The Official Whitney Houston Aging Timeline

    Here's a detailed look back at Whitney Houston's life. RIP. It's all so tragic.

    Matt Stopera
    by Matt Stopera

    BuzzFeed Staff

    Whitney Houston was born on August 9, 1963 in Newark, New Jersey

    1965

    Whitney is the daughter gospel singer Cissy Houston, the cousin of Dionne Warwick, and the goddaughter of Aretha Franklin.

    Late 1960s

    Early 1970s

    Late 1970s

    Whitney at prom.

    Early 1980s

    Whitney is discovered by Clive Davis.

    Whitney appears in various modeling campaigns.

    1981

    Whitney Houston's high school yearbook picture. She graduated from Mount Saint Dominic Academy in Caldwell NJ.

    Whitney covers Seventeen Magazine. She is one of the first African Americans to ever make the cover.

    1984

    Performing in NYC.

    1985

    Whitney's debut album is released.

    1986

    Grammys.

    American Music Awards.

    1987

    The "Whitney album is released. "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)" was on this record.

    With her mother.

    1988

    Whitney poses with her Grammy after she was named Best Pop Vocal Performer.

    1990

    With Bobby Brown.

    1991

    Whitney performs the National Anthem at the Super Bowl.

    Billboard Music Awards.

    1992

    The Bodyguard is released.

    Whitney marries Bobby Brown.

    1993

    Whitney gives birth to her only child, Bobbi Kristina Houston Brown.

    Whitney wins 11 Billboard Music Awards.

    1994

    Whitney shows off the seven awards she won at the 21st American Music Awards.

    With Nelson Mandela.

    1995

    At the Waiting to Exhale Soundtrack release party in L.A.

    1996

    The Preachers Wife is released.

    1997

    At the east coast premiere of "Cinderella."

    1998

    At the VMAs.

    Performing "Heartbreak Hotel" at the Billboard Awards.

    1999

    At the European MTV Video Music Awards.

    At Clive Davis' pre-Grammy party.

    2000

    With Bobby Brown at the VMAs.

    Whitney Houston greets Bobby Brown after he was released from jail after serving a 65 days of a 75-day sentence for repeatedly violating his parole on a 1996 drunk driving conviction.

    2001

    A very skinny Whitney performs during a Michael Jackson tribute concert.

    2002

    With Diane Sawyer.

    Whitney joins Bobby in court.

    2003

    Whitney performs the song "Try It On My Own" during the "VH1 Divas Duets" concert in Vegas.

    2004

    Whitney appears in Bobby's reality TV show, "Being Bobby Brown."

    2005

    2006

    2007

    With her daughter.

    2008

    With her daughter.

    2009

    Whitney does a tell-all interview with Oprah saying she's clean. This launches another comeback.

    Whitney accepts the International Artist of the Year award at the 2009 American Music Awards.

    2010

    Whitney tours Europe. The tour is widely panned by critics who claim Whitney has lost her voice.

    2011

    At Clive Davis' pre-Grammy gala.

    Performing at Clive Davis' Grammy party.

    With her daughter.

    On set of her new movie "Sparkle."

    Another picture from "Sparkle."

    February 9, 2012

    Whitney looked disheveled as she left a Hollywood nightclub.

    February 12, 2012

    Whitney Houston is found dead in her hotel room at the Beverly Hilton Hotel at the age of 48.