Cissy Houston, Whitney Houston's mother and Grammy-winning singer, has died at the age of 91

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Cissy Houston, the mother of the late Whitney Houston and a two-time Grammy winner who performed alongside superstar musicians such as Elvis Presley and Aretha Franklin, has died. She was 91.

Houston died Monday morning at her home in New Jersey while receiving hospice care for Alzheimer's disease, her daughter-in-law Pat Houston told The Associated Press. The celebrated gospel singer was surrounded by her family.

“Our hearts are full of pain and sadness. We are losing the matriarch of our family,” Pat Houston said in a statement. She said her mother-in-law's contribution to popular music and culture was “unprecedented.”

“Mother Cissy was a strong and prominent figure in our lives. A woman of deep faith and conviction who cared deeply about family, service and community. Her career spanning more than seven decades in the music and entertainment industry will continue to be close to our hearts.”

Houston was a member of the popular singing group Sweet Inspirations with Doris Troy and her niece Dee Dee Warrick. The group sang backing vocals for various soul singers including Otis Redding, Lou Rawls, The Drifters and Dionne Warwick.

The Sweet Inspirations performed on Van Morrison's “Brown Eyed Girl” in 1967 and sang backing vocals for The Jimi Hendrix Experience on the song “Burning of the Midnight Lamp.” That same year, Houston worked on Franklin's classic “Ain't No Way.” .”

Houston's final performance with the Sweet Inspirations came after the group appeared on stage with Presley in a Las Vegas show in 1969. Her final recording session with the group resulted in her biggest R&B hit, “(Gotta Find) A Brand New Lover”, a composition by the production team of Gamble & Huff, which appeared on the group's fifth album, “Sweet Sweet Soul”.

During this time, the group occasionally performed live concerts with Franklin. After the group's success and four albums together, Houston left The Sweet Inspirations to pursue a solo career, in which she thrived.

Houston became a sought-after session singer and recorded more than 600 songs in various genres throughout her career. Her vocals can be heard on tracks alongside a variety of artists including Chaka Khan, Donny Hathaway, Jimi Hendrix, Luther Vandross, Beyoncé, Paul Simon, Roberta Flack and her daughter.

In 1971, Houston's signature vocals were heard on Burt Bacharach's solo album, including “Mexican Divorce,” “All Kinds of People” and “One Less Bell to Answer.” She performed various standards, including Barbra Streisand's hit “Evergreen.”

Houston won Grammys for her albums “Face to Face” in 1997 and “He Leadeth Me” the following year in the Best Traditional Soul-Gospel Album category.

Houston is the author of three books: He Leadeth Me, How Sweet The Sound: My Life with God and Gospel and Remembering Whitney: A Mother's Story of Life, Loss and The Night The Music Stop.

In 1938, Cissy Houston began her career when she, along with her sister Anne and brothers Larry and Nicky, formed the gospel group The Drinkard Four, which recorded an album. She attended New Hope Baptist Church, where she later became minister of church music.

Houston was the youngest of eight children.

“We are touched by your generous support and love in our deep time of grief,” Houston said on behalf of the family. “We respectfully request our privacy during this difficult time.”