By MIKE KRAFCIK
6 News Reporter
KNOXVILLE (WATE) - The death of Whitney Houston has shocked and saddened her fans around the world.
One Knoxville man has a special connection to the legendary singer, a connection that he says changed his life.
Hallerin Hilton Hill co-wrote one of Whitney Houston's songs and he says the collaboration with Houston changed the course of his career.
"This could be a tragic ending to a wonderful life. She had her ups, she had downs, but I am telling you she touched people, as a performer, she moved people," said Hill.
Hill may be best known as host of his own radio show on Newstalk 98.7 FM, but he's also spent around 35 years writing music. He co-wrote the song "Who Would Imagine a King" for the 1996 film "The Preacher's Wife" starring Whitney Houston and Denzel Washington. The Preacher's Wife soundtrack was nominated for a Grammy.
"She talked about how it gave her chills when performing it with the children's choir and how it moved she was," said Hilton Hill.
Hill says writing that song for Houston changed his life and career.
"Her credibility as an artist brushing up against my art as a writer gave me instant credibility," he said.
Hill says the collaboration has elevated his own career, even though he's never met Houston in person. Their only contact was a phone conversation.
"When they called from the recording studio, she and Denzel were on the phone, I was trying to make sure I can keep some bass in my voice, because I'm like oh my God, I was really excited."
Hill has sang and performed for different music projects over his career, even writing a song for Aretha Franklin.
Another East Tennessee connection to Whitney Houston is country singer-songwriter and superstar Dolly Parton. Houston's 1992 hit "I Will Always Love You" is a cover of Parton's song that originally came out in 1974.
"Her credibility as an artist brushing up against my art as a writer gave me instant credibility," Hallerin Hilton Hill said.
