Gerry Griffith, the music executive at Arista Records who discovered R&B legend Whitney Houston, died last week in Brooklyn, New York, at 87.
Griffith was diagnosed with dementia five years ago and succumbed on Nov. 5.
Born in Chicago, Griffith first heard Houston in 1979 when she was 16 and performing with her mother, who was a gospel singer. When he found out that another label was close to signing her in 1983, he signed her to Arista.
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Following Houston’s death in 2012, Griffith said she had a “fearless confidence and stage presence” from a young age.
Other artists Griffith worked with at Arista included Aretha Franklin, Dionne Warwick and Minnie Riperton.
He is survived by two daughters and two sons.
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