Robyn Crawford
Robyn Crawford (born December 17, 1960) is an American author, producer, and former assistant to and creative director for Whitney Houston.[1][2] Her credits include The Bodyguard (1992), Waiting to Exhale (1995), In Between (1987), and Cinderella (1997).[3]
Robyn Crawford
Early life[edit]
Crawford was born in Newark, New Jersey, but grew up as one of three siblings in East Orange, New Jersey. Crawford's mother left her father due to his abuse.[4] Both her mother, Janet Crawford, and her brother, Marty, were diagnosed with HIV, and both died of AIDS related illness in the ’90s.[5]
Relationship with Whitney Houston[edit]
Crawford met Whitney Houston in 1980, when Crawford was 19 and Houston was 16, the pair having both been counselors at an East Orange summer camp.[6][7]
Crawford claims in her book A Song for You: My Life with Whitney Houston, published in 2019, that she had a same-sex relationship with Houston that faded as they prioritized Houston's career. Crawford left school to aid Houston's career.[4] They lived together as a couple.[8][2] Crawford was ostracised and sidelined by Houston's family and management as Houston's fame grew and her career progressed, and she married Bobby Brown.[8][9]
Her book A Song for You: My Life with Whitney Houston became a New York Times Best Seller.[10]
Personal life[edit]
Crawford lives in New Jersey with her wife Lisa Hintelmann, with whom she adopted twins. Lena Waithe has cited Crawford as an early inspiration.[4]