Whitney Houston Leaves Us
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The music world is saddened by the untimely death of Whitney Houston, named ‘The Voice’ for her powerful and gorgeous singing. Over the last several years though, the voice was in great decline probably due to drug and alcohol abuse.
Whitney’s voice was not only her identity but also her fame and fortune. Those of you reading this are singers in one way or another and you know yourself what happens when you have to put yourself, your voice, out there for others to hear. It’s scary. You feel like you are ripping your guts out and laying them on the stage for all to see and hear. That’s what the audience comes for – that revelation and energy and the risk a performer takes.
Now picture yourself out there with millions listening and your voice doesn’t sound the same as it did. It’s not coming easily. So you push a bit to try to get more power and brilliance like you used to have. The little bit of pushing doesn’t work, so you push more and strain a bit. Not a good result. If you do not have good vocal training to rely on, you’ll keep pushing yourself into vocal damage and a voice that sounds shredded and sad.
The damage that drugs and alcohol can do to a voice – a body – is major. Delicate vocal tissue can dry out, leaving it inflexible and unable to respond to impulses that regulate pitch and clarity. Breathing becomes confused because of the suddenly different response of the voice to the musical cues. Breath begins to hold instead of release. The singer ends up trapped inside an instrument that just won’t work the way it used to and leaves the singer struggling to find a way out.
The fact that Whitney passed on the day before the Grammy Awards is significant. Can you imagine going to the awards where you’ve cleaned up in years past, knowing that your voice is not working anymore – and knowing that it’s your own fault! How terrifying that must have been for her. When the details of the toxicology report are known, I suspect they will find a self-induced escape.
It’s very tough being at the top. These are not empty words, they are the truth. My readers who are aspiring to make it big, go for it! Just make sure you get the best vocal training possible – SingLikeYouSpeak.com offers the best online training – stay away from the temptations of excess that wealth affords, keep grounded in whatever you believe strongly in and keep a group of very sane, strong friends and family around you.
Only Whitney could have saved Whitney. She said herself, “The biggest devil is me. I’m either my best friend or my worst enemy.”
Here’s Whitney singing the Star Bangled Banner at the Super Bowl in 1991 shortly after the US entered the Gulf War. Enjoy! May she rest in peace.
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February 15, 2012 pm29 1:25 pm
I wonder what damage I’ve done myself, living on morphine for 4 damaged discs (football at 14)in my lower back. I’ve also broken my back (huge cabinet dropped from truck at 26), and neck (chopper crash at 19). I also wear a fentanyl patch, and get monthly epidural shots with steroids. there’s no way away form it – 10 yrs now, and I cant walk without it. I have not sung live in 10 yrs. My nerve damage in my left elbow(injured at 26 , with torn left rotator cuff) healed recently, after 20+ yrs not playing bass anymore, so I bought 2 guitars and am playing each day for 2 weeks now, trying to build my way back. I intend to sing the material I’ve written. And now this makes me wonder if these meds have damaged my voice. any input? You’re the expert. If this comeback realizes, its far more a story than the week’s Gramamy awar winner coming back from surgery. My final damage was brain damage, hit off my bike by a cop in Jersey, to awake after 2 1/2 days in a coma with a brain lining tear that hemorraged. This was in July ’96, at 35. I’m 51 now. Cant seem to quit. LOL.
February 20, 2012 pm29 1:59 pm
Certainly any drug intake can affect the vocal system. The problems w/your neck are much more significant a factor to me. Have you ever thought of full body padding?
The voice is an instrument and when you think about it, the system runs parallel to the spin. Any dis-alignment can cause some problems. Training can help you with this. When one part of the system is compromised, another part must work a bit harder to get the result. Training can point you specifically to how to strengthen.
All the best with your songs!