“Saving All My Love for You,” Grammy performance, 1986
Houston won her first Grammy in 1986 for the hit “Saving All My Love for You.” Her Grammy-night performance of the song captivated television audiences and would later win Houston an Emmy for outstanding individual performance in a variety or music program.
STORY: Whitney Houston’s Death: Hollywood Reacts on the Eve of Grammys
“Where Do Broken Hearts Go,” the singer’s seventh consecutive No. 1 hit, April 1988
Houston set a record yet to be matched when “Where Do Broken Hearts Go” hit No. 1 on the Billboard hot 100 chart. It was her seventh consecutive appearance at No. 1. The previous best of six consecutive No. 1 hits had been shared by the Beatles and the Bee Gees.
“I Will Always Love You,” The Bodyguard, 1992
Houston’s cover of Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You” helped make the soundtrack a global phenomenon and contributed to its win at the 1994 Grammy Awards for album of the year.
Houston’s first foray into film was a financial success but was panned by the critics. For Houston, that the film did not play up the racial difference between her and co-star Kevin Costner was important.
”I think for people to look at this color-blind is a milestone,” the singer said in a 1993 interview with Entertainment Weekly.
South African Concerts, November 1994
Houston was the first international star to perform in South Africa following the end of apartheid and the election of President Nelson Mandela. Houston performed in front of more than 200,000 people over the course of three concerts, which later became the subject of an HBO special.
STORY: Whitney Houston Dead At 48.
“I Love the Lord,” The Preacher’s Wife, 1996
Houston’s soundtrack for the film sold 6 million copies and remains the best-selling gospel album of all time. Houston reportedly earned $10 million for the film, making her the highest-paid African-American actress in Hollywood at the time.
“The Star-Spangled Banner,” 1991
Houston’s performance at Super Bowl XXV in Tampa took place in the midst of the Gulf War. Her now-legendary rendition was lauded as one of the most poignant displays of patriotism and as a symbol of strong national unity.
“I Wanna Dance with Somebody,” 1986
The first single from Houston’s second studio album, Whitney, “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” helped Houston become the first female artist to have an album debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.
“Little Drummer Boy,” 2003
The studio version of “Little Drummer Boy” featured a vocal performance from Houston’s daughter, Bobbi Kristina Brown. After Houston performed it on The Tonight Show, Jay Leno called it the “most beautiful” version of the song he’d ever heard.
Tribute to Luther Vandross, BET 25th Anniversary Celebration, 2005
Early in her career, Houston opened for Luther Vandross, so it was only fitting that she paid a heartfelt a cappella tribute to the legend at BET’s 25th-anniversary celebration.
“I Look to You,” 2009
The title track for Houston’s seventh and final studio album, I Look to You.
