This week I’ve been listening to the Glenn Jones album Forever: Timeless Classics to hear my favorite song, You’re Sweet, You’re Fine, You’re Everything. I noticed a few familiar names in the song notes, including Sunday Best Season 2 winner Y’Anna Crawley, who sang background vocals. But, I haven’t found much about Tomorrow’s Promise, who originally recorded the song. I’ve even asked a few of my music buddies about Tomorrow’s Promise and they’re stumped too. Check out the original version of You’re Sweet, You’re Fine, You’re Everything below and Glenn Jones’ cover in the Monday Mix player. If you know anything about Tomorrow’s Promise, please share with us by leaving a comment.

I credit three artists with sparking my deep love for music. Those artists are Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, and Whitney Houston. Of those three, I have loved Whitney’s music the longest. I’ve been hesitating to write about her because honestly, I didn’t have the right words to express how much I’ll miss her music. As news reports and public commentary continue to swirl about her passing, I wanted to do a music-focused post to remember her and explain why I love her music so much. This is the toughest piece I’ve ever written and I’ll admit that tears are falling as I type because the shock of her passing still feels a bit unreal to me. This post is more personal than usual but it’s for a good reason.

While I never met Whitney, I’ve been greatly influenced by her work because her music weaves through countless memories from my childhood to now. I got my first Whitney Houston record at age 6 and it stayed on my nightstand for years. I overcame my bout with stage fright by singing Greatest Love of All in a talent show. Back in the day, I made a mixtape for my boo to show how I felt (what can I say, I’m a musichead) and I included You Give Good Love. Even now, when I endure tough times, I sing I Love the Lord and I feel better. My fondness for Whitney has never been about delving into her personal life, as I know we have all made missteps along the way. Instead, I admired her longevity. As she added acting to her music career, I enjoyed seeing her merge the two so well and I was inspired to explore several of my interests too. Those who know me well can attest to my many creative pursuits.

Maybe one day in the future I’ll create a musical tribute for Whitney but for now, I’ll share one of the best tributes I’ve heard thus far. It’s Ahmed Sirour’s acoustic piano cover of I Believe in You and Me. Check it out below.

I Believe in You & Me (an acoustic piano tribute to Whitney Houston) by Ahmed Sirour