Whitney Houston, a songstress born to one of the most talented families on American music, died Saturday in Beverly Hills, Calif. She was 48.
Houston, whose career included numerous gold records, a starring role in an iconic dramatic musical, numerous Grammy Awards, Emmys and American Music Awards had a troubled past marred by drugs, volatile relationships and suspected domestic violence.
The daughter of 70s R&B artist, Cissy Houston, who later became a top Gospel performer, Whitney Houston was also the cousin of Dionne Warwick and her late sister, Dee Dee, and the goddaughter of Aretha Franklin.
Formerly married to Bobby Brown, she self-parodied her life in a reality television show entitled "Being Bobby Brown" in 2005.
The cause of death and the details of her final days will be investigated by police and reported for days to come.
Hours after her death, legendary music producer, Clive Davis, hosted his annual pre-Grammy party, at which Houston had been expected to perform.
"Whitney would have wanted the music to go on, and her family asked that we carry on," Davis told his guests.
Alicia Keys, Sean Combs, Tony Bennett, the Kinks and others honored the singer's memory with words and songs.
For now, I choose to remember a world class talent. Like so many great artists, she has gone before her time. The flaws of her life and her personal demons do not diminish her talent.
Whitney Houston made music, her songs brought joy and made many little girls, grown women and sweet men want to hit and hold high notes. Like Billie Holiday, Van Morrison, Mama Cass, Jimi Hendrix, John Belushi, Richard Pryor and Kurt Cobain, remember her for her art, and not her final act.
The daughter of 70s R&B artist, Cissy Houston, who later became a top Gospel performer, Whitney Houston was also the cousin of Dionne Warwick and her late sister, Dee Dee, and the goddaughter of Aretha Franklin.
Formerly married to Bobby Brown, she self-parodied her life in a reality television show entitled "Being Bobby Brown" in 2005.
The cause of death and the details of her final days will be investigated by police and reported for days to come.
Hours after her death, legendary music producer, Clive Davis, hosted his annual pre-Grammy party, at which Houston had been expected to perform.
"Whitney would have wanted the music to go on, and her family asked that we carry on," Davis told his guests.
Alicia Keys, Sean Combs, Tony Bennett, the Kinks and others honored the singer's memory with words and songs.
For now, I choose to remember a world class talent. Like so many great artists, she has gone before her time. The flaws of her life and her personal demons do not diminish her talent.
Whitney Houston made music, her songs brought joy and made many little girls, grown women and sweet men want to hit and hold high notes. Like Billie Holiday, Van Morrison, Mama Cass, Jimi Hendrix, John Belushi, Richard Pryor and Kurt Cobain, remember her for her art, and not her final act.
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