’t even know what to say except that we lost another talented individual.
Now THIS is what I needed to read, right here & now.
RIP Whitney Houston, a true gem, a blessing to many. You will be very missed.