From a professional and cultural significance standpoint, there are many similarities one could draw between the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll, Elvis Presley, and one of the most show-stopping vocalists of all time, Whitney Houston. Both musicians left a tremendous impact on the music industry before dying too young, and both of their careers were unfortunately overshadowed by personal issues that plagued their off-stage lives.
However, their paths crossed long before they met one another in the rare, mystifying world of international celebrities. In fact, the first time Houston ever met Presley, she wasn’t even close to becoming a household name. But who could blame her? She was only seven, after all.
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Houston’s mother, Cissy Houston, on the other hand, was enjoying a major high point in her own musical career. As the lead singer for The Sweet Inspirations, Presley’s backing vocal group for his residency at the International Hotel in Las Vegas in the summer of 1969, Cissy (and her young daughter) were able to accomplish what most Elvis fans could only dream of: meeting the enigmatic, charming performer in person.
Though, to be fair, Whitney would later say that no one ever actually “met” Elvis. Describing the first time she was ever in the same room with him, Whitney recalled the mink and sunglasses he wore. “You don’t say anything. You just look. It was just one of those moments I won’t forget as a kid,” she said. “It wasn’t like, ‘Hi, Mr. Elvis. Nice to meet you.’ You didn’t do that. You just sat back and just looked at him. He was amazing. Amazing. Amazing to look at. Just to be in his presence was awesome.”
Whitney Houston’s Mother Performed on This Famously Zany Elvis Presley Track
Elvis Presley’s 57-performance stint at the newly built International Hotel in Las Vegas coincided with the singer’s comeback into the musical world after a long string of films, some of which were more successful than others. Presley was still working on getting his confidence back as a singer, but fortunately, the adoring fans throwing their bras and slips onto the stage while he sang seemed to be doing the trick. As he progressed further into his performance schedule, Presley became more childlike, more spontaneous, and more easygoing. He was enjoying his time on stage again, and that translated into the way he performed some of his songs.
One of those songs featured Whitney Houston’s mother, Cissy Houston, singing with The Sweet Inspirations. Presley’s performance of a song that he had already sung countless times was made especially notable due to Presley falling into a fit of giggles halfway through the song. According to Peter Guralnick’s biography, Careless Love: The Unmaking of Elvis Presley, Cissy’s “soprano obbligato” during “Are You Lonesome Tonight?” tickled Presley’s funny bone in just the right way. The performer began laughing his way through the track, changing the lyrics from “Do you gaze at your doorstep and picture me there?” to “Do you gaze at your bald head and wish you were there?”
As Presley’s improvisations might suggest, legend has it that Presley spotted a man lose his toupé in the crowd, prompting the singer to start ad-libbing his lines. According to some accounts, an overly passionate female fan was responsible for the hairpiece slipping off the stranger’s head. According to others, the toupé fell of its own accord. No matter the specifics, Presley obviously got a kick out of something that night.
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