American gospel singer Cissy Houston, mother of Whitney Houston, has died at the age of 91, her daughter-in-law announced today.

“It is with a heavy heart that I announce the passing of our beloved Sissy Houston. Please pray for the Houston family,” Pat Houston said in her Instagram post.

Emily Drinkard, as her real name was, was a soul and gospel singer. In her long career she did vocals for Elvis Presley and Aretha Franklin as a member of the band The Sweet Inspirations. She recorded hundreds of songs and her voice can be heard accompanying Jimi Hendrix and Beyonce.

In her solo career she won two Grammy Awards for the albums “Face to Face” and “He Leadeth Me” in the late 1990s.

Her daughter, Whitney Houston, was one of the greatest American singers and became famous worldwide with songs like “I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)” and “I Will Always Love You.” She was found dead in her bathtub in 2012, aged 48.

Sissy Houston was also the aunt of singers Dionne Warwick and Dee Dee Warwick and a cousin of opera singer Leondine Price.