www.classicwhitney.com - Archive Newsfile

Holiday Album Exclusive...

A Whitney Houston holiday album is tentatively scheduled for release in October on Arista Records. No further information is available as yet as to the content of the album or whether recordings have begun.

[Thanks Alan M.]

Single...

The DVD single release for 'Try It On My Own/One Of Those Days' is scheduled for 6 May 2003 in the US.

[Thanks Alan M.]

NEWSFILE: 29 MARCH 2003

Billboard Chart Update...

The Billboard update for the week ending 5 April 2003:

JUST WHITNEY...:
The Billboard 200 - Down to No.157 (from No.146) - 15 weeks on chart;
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums - Down to No.52 (from No.45) - 15 weeks on chart.

TRY IT ON MY OWN:
Adult Contemporary - Up to No.14 (from No.15) with bullet - 6 weeks on chart;
Hot Dance Music/Club Play - Up to No.2 (from No.6) with bullet - 7 weeks on chart.

ONE OF THOSE DAYS:
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Recurrent - Up to No.1 (from No.2) - 2 weeks on chart;
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Recurrent Airplay - Up to No.1 (from No.2) - 2 weeks on chart.

THE STAR SPANGLED BANNER:
Hot 100 Singles Sales - Down to No.27 (from No.22) - 89 weeks on chart;
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles Sales - Up to No.34 (from No.44) w/bullet - 40 weeks on chart.

Haitian Music & Entertainment Awards Appearance...

Whitney Houston pictured with Pras and Bobby Brown at the 7th annual Haitian Music and Entertainment Awards, which took place on 22 March 2003.

Photograph originates from the Black South Florida website.

[Thanks Sylwia/David]

Remix News...

[From Look At You Records]

Some new Pound Boys remixes are currently making the rounds on promo. On Arista (US) Whitney Houston's "Try It On My Own" features the Pound Boys Vocal as well as a Dub mix which the Pound Boys did jointly with the UK's Joey Musaphia in his studio. The double-pack also includes a wonderful Maurice Joshua remix.

Click Here For A Sample Of The Pound Boys Vocal Mix

Click Here For A Sample Of The Joey Musaphia/Pound Boys Dub

At present, there are no plans for other future Whitney remixes. The Pound Boys are not sure as yet whether the 'Love That Man' remix will receive vinyl promotional release.

The Pound Boys Website does feature the following audio clips for 'Love That Man'

Pound Boys Vocal

Pound Boys Dub

Pound Boys R'N'B Remix

[Thanks Rui M.]

NEWSFILE: 27 MARCH 2003

Haitian Music & Entertainment Awards...

[From The Miami Herald]

The war in Iraq might have been on the minds of those attending the seventh annual Haitian Music and Entertainment Awards Saturday night at Miami's James L. Knight Center but they didn't let it show. As always, the night remained one of glitz, glamour and Haitian pride. No dressing down or covering up here.

The big winner was the Port-Au-Prince group Djakout Mizik who took home three awards, including Compa Album (La Familia), U.S. Tour, and Compa Performing Band. Nulook nabbed two statues: Compa Song (Loving You) and Haiti Tour.

But this presentation, which ran well over three hours, is as much about holding your head up as it is about who put out the best album or conducted the coolest tour. Last year, Utah Jazz center Olden Polynice gave the most stirring Haitian rallying cry but Saturday night that role belonged to Prakazrel Michel, better known as Pras from The Fugees, the most popular mainstream act with Haitian roots.

Pras, receiving one of several special honoree awards, stirred the crowd with an eloquent speech. ''We must stand up as a community and a nation and promote and educate to the world about the riches of our nation,'' he said.

Later, Roberto Martino, leader of the group T-Vice, echoed those thoughts when he said of the night, ``This shows what we have in our culture. This is what we have to sell to the world.''

If last year's ceremony was more about Haitian music tradition -- the veteran group Tabou Combo stole the show -- this year was about the new generation merging hip-hop and compa. Two of the live performances, from Djakout Mizik and T-Vice, got the crowd dancing with this hybrid style.

Falling under the category of ''Huh?'' was an appearance by a celebrity couple and, no, it wasn't Ben and J.Lo. Instead, it was Bobby and Whitney, neither of whom is known for Haitian music. But Brown was the evening's special guest and Houston, dressed casually and seeming the loving wife, joined him onstage. Brown even managed a quip: ``Pras took my speech. Merci beaucoup.''

What these awards need more than questionable crossover appeal is a producer. Plagued by delays (it began 45 minutes late) and technical troubles, the production often stalled just as it was building steam. Still, the Knight Center, though far from capacity, certainly proved a far better location than the cavernous Miami Arena, the site of last year's event.

Other winners included: Cassandra Joseph (Female Compa Performer); 509 (New Compa Band); Shou. . .Badou (Twoubadou Compilation); Phantoms' Fwet Katch (CD Presentation); Konpa Kreyol (Compa Techno Band); Robert Charlot's Let's Make Love Tonight (Solo Album); Tuco Bouzi's Tucando (Alternative Album).

[Thanks Cameron]

NEWSFILE:23 MARCH 2003

Billboard Chart Update...

The Billboard update for the week ending 29 March 2003:

JUST WHITNEY...:
The Billboard 200 - Down to No.146 (from No.129) - 14 weeks on chart;
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums - Down to No.45 (from No.43) - 14 weeks on chart.

TRY IT ON MY OWN:
Adult Contemporary - Up to No.15 (from No.17) with bullet - 5 weeks on chart;
Hot Dance Music/Club Play - Up to No.6 (from No.9) with bullet - 6 weeks on chart.

ONE OF THOSE DAYS:
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Recurrent - New Entry at No.2 - 1 week on chart;
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Recurrent Airplay - New Entry at No.2 - 1 week on chart.

THE STAR SPANGLED BANNER:
Hot 100 Singles Sales - Up to No.22 (from No.27) - 88 weeks on chart;
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles Sales - Down to No.44 (from No.42) - 39 weeks on chart.

NEWSFILE: 20 MARCH 2003

Commitment...

This New York Daily News article -- Arista Loses Toni Braxton -- goes on to quote LA Reid on his commitment to Whitney Houston and his belief that 'Just Whitney...' is "just igniting now".

[Thanks David]

Promotional Visit?...

There is a rumoured European promotional visit by Whitney Houston being planned for May in conjunction with the release of 'On My Own' and a relaunch of 'Just Whitney...'.

[Thanks Sylwia M.]

NEWSFILE: 17 MARCH 2003

DVD...

[From Groovevolt.com]

According to the Groovevolt website, a DVD single for 'Try It On My Own' will be released and will also feature the videos for 'Whatchulookinat' and 'One Of Those Days'.

The BMG Website confirms the following:

ARISTA
HOUSTON, WHITNEY
Try It On My Own
82876-51156-9 (828765115698)
DVDS
05/06/03

[Thanks Dzemil]

Radio Promo...

This is the cover of the European radio promo for 'On My Own'. The single will continue to be worked under its original European album title (On My Own) as opposed to the US title for the song (Try It On My Own). This is reflected on the single's cover.

[Thanks Adam]

The Greatest Voices?....

Mariah Carey hits very high note on MTV2 list
By Edna Gundersen, USA TODAY

Mariah Carey is the greatest voice of the past two decades. So declares MTV2, which unveils its highly debatable list of the era's most unique and powerful voices at 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT Saturday.

On the two-hour 22 Greatest Voices — first in a series of countdowns that also will anoint rappers, bands and performers — celebrities, critics and fans weigh in on the roster, determined by votes cast at MTV2.com . Freddie Mercury was second, trailed by Whitney Houston, Bono, Christina Aguilera, Alanis Morissette, Kurt Cobain, Bjork, Celine Dion, Tupac Shakur, Michael Jackson, Chris Cornell, Eminem, David Bowie, Alicia Keys, Steven Tyler, Jewel, Thom Yorke, Mary J. Blige, Michael Stipe, Sade and Bruce Springsteen. Quibbles and quarrels are expected and welcome.

The list's diversity results from broadly defined criteria that go beyond "range and style," says Tom Calderone, music and talent vice president at MTV2 and big sister MTV. "We considered how the voice complements the music and connects with listeners. It comes down to how compelling and influential that voice is to people's lives."

Why no Billie Holiday or Roy Orbison? The list surveys only the past 20 years, a timeline familiar to MTV2 viewers and a period conveniently rife with readily available video footage.

[Thanks Rheomi]

NEWSFILE: 14 MARCH 2003

Billboard Chart Update...

The Billboard update for the week ending 22 March 2003:

JUST WHITNEY...:
The Billboard 200 - Down to No.129 (from No.124) - 13 weeks on chart;
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums - Down to No.43 (from No.37) - 13 weeks on chart.

TRY IT ON MY OWN:
Adult Contemporary - Up to No.17 (from No.19) with bullet/Airpower - 4 weeks on chart;
Hot Dance Music/Club Play - Up to No.9 (from No.16) with bullet - 5 weeks on chart.

ONE OF THOSE DAYS:
Billboard Hot 100 - Up to No.95 (from No.96) - 19 weeks on chart;
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks - Up to No.45 (from No.48) - 20 weeks on chart;
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay - Up to No.43 (from No.47) with bullet - 20 weeks on chart.

THE STAR SPANGLED BANNER:
Hot 100 Singles Sales - Down to No.27 (from No.25) - 87 weeks on chart;
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles Sales - Down to No.42 (from No.35) - 38 weeks on chart.

Video...

[From Groovevolt.com]

Whitney Houston's latest video for "On My Own" is said to be based on the popular movie from the 1970s Lady Sings The Blues, which starred Diana Ross as Billie Holiday (a popular jazz singer who died of a drug overdose)...

NEWSFILE: 13 MARCH 2003

Billboard Chart Update...

The Billboard update for the week ending 15 March 2003:

JUST WHITNEY...:
The Billboard 200 - Down to No.124 (from No.100) - 12 weeks on chart;
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums - Down to No.37 (from No.30) - 12 weeks on chart.

TRY IT ON MY OWN:
Adult Contemporary - Up to No.19 (from No.20) with bullet - 3 weeks on chart;
Hot Dance Music/Club Play - Up to No.16 (from No.19) with bullet - 4 weeks on chart.

ONE OF THOSE DAYS:
Billboard Hot 100 - Down to No.96 (from No.90) - 18 weeks on chart;
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks - Down to No.48 (from No.44) - 19 weeks on chart;
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay - Down to No.47 (from No.44) - 19 weeks on chart.

THE STAR SPANGLED BANNER:
Hot 100 Singles Sales - Up to No.25 (from No.29) with bullet - 86 weeks on chart;
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles Sales - Up to No.35 (from No.39) with bullet - 37 wks on chart.

NEWSFILE: 6 MARCH 2003

David LaChapelle Video...

[From Platinum Club]

"Try It On My Own" Video!

Over the weekend, Whitney was on location in Miami shooting the video for her new single "Try It On My Own" from her latest album Just Whitney. The video was directed by David LaChapelle and captures the spirit of classic Whitney. Whitney is extremely happy with the video. Stay tuned to the Web site for news on when the video will air!

Condolences Received...

[From Platinum Club]

Whitney Gives Thanks...
In a special message to the Platinum Club, Whitney sends her deepest thanks and appreciation to all of her fans for their heartfelt messages of condolence that have been posted in regard to the recent passing of her father, John Houston. She personally read all of your messages and sends her thanks to all of you for your love and support.

NEWSFILE: 3 MARCH 2003