In 1986, Whitney Houston, Dionne Warwick, Stevie Wonder, and Luther Vandross closed out the Soul Train Music Awards with a rousing rendition of Dionne's hit, That's What Friends Are For. This is just a MUST, as all four singers are true vocal geniuses. For her part, Whitney harmonizes so beautifully towards the end with some truly lovely high notes. Luther and Stevie in particular are just amazing here!

Here is the video(you will probably need divx to view it, www.divx.com, free download):

s50.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=3UDKMSJB13DHM018WI9LMEZ9O1

And the mp3:

s50.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=0QX5GVZA4G3QR1IOVXEW3DGO8H

And then, in a related performance, we have a clip of Dionne and Whitney singing That's What Friends Are For at the 2004 Women's World Awards in Germany--where both were presented with Lifetime Achievement Awards. I LOVE this performance--largely because it was really Whitney's "comeback" performance. After a dark period for many fans, she came on the stage here last year, looking beautiful, confident, and sounding awesome, hitting this BIG note. I really love the way she and Dionne play off of each other here--just magical. I also love the way Whitney begins by harmonizing in a high voice, then goes into her verse with such lovely nuance in her interpretation. Then the note so big Dionne has to pull the mike away! Watch the lady's face behind Whitney. Just awesome. I listen to it for inspiration. Look for Mikhail Gorbachev, too. :lol

The video(It's of the whole award and acceptance speech, the performance starts at 5:42):

s50.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=2QOQN75WUMYL808P6D1OTG44L3

And the mp3, which cuts out all of the other stuff and focuses on Whitney:

s50.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=24ZEXUHDKSKOE1U3W23CKTUUJD

More 1980s Whitney:




Wow at this one:



Whitney masterpiece I'm feeling at the moment: God Bless America, live in NYC in 1999. In this patriotic sequel to her legendary SSB performance, Whitney does what she does best: Combines earth-shattering power, clarity, and range, with a torn-from-the-gut gospelicious flair.