Whitney Houston's death 1 year later: Remembering the queen of pop

SLIDESHOW - We recollect the most memorable moments in the trajectory of Whitney Houston, whose cultural contributions have made us dance, cry, laugh, and sing...

Luther Vandross was outed as gay after his death.

Whitney Houston died at the age of 48 one year ago today, a fact that still has the world reeling despite signs that her life has been troubled for several years.

Even after her admissions to drug addiction in the past, and several apparent relapses, the public seemed to retain hope that Houston’s once-gilded voice would return to its previous pop splendor.

Yet, tragically, Houston could not transform her path of self-destruction into a sustainable, life-affirming journey, despite many attempts recently to resurrect her once-stellar career.

Here, we recollect the most memorable moments in the trajectory of Whitney Houston’s life, from the highs to the lows of her fame. Her cultural contributions made us laugh, dance, smile and sing — before the demon of substance abuse robbed her of her gift and control over her existence.

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