Whitney Houston was one of the best-selling recording artists of all time. She won eight Grammy Awards and 22 American Music Awards. To many, she's one of the greatest vocalists of all-time and an American icon.
Now — 13 years after her shocking death at age 48 — fans get to experience a Whitney Houston performance with a live orchestra.
"Whitney is actually the person that's narrating this show," said Pat Houston, Whitney’s sister-in-law. "If you've never seen her in concert, you have her here with the orchestra. Whose catalog could play along with an orchestra like Whitney Houston's catalog? I try to do everything authentic to what Whitney would want."
Pat Houston became Whitney's confidante. She also serves as executor of her estate.
"My connection with Whitney Houston started with me marrying her brother, Gary," said Pat. "(We've) been married for 32 years this year. We (Pat and Whitney) became two peas in a pod, inseparable. I loved that, loved it then and love it now. You know, miss her," she said.
The new show, The Voice of Whitney, a Symphonic Celebration, pairs Whitney’s incredible vocals with a live orchestra and includes some of her biggest hits.
"She loved her craft, her music, which started when she was a young girl," said Pat. "She left such an indelible mark on all of us. You can tell she loved her craft because Whitney could tell a story with her voice and lyrically with the music. Whitney didn't follow trends. I always said (to her), 'You never follow trends, you set them.' She never wanted to be anyone but Whitney Houston and I loved that."
The music in the show is accompanied by personal footage of Whitney, through home movies and never-before-seen footage.
"There's footage in there that you will see that will blow you away," Pat explained. "It will bring you to tears, probably even have you standing. When she performed the national anthem at the Superbowl, you see the behind (the scenes) footage. It wasn't about her just singing the National Anthem because it was during the Gulf War and she did it for those reasons. Not just because she was Whitney Houston and they asked her to come and perform. But she truly was giving her heart and soul to that moment."
Whitney's death has, at times, been more of a focus than her life. Her sister Pat hopes that the new show will help celebrate Whitney's life and preserve her musical legacy.
"Disappointment, trials and tribulations are all a part of living," Pat said. "Whitney Houston lived hers to the fullest. She lived with purpose. She gave us great music. She's resting in peace, but her legacy continues to live, and that's what we're doing."
The Voice of Whitney, a Symphonic Celebration is at the Fred Kavli Theater in Thousand Oaks on Saturday October 25 at 8 p.m..
