Following Whitney

Whitney Houston has had a colourful, if not always fairy tale, life but when it is all weighed, her 48 years on this Earth were remarkable. The I believe In You and Me hitmaker was born into music and died while battling to regain her place at the top of it. Take a look at what happened in-between.

1963:

Whitney Elizabeth Houston is born in East Orange, New Jersey, to gospel singer Cissy Houston on August 9.

1974:

Starts performing as soloist in junior gospel choir at New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, New Jersey.

1978:

Sings backup on mother's album Think It Over, beginning a run of backup performances for artistes including Chaka Khan, Jermaine Jackson and Lou Rawls.

1983:

Arista Records executive sees her performing onstage with her mother, label head Clive Davis sees her soon after and signs her to a contract.

1985:

Debut album, Whitney Houston, is released, selling millions and spawning huge hits How Will I Know, You Give Good Love, Saving All My Love For You and Greatest Love of All.

1987:

Multi-platinum follow-up album Whitney is released. Includes hits I Wanna Dance With Somebody, So Emotional and Where Do Broken Hearts Go.

1988:

Records theme song for Seoul Olympics, One Moment In Time.

1991:

Returns to limelight with performance of The Star Spangled Banner at the Super Bowl during the first Gulf War.

1992:

Stars opposite Kevin Costner in The Bodyguard. The hit film makes Houston a Hollywood star and its theme song, I Will Always Love You, becomes a signature hit that tops charts for weeks and wins Grammys for Record of the Year and Best Female Pop Vocal.

1992:

Begins high-profile and tumultuous marriage to former New Edition member and soul-singing star Bobby Brown.

1993:

Has daughter with Brown, Bobbi-Kristina.

1995:

Stars in movie Waiting to Exhale.

1996:

Stars opposite Denzel Washington in The Preacher's Wife.

1997:

Appears as fairy godmother in TV version of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella.

1998:

Releases album My Love Is Your Love. Song It's Not Right But It's Okay brings Grammy for best female R&B vocal.

2003:

Police respond to domestic violence call from Houston about Brown. Police find Houston with cut lip and bruised cheek.

2004:

Briefly enters drug rehabilitation clinic.

2005:

Returns to drug rehab under court order.

2005:

Appears in reality TV show Being Bobby Brown.

2006:

Files for legal separation from Brown.

2007:

Divorces Brown.

2009:

Comeback album I Look To You debuts at top of charts, eventually goes platinum.

2009:

In a TV interview with Oprah Winfrey, declares herself drug-free. She would return to rehab in 2011.

2012:

Dies at age 48 in a hotel room in Beverly Hills, California, on February 11.