Rest In Peace To "The Voice"

Whitney Elizabeth Houston

(August 9, 1963-February 11, 2012)

When I heard that Whitney Houston died, at first I didn't believe it. I thought it was a joke because on twitter they kill superstars everyday. But when I get into my friend's car, turned on the radio, and her anthem "Greatest Love Of All" was playing I knew and the radio announcer said "Rest In Peace Whitney". I just got quiet in the car in disbelief and the tears began to fall. We all knew that Whitney was dealing with personal demons, but you never thought it would end like this. But GOD was ready for her and she is doing so much better than we are, she doesn't have to deal with this crazy world anymore.

This tragic situation really hit home for me because the Friday before she died, I was at work and I said "I feel like listening to some Whitney for these last two hours". So, for two hours I was listening to songs like "I Wanna Dance With Somebody", "Lover For Life", and my personal favorite "Where Do Broken Hearts Go". These songs in my opinion were "cheesy" but Whitney made them awesome with her live performances. As a result, I have a lot live performances on my Whitney playlist. And on those live performances Whitney was SANGING. That's why she was called "The Voice".

I first heard Whitney Houston by my aunt when she lived in Long Island. She used to play Whitney Houston and Anita Baker. My family knew Whitney, but my family was more into the old soul. But at the age of 7, I knew Whitney Houston for the myself. In 1991, she did the national anthem for the Superbowl, which is consider one of the greatest time in history. In elementary school, we had to say the Star-Spangled Banner, but my school always played Whitney's Superbowl version. From that moment, I was introduced to "The Voice". Even though, Whitney wasn't in heavy rotation at my house, but she was played. I just remember one day I was looking through my family's 45 collection, and I remember coming across Whitney's "How Will I Know"33RPM record. She just looked so cheezy but when those vocals began all of that went out the window. From that moment, I began to listen to her more. By 1997, Whitney became was one of my favorite SANGERS of all time. When I mean SANGERS, I am referring to singers like Aretha Franklin, Gladys Knight, and Patti Labelle. So, with Whitney dying you feel like something is missing from the music industry. Even though, "The Voice" was gone years ago because of her personal demons but Whitney was always relevant in the music world, just like Michael Jackson who died 2 years ago.

At first, I didn't want to do a blog on Whitney because I felt it would be tough but listening to her music and performances non-stop for the past couple of days, I knew it would only be right to show RESPECT the one of the best of all time.

In closing, I just want to give my prayers to Whitney's family especially Bobby Christina, her daughter. She is the person that is the most affected by this. Pray that GOD puts his shield around her and protect her.

MY TOP 10 PERFORMANCES

10) I LOOK TO YOU (WITH KIM BURRELL)

These two powerful voices definitely let the lord have his way

9) AIN'T NO WAY (WITH MARY J. BLIGE)

This was a classic duet these ladies SANG

8) BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WATER (WITH CECE WINANS)

CECE in my opinion is the only own that can go "toe to toe" with the Whitney

7) SAVING MY LOVE FOR YOU IN 1991 ON TOUR

The background vocals just helped put this song into overdrive

6) ALL THE MAN I NEED AT THE ARESNIO HALL SHOW

She murdered the vocals on this especially at bridge..watch magical

5) PORGY, AND IM TELLING YOU, I HAVE NOTHING AT 94 AMA

Whitney killed this Medley and did it effortlessly

4) DIDN'T WE ALMOST HAVE IT ALL IN 1988

Whitney had this crowd in her pawn of her hands with her voice

3) ONE MOMENT IN TIME AT 1989 GRAMMYS

Magical is the only word

2) ALL AT ONCE AT THE 1987 AMAS

She made this look so easy, but nobody can touch her

1) GREATEST LOVE OF ALL AT 15 ANNIVERSARY OF ARISTA

The best Whitney Performance in opinion of all time

There is a lot of Whitney performances that are classic but these are my top ten. Just listen to the performances so Whitney can take you on a ride with those vocals.

REST IN PEACE  "THE VOICE" YOU MUSIC WILL LIVE ON



RIP Amy Winehouse

RIP AMY WINEHOUSE

(September 14, 1983 - July 23, 2011)

When I found out that Amy Winehouse died, the first thing I did was called my mother because we loved "Back To Black". This album got me and my mother through bad times. "Back To Black" came out during the times my grandfather was going through his life ending battle of stomach cancer. Her music was very therapeutic for me and her because we would drink and just sing along with Amy. Her music was bring brought the older and younger generation together. It was very 60s soul pop. I remember the first time we listened to the album together it felt like heaven. Songs like 'Just Friends', 'Love Is A Loving Game', and 'Tears Dry On Their Own' were so soulful. 

We were all waiting for Amy to come with another album, but we all realize that Amy had a problem with drugs, so she was sent in and out of rehab, but it didn't work for her. Clearly the drugs took Amy to her death, she was a talented woman and just like the other talented artists like Janis Joplin, Kurt Cobain, and Otis Redding their legacy lives on. 

Jay-Z said it best all ended by "Hollywood"....

RIP AMY WINEHOUSE

MY FAVORITE AMY SONGS

Just Friends

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZY9wsicus8

Me & Mr. Jones

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nibiavizfrU&feature=related

Addicted

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzNosK82NSs

Valerie

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQVxFPxYyw0

He Can Only Hold Her

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gHsX5sVt-s

MY FAVORITES AMY PERFORMANCES

Love Is A Loving Game Live (So DAMN Soulful)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eu7uPHtTJ4o

Rehab Live

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgfrxZlrYR4&feature=related

You Know Im No Good

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmV6_oc2lwM&feature=related

Happy Birthday Desmond

THE MAN THAT I CAN ALWAYS COUNT ON

DESMOND TYSON GARVIN 6/9/78-1/4/10
FOREVER IN MY HEART

Starting it off with a song...

Janet Jackson- Together Again

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJ-c6PnIUcc

MY LETTER TO YOU:

Wow I still can't believe you're gone. It seems like just yesterday when you came to my school to take me shopping for food. Desmond I swear I could count on you for anything. The men in my life was not very dependable, but you were. You help me get through a lot of things. Even though, you had a life of your own you always made time for me. After my experience at Delaware State, you understood that I needed the support from a man because I couldn't get from any from the men in my household. As a result, when I got to Capitol College anytime you were in the area you made it a priority to stop and check up on me. You don't know how much that meant to me. It seemed like after my Delaware State experience, I lost all the men that I once looked up to in life. But you were there filled that void, I want to thank you for that. 

After Delaware State, I enrolled into Capitol College which was the best thing I could have done. The first year started off rough because my father passed, so it seemed like every weekend you appeared on my campus. It started to get a little overwhelming because people on the campus would tell me "your cousin Desmond is outside". You started to become known on the campus even though you didn't even attend. I was grateful to have someone else other than my mother and grandmothers in my corner. Desmond you spend so much on me doing my college years, I would be paying you off for life. You showed up doing the times when I was on my last. Meanwhile, I would tell my mother everything was okay, knowing that it wasn't. Many times you were my outlet because you know how me and your Aunt Ervennia get into arguments, you were the person I can talk to.

Now, it came to me getting a car because I got an internship. Now you know that was big headache, but you finally got me my 93 Honda. With getting that car, I knew you listened because you knew I wanted a Honda, and you actually ended up getting me one. Even though, the money issues caused problems, but at the end of the day you found me a car. As a result, I got the internship and ended up getting hired with the company after graduation. 

In my last year in college, it seemed that things in your life have changed. You started to slow down. Even though, you still manage to come check on me, even though I had a car. During this time, you started to get sick but I didn't realize it. I can recall when you and my mother came for a weekend, things was different. Normally, when you dropped my mother off you would leave and we won't see you for the rest of weekend, but this particular weekend you stayed out for a couple of hours then came back. Then you was sleeping all day, which was very strange. But my mother and I thought all that driving finally caught up with you, with us not knowing that you were sick. Fast forwarding to my graduation day, you was lying around because your sickness was starting take a toll, but from the picture you and I took you couldn't tell. As I stated before, I didn't realize that then, which sometimes I regret. Sometimes I cry because I feel that if I would have realize those signs, I could have been saved your life. 


Now, Thanksgiving 2009 was the last time I saw you alive. It was hard for me to go to the hospital to see you in so much pain. I knew that was you on the hospital bed but you spirit had already left us. You knew during that hospital visit I couldn't look at you in the face because it would have brought tears to my eyes. But the funny thing was you knew how to help my mother get her money on the computer. So, I remember hugging you and saying "Bro get yourself together so you can help me find a place in Maryland", you looked at me and said "I will", which was the last time I heard the sound of your voice. Finally, I remember being at work and my mother called me with the news that you passed, I just hung up the phone went into the bathroom and cried my eyes out because the man that I can always count on was gone. When grandma asked me to speak at that funeral, it was the hardest thing I done, to this day will be the hardest speech I have ever done.


Above all, Desmond I want to tell you I miss you so much, it's like a hole in my heart that's missing. All these great things in my life you are the main reason for it happening. You helped me make it through my college years and you helped me become a better person. I want to thank you for being the man that I could count on. Happy Birthday, Love Your Little Brother.


THESE ARE MY DEDICATION SONGS TO YOU!
(Videos will be all live performance so you can feel my emotion in heaven)


Whitney Houston-A Song For You(Live)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyRMWjpCZnE


Mary J. Blige-Missing You(Live) *you know I love MJB* lol
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSZiDgRl5pI


Boyz II Men- Its Hard To Say Goodbye To Yesterday *you looked like Shawn*
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzjdiDasLkk