Family First

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Emily "Cissy" Houston was an American soul and gospel singer. Born in Newark, New Jersey, Houston began singing with three of her siblings in a family gospel group, the Drinkard Singers. By the early 1960s, Houston had begun a career as a session vocalist for several secular musicians in the rhythm and blues, soul, rock and roll, and pop genres. After joining her nieces' group the Gospelaires for a session with Ronnie Hawkins in 1961, Houston gradually took control of the group, which revamped into "the Group" with Houston, niece Sylvia Shemwell, Myrna Smith and teenager Estelle Brown. She eventually founded the girl group the Sweet Inspirations with Shemwell, Smith and Brown in 1967 and that year signed a contract with Atlantic Records. With Houston as lead singer, the Sweet Inspirations would record four albums before Houston departed for a solo career in 1970. Her best-known solo singles include the top 20 R&B chart single, "I'll Be There" and the top 5 dance single, "Think It Over". Her solo career culminated with two Grammy Award wins, both in the Traditional Gospel Album category.