Some 13 years later, Whitney would make her own version of the song a chart hit once again.

1, establishing her as a bona fide star.

The album would sell more than 25 million copies worldwide.

Whitney Houston | 1979 Born to a musical family (her mother was gospel singer Cissy Houston, pictured here with her daughter in 1983; Aretha Franklin was Whitney’s godmother,

NNS/Landov

5

1988Houston uses her budding fame to bring attention to the anti-apartheid movement and African-American causes.

10

1998The singer releasesMy Love Is Your Love, her first album in eight years.

11

2000In May, aGreatest Hitscollection arrives in stores.

Whitney Houston | 1983 The beautiful young teen finds early success as a model, appearing in commercials as well as in Glamour , Cosmopolitan , and on the

13

2006Whitney Houston files to end her marriage to Bobby Brown in the fall.

The couple had been married 14 years.

It contains what would be her final hit, ‘‘Million Dollar Bill.’’

Whitney Houston | 1985 After impressing Arista Records head Clive Davis with her raw talent, Whitney is signed to the label and releases her self-titled debut. ‘‘Saving All

AP

I thought that was enough for me.

I had the money.

I had the cars.

Whitney Houston | 1987-88 Her second album, Whitney , is no sophomore slump — it yields the hits ‘‘I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me),’’ ‘‘Didn’t We

I had the house.

And none of it was really that fulfilling.

For a time, I was happy.

Whitney Houston | 1988 Houston uses her budding fame to bring attention to the anti-apartheid movement and African-American causes. She performs at a 70th birthday tribute for Nelson

Neal Preston/Corbis

I was happy, but I needed that joy.

I needed my joy back.

I needed that peace that passes all understanding.’’

Whitney Houston | 1991 In the midst of the first Gulf War, the singer appears at Super Bowl XXV and, backed by the Florida Orchestra, performs a stirring,

Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images

She wraps her final world tour,Nothing But Love World Tour.

17

2011

Houston spent the end of the year filmingSparkle, a remake of a 1976 film.

It had been scheduled to be released Aug. 10.

Whitney Houston | 1992 The singer marries Bobby Brown and scores huge hits with both the movie The Bodyguard , in which she stars opposite Kevin Costner, and

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She played the mother of Jordin Sparks’ titular aspiring singer.

Whitney Houston | 1995 Houston stars as TV producer Savannah Jackson in the box office hit Waiting to Exhale , and secures yet another hit with the movie’s

Everett Collection

1996

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Whitney Houston | 1998 The singer releases My Love Is Your Love , her first album in eight years. The collection features contributions from Lauryn Hill, Wyclef Jean,

Whitney Houston | 2000 In May, a Greatest Hits collection arrives in stores. The 2-CD set is separated into one disc of ballads and another of more uptempo

2003

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Whitney Houston | 2006 Whitney Houston files to end her marriage to Bobby Brown in the fall. The couple had been married 14 years.

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Whitney Houston | 2009 In August, Houston releases I Look To You , which moves more than 200,000 copies in its first week. It contains what would be

Whitney Houston | 2009 A demure, introspective Houston gives a heart-breaking interview to Oprah Winfrey on the season premiere of her show. Houston admits: ‘‘At that time in

George Burns

2010

Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images

Whitney Houston | 2011 Houston spent the end of the year filming Sparkle , a remake of a 1976 film. It had been scheduled to be released Aug. 10. She