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Tuesday, December 31, 2024
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Tuesday, October 8, 2024
Cissy & Whitney Houston: A Beautiful Mother-Daughter Journey Of Love And Legacy In Photos
Cissy & Whitney Houston: A Beautiful Mother-Daughter Journey Of Love And Legacy In Photos
Today, the world mourns the loss of Emily “Cissy” Houston. The beloved mother of the late Whitney Houston and a powerhouse gospel singer in her own right passed away at 91.
Cissy died on Monday, October 7, in New Jersey. According to the Associated Press, she was under hospice care for Alzheimer’s disease and surrounded by loved ones.
“Our hearts are filled with pain and sadness. We’ve lost the matriarch of our family,” said her daughter-in-law Pat Houston in a statement released shortly after. “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.”
Whitney Houston says her mother Cissy taught her how to sing with gospel music.
Though she is most widely known as the mother of one of the most iconic voices in the world, Cissy was a force in her own right. Even Whitney credited her mother for teaching her how to sing.
“I had the singing in me, but she taught me how, and she taught me through gospel,” Whitney once said in an interview. “She told me that if I could sing gospel, I could sing anything I wanted to because everything is rooted in that music.”
Whitney continued, admiring her mother’s instruction: “She wasn’t kidding, because I could take that, and I could sing any melody, or sing around any melody that I wanted to, because I could hear very well."
Cissy started her career singing in the church, but her popularity grew in the 1960s as a member of The Sweet Inspirations alongside Doris Troy and her niece Dee Dee Warwick. The group sang backup for soul legends, including Dionne Warwick.
Over the years, Cissy’s popularity soared, and she left a lasting mark on the music industry. She went on to record more than 600 songs with artists ranging from Chaka Khan and Beyoncé to her daughter Whitney and Jimi Hendrix. She also won two Grammy awards for “Traditional Gospel Album,” solidifying her place as a musical icon.
But Cissy was more than just her glamorous career. She was a matriarch who deeply loved her children—her daughter Whitney and sons Gary and Michael—and her grandchildren.
Throughout Whitney’s highs and lows in the limelight, Cissy Houston stood by her side.
She often defended, consoled, and supported her daughter through difficult times.
Less than a year after Whitney’s passing, Cissy sat with Oprah Winfrey for an emotional interview. Discussing her book Remembering Whitney: My Story of Love, Loss and the Night the Music Stopped, Cissy opened up about her relationship with Whitney, sharing her love, doubts, and insights into who Whitney was.
When Oprah asked a simple but powerful question—”Who is Whitney Houston?”—Cissy replied, “She was the sweetest thing you ever wanted to see. She was a kind, giving person. Whitney was considerate and all kinds of things like that. She’d help anybody with anything. She gave, gave, gave, and a lot of people took advantage.”
As we reflect on Cissy’s legacy, we can’t help but smile thinking about the generational talent she passed down. Whitney’s voice may have been a gift to the world, but Cissy nurtured and developed it into something unforgettably iconic. The musical world will forever be grateful to both women.
Cissy may be gone, but her legacy—and the love she gave—will echo for generations to come.
Heaven just got a little more soulful.
See endearing pictures of Cissy Houston and her daughter Whitney below.
The post Cissy & Whitney Houston: A Beautiful Mother-Daughter Journey Of Love And Legacy In Photos appeared first on HelloBeautiful – Fashion, Beauty, Lifestyle and Hair Care for Black Women.
Cissy & Whitney Houston: A Beautiful Mother-Daughter Journey Of Love And Legacy In Photos was originally published on hellobeautiful.com
1. Cissy and Whitney always knew how to make an entrance.
Source:GettyWhitney Houston and her mother Cissy were caught by cameras leaving the Parker Neridan Hotel in New York City in 1989. The Houston ladies are not playing in this picture.
2. All smiles at the World Music Awards Ceremony.
Source:GettyCissy and Whitney Houston posed at the World Music Awards Ceremony on May 4, 1994 in Monaco. Both wore versions of black for the occasion.
3. Whitney Houston and her family enjoy a laugh at home.
Source:GettyCould this picture get more endearing? We can’t get enough of seeing a rare family moment between Whitney, her mother Cissy and her father John. They appear to be enjoying breakfast at home.
4. Toasting to an exciting music industry.
Source:GettyWhitney and Cissy Houston were seen together at many industry events. In the late ’80s they attended Clive Davis’s annual pre-Grammy party held at the Beverly Hills hotel.
5. A quick snap at the 15th Annual American Music Awards.
Source:GettyWhitney Houston and Cissy Houston pose at the 15th Annual American Music Awards in 1988. Whitney is a vision in a bright red, orange and green set while Cissy wears a gold wrap dress.
6. Supporting the United Negro College Fund – we love to see it!
Source:GettyWhitney and Cissy Houston frequently supported the United Negro College Fund. Here the mother-daughter pair smiles at an ’80s UNCF press conference.
7. One thing Whitney and Cissy were going to do is show up and show out.
Source:GettyHere Whitney and Cissy Houston are captured attending an event together in 1990. Going through the music industry herself, Cissy often managed and mentored her daughter throughout her award-winning career.
8. Something about a mother’s love.
Source:GettyWe can’t get enough of this pic! Taken just two years before Whitney Houston passed away, the two make a gorgeous appearance at the 2010 Keep A Child Alive’s Black Ball in NYC.
9. Living their lives like it is golden.
Source:GettyWhitney and mother Cissy Houston give golden goddess looks at the 21st Annual Songwriters Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in 1990. It’s giving glitz, glam, and gaudy fabulousness.
10. Their smiles were iconic and their style unforgettable.
Source:GettyGet into Whitney and Cissy’s iconic smiles and gorgeous style. The two turned heads at the Soul Train 25th Anniversary Hall of Fame Ceremony in November 1995.
Monday, October 7, 2024
How To Get A Sync Agent
Real quick, just a reminder that Ari’s Take Academy enrollment is open, but just for another couple weeks. Join the other 6,000 students and finally break through what you’ve been struggling with in your music career.
Learn more and enroll here (before October 25th).
“Ari’s Take Academy has honestly changed my life. I’ve joined almost all of the courses. The courses are top notch. The community is incredible. I’ve started a record label. I’ve signed new artists. It’s incredible having the resource that is ATA and all the people in there to help wade through all these murky music business waters. It’s a goldmine.” - Dana Nielsen, Grammy-nominated, producer, songwriter, mixing engineer
So, if you've been following me for a while, you know I study the sync licensing realm (getting songs placed in film, tv, commercials, video games) quite a bit.
On the New Music Business podcast, I’ve interviewed quite a few sync experts like music supervisors, agents and artists.
The sync licensing world is something I care deeply about. For one, I've seen it launch the careers of many, many artists (some of whom I've had the pleasure of touring with and opening for). After Lindsay Wolfington placed my song in One Tree Hill back in 2010, not only did my iTunes numbers skyrocket that night, but for years after that placement, people at every show came up to me saying they discovered me from that show.
And also because I know how much sync pays.
Typical upfront sync fees for indie artists:
Commercial Campaigns: $20K - $550K+
Films: $10K - $80K
Trailers: $10K - $80K
TV: $500 - $20K
Video Games: $2K - $10K
Theme Songs: $5K - $10K
Not to mention the backend performance royalties. Which can add up to be quite a lot.
Every TV show is different, of course, budgets vary and whatnot. But it's not uncommon for a $10K placement to an emerging artist for a Netflix show. More on this in a minute.
Sync licensing is one of those hidden corners of the music industry that not too many people talk about. Everyone is so obsessed with Spotify and TikTok and Instagram and ticket sales. When, literally one sync placement can pay your entire year's salary. That's a hell of a lot of streams!
Now, back in 2010 when I got my song on One Tree Hill, I did it by tweeting it to Lindsay.
This is not possible anymore. Artists are much more savvy and understand that music supervisors are the ones who hold the keys to the sync licensing kingdom. So they flood their inboxes with pleas to listen to their music.
Now, even if you get the perfect pitch down to the perfect music supervisor for the perfect show where your music would fit just perfectly, don't expect a listen, let alone a reply.
Why? Well, because for one, they don't know you. But, more so, they've been burned too many times by well-intentioned, but ignorant artists.
Artists just don't understand how sync rights work. They think because they released the song on Spotify that they have the rights to get it synced. They may not. Or they think because they co-wrote it with a friend, they have the rights. They may not. Or they think because they bought their beat (production) off of BeatStars and chopped it up to shit, they have the rights. They probably do not. Or they think, they think, they think, but they don't KNOW. And if the music supervisor can't be 10000% sure that the song they are placing in the episode won't get the network SUED, they won't place it. Because then they'll be out of a job!
So, music supervisors RARELY accept music from artists directly anymore.
So, how do you get your music in TV shows and movies?
Sync agents!
What are sync agents? Sync agents are the people who are the go between. Sometimes they work at sync licensing companies. Sometimes they work alone.
Sync agents have the relationships with all the music supervisors. And they have their trust. Music supervisors don't have to worry that sync agents will send them music that isn't cleared. Sync agents know how to make sure everything is completely cleared. Sync agents usually operate as "one stops." Meaning, they rep indie artists, clear all the rights to the music, and can offer it, completely cleared, to the music supervisor. So the music supervisor only has to make one stop. (Not, like 12 stops, calling around to the various publishers and record labels).
Music supervisors LOVE working with sync agents, because they have music that is great and cleared.
So, how do you get signed with one of these sync agents? And who are they?
Vo Williams is a hip hop artist who has had over 3,000 sync placements of just his own music. You may remember him from the New Music Business episode. The Houston Astros, the Milwaukee Bucks, and the Tampa Bay Lightning used Vo's music for their team's theme songs in the last few years - and ALL THREE went on to win their respective championships. Coincidence? Well, the Lakers are using him now!
I was so impressed with him on my podcast with his generosity at sharing his knowledge that I asked him to teach a course on sync licensing for Ari's Take Academy.
So that’s why we launched Advanced Sync Strategies for Film, TV, and Video Games.
Not only does he teach our students everything they need to know about the sync licensing world. He also, of course, teaches them how to get signed to agents.
But something we're doing in this course, that no other education institution is doing. We have showcases with top-tier sync agencies in the world. ATA students are able to submit their music (which they have honed and created based on Vo's incredible guidance) to sync agents that Ari's Take Academy has partnered with.
To date, we have gotten over 200 of our students signed to sync agencies.
Enrollment is open for Ari's Take Academy Advanced Sync Strategies for Film, TV and Video Games until October h. Enroll here.
~Ari
Here are what some of our students are saying:
"I landed my first official sync placement on Netflix’s Hype House, and I largely have ATA’s Advanced Sync Strategies course to thank in getting me this far. Enrolling in this course was a real investment in myself. Not only is Vo’s class structure informative and easy to follow, but the members of the online community are actively engaged, curious, and supportive. Getting my music on TV seemed like a far-off dream at first. Now I’m confident that I have the skills and support to accomplish landing more placements.." - Tim Stout
"This course is one of the best investments I’ve made in my career as an artist. Vo's hands-on guidance in addition to the vital information in the course landed me a deal with a major sync agency. This course really puts you in the shoes of a sync agent (or music library/supervisor) and will equip you with all the tools you need to land a deal or placement." - Janelle De La Rosa
"I went to Full Sail, and this course got me further ahead in one day than two years there. Vo pinpointed everything I needed to do that I wasn't doing. I included contracts and had all of the split sheets together with the music and BOOM! My first pitch landed in a library for sync with Universal Production Music UK just by following the course. Well worth it, for real." - Menice New Era
"Before I got into the course with Vo and Ari, I was pretty certain that I had my sync strategy down, because I was doing fairly well with the licensing and getting placements. When I enrolled in the course, I was genuinely surprised at how much I didn't know. Since enrolling in the course, I have landed several four-figure placements, made relationships and made new music to be published and repped by other agencies and libraries. The course has already paid for itself four times over! Whether or not you’re looking for sync, I recommend this course to anyone because it's an extremely lucrative way to make money in music." - Kolby Knickerbocker
“Thank you to the Ari's Take Academy team for helping us to land our first sync deal for Last Motion Picture! The course, community and ongoing long-term support alone is worth every penny, but the CATA submission also gave us the opportunity to get a direct introduction with a trusted agency who prioritizes developing their artists' careers. Joining ATA has been incredibly valuable and is hands down one of the best decisions I've made.” - Andy Doonan
"Vo is one of the best teachers I have ever had. Having access to his mind and support has been huge for me in finding a sync agent, which I was able to do. The world of sync has always been confusing to me, but knowing that I have a team of other musicians and Vo to help guide me in the process gives me the confidence and knowledge I need to have a successful sync career." - Lillian Frances
"ATA really helped us get a feel for what makes a song "sync-able," and through CATA we landed a sync deal with a couple of our songs. Having access to world-class sync agencies is an incredible opportunity. Also, Vo's experience and knowledge can not be overstated. If you have any specific questions about business/sync/deals/
Enroll in ATA's Advanced Sync Strategies here before October 25th.