What Dionne Warwick's Relationship Was Like With Her Cousin Whitney Houston

Singers Dionne Warwick and Whitney Houston were cousins with some legendary voices, and their relationship was built on their mutual love for music.

Here's the familial connection: Warwick's mother — Lee Drinkard — and Whitney's mother — gospel singer Cissy Houston — are sisters. Born in 1940, Warwick is closer in age to her aunt Cissy, growing up as a family singing in church in New Jersey. When powerhouse vocalist Cissy and other family members created a singing group, the Drinkard Singers, young Warwick would occasionally play piano to accompany them.Talk about a family full of talent! 

Coming into her own as a hitmaker in the '60s and '70s, the "I Say A Little Prayer" artist has long been touted for her singing voice. So when Cissy welcomed baby Whitney in 1963, Whitney was just the next in a long line of legendary acts. As the future superstar Whitney grew up, Warwick brought her little cousin along during her own chart-topping adventure.

Under the wing of cousin Dionne Warwick, Whitney Houston spent some of her younger years traveling with the "That's What Friends Are For" singer before she ascended to her own stardom. Warwick recalled to Entertainment Tonight in February 2022 how although she had two sons of her own — David and Damon — she felt that Houston was "like the little girl [she] never had." The elder artist described young Houston as "a little devil" but "a very special baby." 

During the "I Wanna Dance with Somebody" singer's youth, Warwick recalled bringing her and other cousins on tour while Warwick performed across America. "I would take [Whitney] on the road with me during the summer months," Warwick explained to the publication. "[The cousins] got to see not only the glitz and glamour and all that stuff, they got to see the other side of it too. Getting up at the crack of dawn." She recounted teasing Houston asking, "'So, you still want to be in show business?'"

After Houston released her first album in 1985, the cousins made their TV duet debut singing "You're A Friend of Mine" together when Warwick was hosting "Solid Gold" in 1986. Houston later honored Warwick's work by performing a medley of her songs in 1997. "[Whitney] had a presence that is still very much with us. Her music, her sound, her voice, that is her legacy," Warwick reminisced with People in February 2022. "I came from a family who understands what our purpose is."

Throughout the years, Dionne Warwick has spoken up to protect her cousin Whitney Houston's life and legacy. After the "I Will Always Love You" singer tragically died of an accidental drowning in 2012, Warwick served as the de-facto host of her funeral, introducing the various speakers and singers. 

The singer revealed to Fox News Digital in February 2023 that it was her job to procure speakers, including Houston's "The Bodyguard" costar Kevin Costner. Although he delivered one of the most memorable speeches from that sad day, Warwick recounted how the actor was trepidatious when she first asked him. "When I called [Kevin] and asked him to speak at her funeral, he asked me, 'I don't know what I'm going to say. I don't know what I'm going to say,'" Warwick recalled. "I said, 'Well, just speak from your heart.' And I'm certain that's what he did at the event as well. He truly cared about her, and I'm certain that came across during his talk."

Warwick has also spoken out against projects about Houston's life. When the announcement of the "Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody" biopic was made, Warwick slammed the project to the Los Angeles Times in 2021, saying people needed to "leave her alone" and "let her sleep." The singer also explained to Entertainment Tonight that she doesn't "celebrate [Whitney's] death," but instead rejoices over the memory of her life.