Whitney Houston fans will get to hear her voice again with I Go to the Rock: The Gospel Music of Whitney Houston.
Videos by American Songwriter
In partnership with The Estate of Whitney E. Houston, Arista/Legacy Recordings, and Gaither Music Group, this DVD and album features Houston singing classic gospel songs, many of which are lifted from the soundtracks of Houston’s films, The Bodyguard, The Preacher’s Wife and the 2012 remake of Sparkle. “Jesus Loves Me” from The Bodyguard, “Joy to the World,” “Hold On, Help Is on the Way,” “I Go to the Rock” and others from The Preacher’s Wife, and “His Eye Is on the Sparrow” from Sparkle are all on the album.
The project also features six never-before-released songs: Houston’s performance of “Bridge Over Troubled Water” with gospel legend CeCe Winans, along with her solo rendition of “This Day,” at the 1995 VH1 Honors, “Testimony,” “He Can Use Me,” “I Found a Wonderful Way” and “He/I Believe.”
The DVD documentary features 10 of Houston’s live performances of other gospel standards. Songs include “I Go to the Rock” during her 1996 appearance on Saturday Night Live, “Wonderful Counselor” with her mother Cissy Houston and brother Gary Houston at the 1988 American Music Awards, “Hold Up the Light” with Cece and Bebe Winans at the 21st NAACP Image Awards in 1989 and more.
Gospel music was an important part of Houston’s musical identity, as she grew up singing in church in her native New Jersey. Her mother was a gospel singer and part of the 1950s group, The Drinkard Singers, with nieces Dionne Warwick and Dee Dee Warwick, and Judy Clay. Since 2011, several of Houston’s gospel covers have reached the top five on the Billboard Gospel Digital Songs chart including “Do You Hear What I Hear,” “Jesus Loves Me” and “I Love the Lord.”
I Go to the Rock will be released on March 24.
Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images
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