From pop music's queen to a fallen star ravaged by drug use: The life of Whitney Houston in pictures

By Mark Duell


Child: Houston, pictured in 1965, was the daughter of gospel singer Cissy Houston, the cousin of 1960s pop diva Dionne Warwick and the goddaughter of Aretha Franklin

Whitney Houston, who ruled as pop music's queen until her majestic voice and regal image were ravaged by drug use, erratic behavior and a tumultuous marriage to singer Bobby Brown, died on Saturday. She was aged 48. MailOnline looks back at the life of the star singer who was pronounced dead in her room of the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles, California


Young star: Whitney Houston belts out a song during her segment of a benefit concert at Boston Garden in Boston, Massachusetts, in May 1986


Smiles: Whitney Houston seen at a news conference in New York in July 1988. From the middle 1980s to the late 1990s, she was one of the world's best-selling artists


Film: In 1992, she became a star in the acting world with 'The Bodyguard'. The story of a singer (Houston) guarded by a former Secret Service agent was a success


Prizes: Whitney Houston shows off the seven awards she won in February 1993 at the American Music Awards. At her peak, she was the golden girl of music


Fun: Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown with their daughter Bobbi at Bobby's 25th birthday at Tavern On The Green in New York City in February 1984


Famous friend: South African President Nelson Mandela and Whitney Houston smile for photographers in Johannesburg, South Africa, in November 1994


Couple: Actress and singer Whitney Houston and her husband Bobby Brown pose for photographers in New York City in October 1997. They divorced in 2007


Passion: Houston performs during the Billboard Awards at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada, in December 1998. She sold more than 55 million records in the U.S.


Relatives: In this January 1998 photo, singer Houston, left, celebrates her win at the American Music Awards with her mother, Cissy, and brother, Gary, in Los Angeles


Pointing out: Houston performs before winning the Best Female R&B Vocal Performance at the 42nd annual Grammy Awards, in this photo taken in February 2000


Performance: Houston on stage at the MTV Video Music Awards in New York in September 2000. She wowed audiences with effortless, powerful, and peerless vocals


Flamboyant hair: Houston performs during a concert for ABC television's 'Good Morning America' show, in New York in December 2002


Looking to the sky: Houston emerges from the waters of the River Jordan near the Sea of Galilee during a Holy Land pilgrimage, in May 2003


Family: Houston, centre, poses with her former husband, singer Bobby Brown, right, and their daughter Bobbi, left, at Disneyland in Anaheim, California, in August 2004


Clapping: Houston gestures at the Clive Davis pre-Grammy party in Beverly Hills, California, in this photo taken in February 2008. Houston died aged 48 on Saturday


Personality: Houston looks on while appearing on the German TV game show 'Wetten Dass' (Bet it...?) in Freiburg, in this photo taken in October 2009


Special star: Houston bows after performing 'I Didn't Know My Own Strength' at the 2009 American Music Awards in Los Angeles, California, in November 2009


Public appreciation: Houston performs at the Pre-Grammy Gala & Salute to Industry Icons in this file photo taken in Beverly Hills in February 2011


Sad ending: Houston looked worse for wear as she left Tru Hollywood nightclub this week, just a few days before she was found dead in a hotel room on Saturday






source:dailymail