Platinum...

[From Whitney Houston Platinum Club]

WHITNEY HOUSTON's "THE STAR SPANGLED BANNER" IS THE #1 BEST-SELLING SONG IN THE COUNTRY!!! SINGLE IS CERTIFIED RIAA PLATINUM

MORE THAN $1 MILLION RAISED TO DATE TO BENEFIT NEW YORK CITY POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS' DISASTER RELIEF FUNDS

(October 10, 2001- New York, N.Y.) Arista recording artist Whitney Houston's soaring rendition of "The Star Spangled Banner," the first benefit single to be issued in the aftermath of the World Trade Center disaster of September 11th, is the #1 Soundscan single in the country this week and has been certified platinum for U.S. sales in excess of 1 million copies, it was announced today by Antonio "L.A." Reid, President and CEO, Arista Records. The commercial CD single couples the National Anthem with Whitney's version of "America the Beautiful". In an unprecedented arrangement, Whitney Houston, the Whitney Houston Foundation For Children, Inc. and Arista Records have agreed to donate royalties and net proceeds from all single sales to the New York Firefighters 9-11 Disaster Relief Fund and the New York fraternal Order of Police.

" When I first performed 'The Star Spangled Banner' in 1991, we were in the midst of the Gulf War and the country was united," said Ms. Houston. "This anthem has always been the musical symbol for the United States of America. I am proud to be able to participate in this way."

"Whitney's decision to utilize her extraordinary talent as a means to inspire and heal is only surpassed by her audience's eager desire to rise to the occasion," said Mr. Reid. "All of us are proud of the substantial contribution we will be able to make to the ongoing relief efforts as a result of the single."

This historic version of "The Star Spangled Banner" was first performed by Whitney at Super Bowl XXV in 1991. Last year, it became the climactic closing track of WHITNEY - THE GREATEST HITS, her career-spanning collection, which is double-platinum in the U.S. and has sold nearly 10 millions copies around the world. In the days after September 11th's events in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania, responding to the President's call to colors, many radio stations added Whitney's track as a rallying cry.

NEWSFILE: 10 OCTOBER 2001