Whitney a $100 Million Woman

Whitney Houston inked a new deal with Arista Records, the label she began her career with eighteen years ago, valued in excess of $100 million. The new recording contract has Houston signed on for six more albums and two greatest hits compilations. President and CEO of Arista, Antonio "L.A." Reid will produce Houston's next album.

The deal is the biggest in the history of the music industry, surpassing Mariah Careys recent Virgin Records contract by more than 20 million. Houston is one of the biggest-selling recording artists of all time, moving more than 140 million albums, videos and singles during her career.

"Arista Records has been my home since the beginning of my career," Houston said. "I am happy to be continuing the relationship and I look forward to working with L.A. Reid and the new Arista Family."

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Song Stories

“All Along the Watchtower”

The Jimi Hendrix Experience | 1968

Jimi Hendrix got hold of Bob Dylan's early John Wesley Harding tapes and in late 1967 recorded a version of "All Along the Watchtower" with the Experience in London. Dissatisfied with that first development, Hendrix brought those tapes with him to New York in early 1968 when he began work on Electric Ladyland. Eddie Kramer, Hendrix's engineer at the time, told Rolling Stone that Hendrix "was still looked upon by his basically white audience as the mammoth black guitar hero. There was a constant fight within him to expand himself." Hendrix's successful take on Dylan's work has long been recognized by the songwriter. "I liked Jimi Hendrix's record of this and ever since he died I've been doing it that way," Dylan wrote in the liner notes to his Biograph box set. "Strange how when I sing it, I always feel it's a tribute to him in some kind of way."

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