Episode 164

Cissy Houston & The Sweet Inspirations Were Game Changing Pioneers

Published on: 15th November, 2024

In this episode of the Queue Points Podcast, hosts DJ Sir Daniel and Jay Ray dive into the remarkable legacy of Cissy Houston and the iconic group, The Sweet Inspirations. They discuss Cissy's recent passing, her influence as a vocal arranger, and her solo career. The episode highlights the group's contributions to Black music history, their work with legendary artists, and their impact on genres from gospel to hip-hop. Tune in to hear about the music that shaped generations and the indelible mark left by these extraordinary women.

Topics: #TheSweetInspirations #CissyHouston #BackgroundSingers #GospelMusic #70sMusic #BlackPodcasters #BlackMusic #MusicPodcast

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Transcript
Speaker:

DJ Sir Daniel: Greetings and welcome to another episode of Queue Points podcast.

Speaker:

I'm DJ Sir Daniel.

Jay Ray:

And my name is Jay Ray, sometimes known by my government

Jay Ray:

as Johnnie Ray Kornegay III and Sir Daniel, I am really excited about the

Jay Ray:

conversation that we're about to have.

Jay Ray:

DJ Sir Daniel: Absolutely.

Jay Ray:

Could we, because Queue Points podcast is the podcast dropping

Jay Ray:

the needle on black music history.

Jay Ray:

Yeah,

Jay Ray:

DJ Sir Daniel: feel like right about now we could use a little sweet inspiration.

Jay Ray:

How about you?

Jay Ray:

you know what?

Jay Ray:

That is absolutely true.

Jay Ray:

And I honestly miss style of singing in our music landscape.

Jay Ray:

Like we just don't do it like The Sweet Inspirations did it anymore.

Jay Ray:

DJ Sir Daniel: Absolutely.

Jay Ray:

Sadly, um, Cissy Houston passed away on October 7th of 2024 at the age of 91.

Jay Ray:

And the world, of course, is familiar with Cissy Houston as Dionne Warwick's

Jay Ray:

aunt and the mother of a singer you may or may not have heard of.

Jay Ray:

have, you may have heard of her.

Jay Ray:

DJ Sir Daniel: So just a little singer, a little vocalist by the name of

Jay Ray:

Whitney Houston, um, was her daughter.

Jay Ray:

She, she gave birth to the voice.

Jay Ray:

Yeah.

Jay Ray:

DJ Sir Daniel: but the thing people need to realize is that

Jay Ray:

Cissy Houston was her own voice.

Jay Ray:

She mama had her own bag before Whitney came along.

Jay Ray:

And on this episode, we're going to talk about Cissy Houston and

Jay Ray:

The Sweet Inspirations and the legacy that they left behind.

Jay Ray:

So Jerry,

Jay Ray:

Yeah.

Jay Ray:

DJ Sir Daniel: um, A lot of people don't realize that Cissy Houston was not only

Jay Ray:

a background vocalist, but she was, like we saying, she was a part of the, a major

Jay Ray:

group called The Sweet Inspirations, and we'll talk about their impact as a

Jay Ray:

group, but she was also a vocal arranger.

Jay Ray:

Yeah,

Jay Ray:

DJ Sir Daniel: What they would call her today is she's a vocal, she

Jay Ray:

would be called a vocal producer.

Jay Ray:

What do you think?

Jay Ray:

yeah.

Jay Ray:

So that would absolutely be true.

Jay Ray:

And um, we've seen now a lot of clips of, uh, Miss Houston, um, with got in front

Jay Ray:

of gospel choirs, just kind of directing.

Jay Ray:

And when you listen.

Jay Ray:

To miss Houston saying you hear Whitney Houston and the way that she

Jay Ray:

was able to use her vocal, kind of the vocal inflections and some of the

Jay Ray:

playing that Whitney ultimately did.

Jay Ray:

Um, vocally, you actually hear her mother doing those things because the

Jay Ray:

thing that is really important about Whitney Houston's career and Whitney

Jay Ray:

talks about this that her mother.

Jay Ray:

coached her, right?

Jay Ray:

DJ Sir Daniel: Yeah.

Jay Ray:

Yeah.

Jay Ray:

a vocal producer today, but when you go back in time and

Jay Ray:

you listen to these amazing voices, you hear that great combination of

Jay Ray:

soul, gospel, and jazz just mixed in

Jay Ray:

DJ Sir Daniel: Yeah.

Jay Ray:

Silence.

Jay Ray:

Silence.

Jay Ray:

Silence.

Jay Ray:

Silence.

Jay Ray:

right.

Jay Ray:

This is actually the last official album that, uh, Cissy appeared on.

Jay Ray:

She left the group after this in 1969, but, um, it's called sweets for my sweet.

Jay Ray:

And I want to read a quote from, um, the liner notes.

Jay Ray:

So.

Jay Ray:

Back in the day, kids,

Jay Ray:

DJ Sir Daniel: Yeah.

Jay Ray:

you would not only get liner notes so you can know

Jay Ray:

who produced records, you would also get like a story, right?

Jay Ray:

So the story here, and the quote I want to read is from the second paragraph.

Jay Ray:

The Sweet Inspirations, all from gospel backgrounds, found that they could utilize

Jay Ray:

those roots when they began working around recording studios as background singers.

Jay Ray:

They soon became so proficient that they were still are one of the most called

Jay Ray:

on background singers in the country.

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Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, Herbie Mann, Nina Simone, Solomon

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Burke, Chuck Jackson, and many, many others have used the voices that

Jay Ray:

The Sweet Inspirations have heard.

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polished and honed to perfection.

Jay Ray:

So that was on this record.

Jay Ray:

And another quick note about this record, Sir Daniel, which is related

Jay Ray:

to another diva that we recently did a show about is Miss Chaka Khan.

Jay Ray:

DJ Sir Daniel: Hmm.

Jay Ray:

All of the string arrangements, because back then, you know, the

Jay Ray:

kids had strings in the studio,

Jay Ray:

DJ Sir Daniel: a whole orchestra.

Jay Ray:

orchestra.

Jay Ray:

All of the string arrangements were done by one Arif Mardin who produced

Jay Ray:

the Chaka Khan albums as well.

Jay Ray:

DJ Sir Daniel: Right.

Jay Ray:

And of course, we will talk about it.

Jay Ray:

Also, um, Cissy Houston ended up singing backgrounds on one of the

Jay Ray:

biggest hits off of that album.

Jay Ray:

I'm every woman,

Jay Ray:

Yup.

Jay Ray:

DJ Sir Daniel: to sweets for my sweet on.

Jay Ray:

And you see on those liner notes.

Jay Ray:

Yes.

Jay Ray:

DJ Sir Daniel: had on the album, as far as writers and producers was like none other,

Jay Ray:

some of the featured writers on the album.

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Speaking of I'm every woman, a young Ashford and Simpson were writers

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early in their career were writers on that album, the iconic Carol King,

Jay Ray:

who is a Kennedy center award winner.

Jay Ray:

Like she's literally, literally written.

Jay Ray:

Some of the most iconic songs in the American songbook.

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And of course, and another amazing songwriter Bert Bacharach and his

Jay Ray:

partner, uh, Hal David at the time co wrote on this album as well.

Jay Ray:

Like Bert and Cissy.

Jay Ray:

Emily Drinkard, EmilCissyssy, Cissy, Emily.

Jay Ray:

I don't know how black people came up with that nickname of calling her Cissy,

Jay Ray:

but we're going to give you a nickname.

Jay Ray:

But yes, Emily Drinkard is also known as Cissy Houston,

Jay Ray:

professionally Cissy Houston.

Jay Ray:

But, um, yeah, so Burt Baccarat must have loved him some Cissy because

Jay Ray:

he loved him some Dion and continued to work with these ladies again.

Jay Ray:

So Dionne was Cissy's aunt,

Jay Ray:

Yeah.

Jay Ray:

DJ Sir Daniel: and isn't, wasn't Dionne one of the original

Jay Ray:

members of The Sweet Inspirations,

Jay Ray:

Back when they were the Drinkard singers, Dionne and her sister

Jay Ray:

Dee Dee, um, were a part of the group.

Jay Ray:

And What's so dope about this is just kind of the legacy of the Drinkard family.

Jay Ray:

So they are famously related to Leontine Price, which people did not know

Jay Ray:

DJ Sir Daniel: Mm hmm.

Jay Ray:

Shout out to Danielle Smith, who has a whole chapter kind of dedicated

Jay Ray:

to the Drinkard bloodline in her book.

Jay Ray:

Um, so definitely check that out.

Jay Ray:

But, um, These women, these black women from Jersey were out here

Jay Ray:

in churches learning how to sing orchestral, uh, music and learning how

Jay Ray:

to sing in, in, in that way and being able to apply it to gospel and soul.

Jay Ray:

So, yeah, you know, this group actually started, you know.

Jay Ray:

With Dionne and Dee Dee, um, and of course Dionne goes on to become the blueprint.

Jay Ray:

We talk about blueprints and Dionne Warwick was that girl in the night,

Jay Ray:

in the early 1960s, if you were talking about black women singers,

Jay Ray:

all of them were aspiring to be like.

Jay Ray:

Dionne Warwick.

Jay Ray:

DJ Sir Daniel: Rock and roll Hall of Fame inductee of 2024.

Jay Ray:

Um, the album suites for my suite also contains a Marvin

Jay Ray:

Gaye cover called chains, right?

Jay Ray:

Um, I love that song.

Jay Ray:

It's a, you know, they kind of, it's a rock, little Diddy,

Jay Ray:

DJ Sir Daniel: Mm hmm.

Jay Ray:

And this is weird because when people listen to Chained, it

Jay Ray:

forces you to kind of go back into Marvin's career kind of pre, uh, 1968.

Jay Ray:

And you realize that Marvin Gaye was doing like all of this other stuff.

Jay Ray:

Like he was doing like a little rock and a little

Jay Ray:

DJ Sir Daniel: Yeah,

Jay Ray:

and like all these other things that were not what he ended

Jay Ray:

up becoming super famous for.

Jay Ray:

DJ Sir Daniel: yeah, you know one thing about The Sweet Inspirations also is

Jay Ray:

that they were a pivotal part of the Stax Recordings as well because they work

Jay Ray:

with Otis Redding If it was rumored that Cissy might have been dating him But hey,

Jay Ray:

I mean those things those things happen Allegedly, but um, but yeah, so Stax

Jay Ray:

they were involved in the Stax um Legacy.

Jay Ray:

Um, and like we said, she went, they went on to sing background for, of course,

Jay Ray:

Aretha Franklin, Solomon Burke, Otis Redding, Jimi Hendrix, Dusty Springfield,

Jay Ray:

Van Morrison, and get ready for this.

Jay Ray:

Elvis Presley.

Jay Ray:

Yeah.

Jay Ray:

man.

Jay Ray:

Um, so after, since he left the group, um, in 1969, from like

Jay Ray:

1970 till Elvis's death, The Sweet Inspirations were his backing vocalists.

Jay Ray:

Um, so they sang with Elvis for many, many years.

Jay Ray:

And to that point is speaks to, and so Daniel, we know this right.

Jay Ray:

Artists need them a little bit of need them a little bit

Jay Ray:

of soul in that thing, right?

Jay Ray:

When they hit the stage,

Jay Ray:

DJ Sir Daniel: sure do.

Jay Ray:

What do they do with these are the live performances.

Jay Ray:

They going to trot out that gospel choir.

Jay Ray:

I don't care if it's total Elvis Presley, they're going to bring

Jay Ray:

out a gospel choir to bring it on home and get people on their feet.

Jay Ray:

and so The Sweet Inspirations.

Jay Ray:

So when we think about like legendary background singers, because, you know,

Jay Ray:

in on this show, we've talked about over the years, the importance of The music is

Jay Ray:

not just a person up front, like there's all of these people that made it happen.

Jay Ray:

You have the musicians and it also for many folks included these background

Jay Ray:

singers of which the Sweet Inspirations were famous literally as we read in

Jay Ray:

that paragraph and that was 1969.

Jay Ray:

So these women were really kind of just running things for like years.

Jay Ray:

Um, and it's kind of sad that music has moved.

Jay Ray:

In such a way that we just don't get stuff like that anymore.

Jay Ray:

You don't get to build a career.

Jay Ray:

These women had a career that they were able to raise their families and

Jay Ray:

DJ Sir Daniel: Yes,

Jay Ray:

Yeah.

Jay Ray:

Yeah.

Jay Ray:

DJ Sir Daniel: at church and somebody recently brought that up.

Jay Ray:

I think it was Jermaine Dupri said on one of his lives, he was

Jay Ray:

talking about, you know, Nobody's coming from the church anymore.

Jay Ray:

Nobody's, and we've said that numerous times on this, on this show, Queue Points

Jay Ray:

podcast, we've said it y'all are not, y'all don't come up in church choirs,

Jay Ray:

flat footed singing, and we can tell y'all did not have to rehearse hour after hour.

Jay Ray:

And we can tell at church churches had.

Jay Ray:

People that grew up in the church and sang in the church just have a different kind

Jay Ray:

of discipline and it literally paid off.

Jay Ray:

I was thinking about them jet setting around the world

Jay Ray:

with all these major acts.

Jay Ray:

I also think about what, because this is, you know, not too far from Jim Crow.

Jay Ray:

And the civil rights movement and just thinking about, you know, their treatment

Jay Ray:

in going in these establishments, especially when they were traveling with

Jay Ray:

the, the white, um, artists at the time, and just thinking about, you know, how

Jay Ray:

would they were treated, um, as possible.

Jay Ray:

They had to go into through the back, you know, the, the, the stories are

Jay Ray:

true and we remember those things.

Jay Ray:

So they really, really paved the way and laid it out for.

Jay Ray:

A lot of people to come along and to do their thing in the music industry.

Jay Ray:

Cissy literally created a path for her daughter, an industry path.

Jay Ray:

I think that's the best form of nepotism ever.

Jay Ray:

I'm not, I like me a little nepotism.

Jay Ray:

Bring me up, Unc.

Jay Ray:

Put me on, Dad.

Jay Ray:

You know, I'm not opposed to it, but Yeah, the, so Cissy Houston also goes on to have

Jay Ray:

her own Flourishing career as a soloist.

Jay Ray:

Mm

Jay Ray:

DJ Sir Daniel: She was a disco singer.

Jay Ray:

She had a

Jay Ray:

Yeah.

Jay Ray:

DJ Sir Daniel: hit

Jay Ray:

Yeah.

Jay Ray:

DJ Sir Daniel: Of course, she still hit the, um, the background vocal Um, circuit

Jay Ray:

and, um, she was also singing what, before we do that, Jerry, there's a song

Jay Ray:

that we've talked about on this show that, um, as part of a historical song

Jay Ray:

Yeah.

Jay Ray:

Yeah.

Jay Ray:

DJ Sir Daniel: then we also find out that The Sweet Inspirations are

Jay Ray:

actually singing on background on this particular song, which is a

Jay Ray:

huge landmark and game changing song.

Jay Ray:

Silence.

Jay Ray:

Silence.

Jay Ray:

Silence.

Jay Ray:

being me being hyperbolic in any way.

Jay Ray:

Um, and was written by a black woman and sung by two black men and, um,

Jay Ray:

about being, um, out gay and proud.

Jay Ray:

So the second version of the song though, is where The Sweet Inspirations

Jay Ray:

come in, which is kind of fascinating.

Jay Ray:

So I'm actually going to play a clip of that.

Jay Ray:

of Carl Bean, who sang that version, um, telling us what happened about, um,

Jay Ray:

how The Sweet Inspirations got involved.

Carl Bean:

When they, they approached me.

Carl Bean:

I knew when the song came.

Carl Bean:

That's because I sat on that step and heard "What's Going

Carl Bean:

On" and The Staples [Singers].

Carl Bean:

And that's what God had touched me with this message music, but in hearing that

Carl Bean:

that day, I never would've thought in a million years, I was going to get

Carl Bean:

the chance to sing about being gay.

Carl Bean:

That was so far from my memory bank, thinking that it

Carl Bean:

just wasn't nowhere around.

Carl Bean:

And, uh, when it came, and Motown presented the song.

Carl Bean:

I knew the minute I saw the lyric, it was mine to do.

Carl Bean:

Cause this is what I left to do,

Carl Bean:

but I just I didn't know it was going to be about my particular journey.

Carl Bean:

Johnnie Ray Kornegay III: Hmm.

Carl Bean:

I Saw the lyrics sheet, I said, ain't no need in me questioning God.

Carl Bean:

Johnnie Ray Kornegay III: Hmm.

Carl Bean:

I asked the folks at Motown, I said, can I bring my own background in?

Carl Bean:

And they said, well, who is it?

Carl Bean:

I said The Sweet Inspirations, so then they said, you mean

Carl Bean:

THE Sweet Inspirations.

Carl Bean:

Johnnie Ray Kornegay III: [Laughing] You mean them?

Carl Bean:

I said, Yes.

Carl Bean:

yeah, THE Sweet Inspirations.

Carl Bean:

They said oh, hell yeah.

Carl Bean:

[Johnnie laughing] Uh, huh.

Carl Bean:

Johnnie Ray Kornegay III: Like they were going to say, no,

Carl Bean:

your like, well, you know.

Carl Bean:

Well, I've called Estelle [Brown], I said, y'all, I

Carl Bean:

got a gig for you, they said what?

Carl Bean:

I told em, they said, yeah, Carl, you know we will.

Carl Bean:

And I said, cause if my girl, we all came up from New York together,

Carl Bean:

so all we got to do you give us the beat and we'll take it from there.

Carl Bean:

[Johnnie laughing] We've been doing this a good while together, and so Estelle

Carl Bean:

and I worked that way in the studio that night and, the thing that the people

Carl Bean:

in loved was really my ad libbing.

Carl Bean:

All the other stuff that people sing and get off on is me taking them to church.

Jay Ray:

so as you can see, so Carl bean, who got this deal at Motown to be, to

Jay Ray:

sing this song, that was really like the crux of the deal, um, called up, uh, Ms.

Jay Ray:

Estelle of The Sweet Inspirations.

Jay Ray:

Um, since he was long, um, out of the group by then.

Jay Ray:

And, um, to sing backgrounds on this gay anthem and their version of the song is

Jay Ray:

the one that the kids tend to go up for.

Jay Ray:

Cause it's very gospel.

Jay Ray:

It's one it's disco and two is gospel.

Jay Ray:

And so The Sweet Inspirations is just bringing it.

Jay Ray:

So women were a part of.

Jay Ray:

Not just music history overall, not just black music history, but also

Jay Ray:

the history of LGBTQ music includes the voices of The Sweet Inspirations.

Jay Ray:

DJ Sir Daniel: That's right.

Jay Ray:

And you know, not only did The Sweet Inspirations make their mark in gospel

Jay Ray:

and disco, but they made their mark in hip hop as well, because there are a

Jay Ray:

couple from a couple of those albums.

Jay Ray:

There are a lot of sweet inspiration samples that you listen to to this

Jay Ray:

day and you can't get enough of.

Jay Ray:

I think the most prominent one that.

Jay Ray:

The everyday listener and people who enjoy Queue Points will recognize

Jay Ray:

is the classic I'm blue, which is actually a cover of, of the eye cats.

Jay Ray:

Um, I'm blue and you will notice that it was sampled by one ice cube,

Jay Ray:

but you will also know, and here.

Jay Ray:

Immediately as the record plays, I'm blue is the foundation for salt and

Jay Ray:

pepper's major massive hit stoop.

Jay Ray:

And so, yes, The Sweet Inspirations gave us a little hip hop Diddy as well.

Jay Ray:

So shout out to them.

Jay Ray:

They did quite a bit in the time that they worked in the industry.

Jay Ray:

But as we started off talking about Cissy Houston, um, going on to have.

Jay Ray:

You know, being the focus of this conversation, but then going on to have

Jay Ray:

a substantial solo career of her own, as Jay Ray mentioned, she's, you know,

Jay Ray:

was featured on I'm every woman, um, a shocker con, but did you know that

Jay Ray:

she was also singing backup with Bette Midler on Bette Midler's Grammy award

Jay Ray:

winning massive hit from a distance.

Jay Ray:

Uh huh,

Jay Ray:

DJ Sir Daniel: And, um, yeah, and not Bayhive listened to this.

Jay Ray:

Cissy Houston is singing backup.

Jay Ray:

With Beyonce on The Closer I Get to You, and I believe that was

Jay Ray:

on the Dangerously In Love album.

Jay Ray:

That was Beyonce's first album, I believe.

Jay Ray:

So yeah, Cissy Houston, y'all gonna stop referring to her as Whitney's mom.

Jay Ray:

She was her own woman.

Jay Ray:

She, you know, she was her own woman and she did her, you know, she

Jay Ray:

did her thing in this industry and left an indelible mark on the music

Jay Ray:

industry, specifically Black music.

Jay Ray:

And for that, we salute Miss Cissy Emily Drinkard Houston on this

Jay Ray:

episode of Queue Points Podcast.

Jay Ray:

Another one, Jay Ray, what you got to say about it?

Jay Ray:

yo, thank you all so much for tuning in with us

Jay Ray:

as we walk down memory lane.

Jay Ray:

Before we close out, please make sure that y'all go and stream.

Jay Ray:

Um, The Sweet Inspirations, you will not be disappointed.

Jay Ray:

These records are full of beautiful harmonies.

Jay Ray:

Um, lots of great covers that are unique.

Jay Ray:

So you want to check out these records.

Jay Ray:

So please go and do that.

Jay Ray:

And for you beat makers and producers out there, you'll probably find

Jay Ray:

some stuff you want to sample.

Jay Ray:

So there's that.

Jay Ray:

Thank you so much for tuning into Queue Points.

Jay Ray:

Please make sure.

Jay Ray:

That you subscribe wherever you are.

Jay Ray:

If you could see our faces, if you can hear our forces, if you can

Jay Ray:

hear our voices, great, hit the subscribe button, share the show with

Jay Ray:

your friends, family, colleagues.

Jay Ray:

If You

Jay Ray:

DJ Sir Daniel: I have a question.

Jay Ray:

I have a question.

Jay Ray:

Um, How is this a transparent document to having trauma about

Jay Ray:

And I don't any data to that

Jay Ray:

store at store.

Jay Ray:

cuepoints.

Jay Ray:

com and get yourself some fresh gear last, but not least visit

Jay Ray:

our website at Queue Points.

Jay Ray:

com.

Jay Ray:

Queue Points.

Jay Ray:

com where you can sign up for our newsletter and read our blog.

Jay Ray:

We appreciate y'all.

Jay Ray:

We love y'all.

Jay Ray:

DJ Sir Daniel: And like I always say in this life, you have an opportunity.

Jay Ray:

You can either pick up the needle or you can let the record play.

Jay Ray:

I'm DJ Sir Daniel,

Jay Ray:

My name is Jay Ray y'all.

Jay Ray:

DJ Sir Daniel: and this has been Queue Points podcast, dropping

Jay Ray:

the needle on black music history.

Jay Ray:

We will see you on the next go round.

Jay Ray:

Peace y'all.

Jay Ray:

Peace.

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Queue Points
Queue Points is the Black Podcasting Award and Ambie Award nominated music podcast that is dropping the needle on Black Music history and celebrating Black music through meaningful dialogue. The show is hosted by DJ Sir Daniel and Jay Ray. Visit https://queuepoints.com to learn more.
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DJ Sir Daniel

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DJ Sir Daniel is a DJ/Selector and part of Atlanta's, all-vinyl crew, Wax Fundamentals. Co-host of the Queue Points podcast, he is an advocate for DJ culture and is passionate about creating atmospheres of inclusivity and jubilation from a Black perspective.

Jay Ray

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Johnnie Ray Kornegay III (Jay Ray) is a podcast consultant and co-host and producer of Queue Points, the Ambie Award-nominated podcast that drops the needle on Black music history. In addition to his duties at Queue Points, he is the Deputy Director of Strategy and Impact for CNP (Counter Narrative Project). A photographer, creative consultant and social commentator, Jay Ray's work is centered around a commitment to telling full and honest stories about communities often ignored.