Whitney Houston will forever be remembered for her angelic vocals and for being one of the greatest singers of all time.
As the six-time Grammy-winner’s legacy continues, Houston’s family is placing an emphasis on her gospel roots through her new posthumous gospel album and documentary, I Go to the Rock: The Gospel Music of Whitney Houston.
“Gospel was in her heart,” Houston’s brother, Gary Houston told NBC News, recalling their childhood. “We woke up to and went to sleep to gospel. She would sing exactly what she heard my mother and her siblings [sing]. No secular music. It was all gospel.”
Pat Houston, the executor of Whitney Houston’s estate, is proud of the message of faith and hope presented in the two projects that salute Houston’s foundation in gospel, a genre that was an influential mark on both her life and career, even as she moved into secular music.
“You heard the innocence of her voice,” Pat said. “You could see where she started and how she ended up with all her hits throughout her career. Any song is a great song of Whitney Houston’s. You heard her gospel roots all wrapped up in her music.”
The album features 14 tracks of songs from soundtracks including “Jesus Loves Me” from The Bodyguard, “His Eye Is on the Sparrow” from Sparkle, in addition to “I Go to the Rock” and “Joy to the World” from The Preacher’s Wife soundtrack. As previously reported by BLACK ENTERPRISE, the project features six unreleased tracks that include the song “Testimony,” which was released ahead of the complete album.
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“We’re doing this all through Whitney’s lens,” Pat said, referring to the Easter project Houston always wanted to do.
“Hopefully one could have peace and knowing that Whitney Houston was a woman of God,” Pat added, with hopes that fans find closure through the documentary. “No one is really exempt from the harsh realities of the world. She certainly understood that. But Whitney expressed her love for God. She knew where her strength was coming from and she showed it throughout the documentary.”
Both projects were released on March 24. The documentary, hosted by CeCe Winans, aired on UPtv and AspireTV and will be available on DVD.