Whitney Houston has died: 1963-2012

She was the daughter of gospel singer Cissy Houston, the cousin of diva Dionne Warwick and the goddaughter of Aretha Franklin.

Houston first started singing in the church as a child. In her teens, she sang backup for Chaka Khan, Jermaine Jackson and others, in addition to modeling. It was around that time when music mogul Clive Davis first heard Houston perform.

Having had a famously turbulent marriage to Bobby Brown, when the pair finally divorced after 15 years there had been hopes that the singer could put her drug abuse problems behind her. However, her performances continued to be erratic and rumours of trips to rehab facilities were rife.

She died at the age of 48 and is survived by her daughter Bobbi Kristina.