A Song for You: My Life with Whitney Houston

4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars | 4,029 ratings

Price: 15.75

Last update: 08-13-2024


About this item

The New York Times best seller!

After decades of silence, Robyn Crawford, close friend, collaborator, and confidante of Whitney Houston, shares her story.

Whitney Houston is as big a superstar as the music business has ever known. She exploded on the scene in 1985 with her debut album and spent the next two decades dominating the charts and capturing the hearts of fans around the world. One person was there by her side through it all - her best friend, Robyn Crawford.

Since Whitney’s death in 2012, Robyn has stayed out of the limelight and held the great joys, wild adventures, and hard truths of her life with Whitney close to her heart. Now, for the first time ever, Crawford opens up in her memoir, A Song for You.

With warmth, candor, and an impressive recall of detail, Robyn describes the two meeting as teenagers in the 1980s, and how their lives and friendship evolved as Whitney recorded her first album and Robyn pursued her promising Division I basketball career. Together during countless sold-out world tours, behind the scenes as hit after hit was recorded, through Whitney’s marriage and the birth of her daughter, the two navigated often challenging families, great loves, and painful losses, always supporting each other with laughter and friendship.

Deeply personal and heartfelt, A Song for You is the vital, honest, and previously untold story that provides an understanding of the complex life of Whitney Houston. Finally, the person who knew her best sets the record straight.


Top reviews from the United States

Aymez????????????????
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book. Can't put it down.. ❤️
Reviewed in the United States on July 26, 2024
I've been wanting to read this book, "A Song for You: My Life with Whitney Houston" by Robin Crawford for some time. I finally was able to get my hands on a copy, and I'm so happy I did! ????
This book came in great condition; the cover was in great shape, as was the book spine and pages. I like the quality of the paper; easy to turn, yet not too thin. The book was protected nicely, and no issues with the order.
As far as the book itself, I'm on my second day of reading this book, and I am thoroughly engaged with every word. It's a kind of book that really draws the reader in, and I can say that's not always easy for a person like me. I've got a busy life, kids, and focus issues that sometimes make reading a whole book difficult. But this book really has been interesting, heartwarming, and easy to read. I appreciate the pictures inside of the book, as it helps to add context and timing to the stories shared by Robin about her time with Whitney. This is an excellent book all the way around, and I'm very happy with it. ❤️
G1977
5.0 out of 5 stars Simple Writing Style...Honest and Straightforward
Reviewed in the United States on August 23, 2021
If there's anybody who has the right to write about Whitney Houston, it is Robyn Crawford, who knew Whitney since she was 16 years old. It is a candid, honest biography. Robyn doesn't sugarcoat anything, but gives you an honest, multifaceted portrait of a talented, yet troubled artist. She always had Nippy's best interests at heart, even after the two women had stopped their physical relationship. She worked as Nippy's personal assistant for many years, doing whatever she could to protect the singer/actress not only from her own destructive habits, but from others trying to take advantage of her.

Bear in mind this book is written from Robyn's point of view. She was a true insider and friend in Whitney's life. She is frank about her dislike of Bobby Brown and the friction between herself and Cissy Houston. If you're fans of Cissy Houston or Bobby Brown, you may not like this book.

Robyn admitted using drugs recreationally with Nippy when they were young, but was able to stop once her mother intervened. Sadly, Whitney was never able to shake her addiction to pot, cocaine and crack. In addition she was a heavy cigarette smoker. Heavy smoking and drug use took its toll on Whitney's voice. In her younger days, her voice was like crystal: so clear and smooth. She had quite a range. Her later songs showed a Whitney with a huskier, deeper voice, lacking the clarity and range she once had. Compare "I Will Always Love You" or "Dance With Somebody" to "I Look To You" to see what I mean.

Robyn tried to alert Cissy Houston or anybody close to Whitney about her heavy drug use, but it fell on deaf ears. She worked hard to make sure Whitney's needs were met during her concert tours. She couldn't control Whitney's access to drugs; often her brothers were her suppliers. Things headed south for Robyn once Whitney married Bobby Brown. For whatever reason, Whitney told him about her early relationship with Robyn, which made Bobby very truculent and hostile towards Robyn. Things got so bad between Robyn and Bobby that she finally told Whitney she was resigning. Whitney didn't believe her, but Robyn couldn't take the fighting with Whitney's family, Bobby Brown, and Whitney's drug use. She realized that she was sacrificing her own life and a chance for happiness in order to take care of Whitney. Every time Robyn had showed interest or dated another woman, Whitney would get extremely jealous, even after she married Bobby Brown. Robyn would have to give up the relationship.

It was fortunate and inevitable that Robyn left such a destructive relationship to make her own way into the world and to find happiness with another woman, forging her own path. She and her partner are now parents to two adorable kids. As a way of thanks, when Robyn tried to get a job at Arista records, she was blocked by Whitney. So much for friendship and loyalty.

Robyn's leaving was tragic for Whitney, because she was no longer had the extensive care and protection that she required. Perhaps her demise in a bath tub would have been prevented had Robyn still been Whitney's personal assistant. The people caring for Whitney kept changing their stories as to what happened on that fateful night. Robyn knew that nobody was really watching out for her friend.

This is a easy, fast read, but you'll want to savor Robyn's story. It's very good, and hard to put down once you start reading it. I would love to see Robyn's story made into a movie, because it would be a good one.
Customer image
G1977
5.0 out of 5 stars Simple Writing Style...Honest and Straightforward
Reviewed in the United States on August 23, 2021
If there's anybody who has the right to write about Whitney Houston, it is Robyn Crawford, who knew Whitney since she was 16 years old. It is a candid, honest biography. Robyn doesn't sugarcoat anything, but gives you an honest, multifaceted portrait of a talented, yet troubled artist. She always had Nippy's best interests at heart, even after the two women had stopped their physical relationship. She worked as Nippy's personal assistant for many years, doing whatever she could to protect the singer/actress not only from her own destructive habits, but from others trying to take advantage of her.

Bear in mind this book is written from Robyn's point of view. She was a true insider and friend in Whitney's life. She is frank about her dislike of Bobby Brown and the friction between herself and Cissy Houston. If you're fans of Cissy Houston or Bobby Brown, you may not like this book.

Robyn admitted using drugs recreationally with Nippy when they were young, but was able to stop once her mother intervened. Sadly, Whitney was never able to shake her addiction to pot, cocaine and crack. In addition she was a heavy cigarette smoker. Heavy smoking and drug use took its toll on Whitney's voice. In her younger days, her voice was like crystal: so clear and smooth. She had quite a range. Her later songs showed a Whitney with a huskier, deeper voice, lacking the clarity and range she once had. Compare "I Will Always Love You" or "Dance With Somebody" to "I Look To You" to see what I mean.

Robyn tried to alert Cissy Houston or anybody close to Whitney about her heavy drug use, but it fell on deaf ears. She worked hard to make sure Whitney's needs were met during her concert tours. She couldn't control Whitney's access to drugs; often her brothers were her suppliers. Things headed south for Robyn once Whitney married Bobby Brown. For whatever reason, Whitney told him about her early relationship with Robyn, which made Bobby very truculent and hostile towards Robyn. Things got so bad between Robyn and Bobby that she finally told Whitney she was resigning. Whitney didn't believe her, but Robyn couldn't take the fighting with Whitney's family, Bobby Brown, and Whitney's drug use. She realized that she was sacrificing her own life and a chance for happiness in order to take care of Whitney. Every time Robyn had showed interest or dated another woman, Whitney would get extremely jealous, even after she married Bobby Brown. Robyn would have to give up the relationship.

It was fortunate and inevitable that Robyn left such a destructive relationship to make her own way into the world and to find happiness with another woman, forging her own path. She and her partner are now parents to two adorable kids. As a way of thanks, when Robyn tried to get a job at Arista records, she was blocked by Whitney. So much for friendship and loyalty.

Robyn's leaving was tragic for Whitney, because she was no longer had the extensive care and protection that she required. Perhaps her demise in a bath tub would have been prevented had Robyn still been Whitney's personal assistant. The people caring for Whitney kept changing their stories as to what happened on that fateful night. Robyn knew that nobody was really watching out for her friend.

This is a easy, fast read, but you'll want to savor Robyn's story. It's very good, and hard to put down once you start reading it. I would love to see Robyn's story made into a movie, because it would be a good one.
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L
5.0 out of 5 stars L
Reviewed in the United States on June 29, 2024
I love this book. Is so sweet, it's real love.
Andrew P
4.0 out of 5 stars An Honest, Genuine and Sincere Account of Whitney Houston's Life
Reviewed in the United States on November 29, 2022
When I saw longtime Whitney Houston friend/executive Robyn Crawford had written a book I thought here's another snake coming out of the grass to capitalize off Houston's death. I couldn't have been more wrong. Crawford's book is genuine, sincere and truthful. If you Google Robyn Crawford there's a series of half-truth's, rumors and speculation about Houston's sexuality. I completely understand why Crawford would want the true account made public especially after the two released documentaries, Whitney: Can I Be Me and Whitney (the family's account). If Hollywood were to make a genuine account of Houston's life and career this is the account it should be based on. Crawford was left out of all meetings with Clive Davis so she has no stories of the "Svengali," (Davis has such an ego he would share his side anyway) but she did grow up with Whitney and they had a very special bond. I've had friendships of 30 plus years that have ended not of my own volition so I understand how these two were pulled apart. This is an easy and quick read, 2/3 days tops, but I'd be fascinated to know what Crawford left out. My guess is plenty. Lifetime's "Whitney" was one of the worst biographies I'd ever seen. If someone like HBOMAX wanted to tackle Whitney like the did with "Liberace: Under The Candelabra" Robyn Crawford is THE source. It's my sincere belief that Whitney would still be alive had Crawford not been forced out. (Bobby would give his account if he made $1 off of it). She appears to be the only person in Whitney's life that actually put Whitney first, before herself, and had a genuine love for her, which was platonic after Whitney signed her record contract. I was also delighted to have the National Anthem/LipSync issue resolved (Whitney did indeed sing live). Any account of Houston's life leaves out too many stories about the actual music, and "A Song For You" is no exception but it does cover what it can and I appreciate that. Robyn, if you happen to read this review, thank you for sharing your truth.

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