Whitney Houston

NJ gov strongly defends lowering flags for Houston BETH DeFALCO, The Associated Press NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Gov. Chris Christie has strongly defended his decision to have flags flown at half-staff Saturday for Whitney Houston despite receiving emails and other messages disparaging the singer and criticizing him. The Republican governor said Wednesday that he rejects complaints that Houston "forfeited the good things that she did" because of her struggles with substance abuse. "What I would say to everybody is there but for the grace of God go I," he said. Christie ordered flags flown at half-staff at state government buildings Saturday, the day funeral services are held for Houston at the Newark church she sang at as a child. Twitter was abuzz Wednesday with reaction to the decision by Christie, whose home is in Mendham, a wealthy town where Houston also had lived. In online postings, there were two main arguments against the honor for the Grammy Award winner who died over the weekend in California at age 48: One was that it should be reserved for members of the military, first responders and elected officials. The other was that it's wrong to honor a drug addict. Heather Clause, a Richmond, Va.-based blogger who writes about teen moms and was tweeting critical comments, said in a telephone interview that she was appalled by the planned flag-lowering. "It's just such a bad example for people," said 23-year-old Clause. She said the decision was like saying if someone sings well, drug use doesn't matter and "you can still be an idol." In upstate New York, Rebecca Eppelmann, a newspaper copy editor, also tweeted her disgust at the Houston honor, then discussed her views. "It should be for major events," she said. "It's horrible that she passed away. It's not something that should warrant this." Christie said he was not saying that Houston, who was born in Newark and was raised in nearby East Orange, is a role model. Instead, he said, Houston deserves the honor because of her huge cultural impact and as "a daughter of New Jersey." "I am disturbed by people who believe that because her ultimate demise — and we don't know what is the cause of her death yet — but because of her history of substance abuse that somehow she's forfeited the good things that she did in her life," said the governor during a briefing in northern New Jersey. "I just reject that on a human level." The cause of Houston's death at a Beverly Hills hotel has not been determined, and the results of toxicology tests are pending. Investigators found several bottles of prescription medication in the hotel room where she died Saturday, but authorities said they weren't an unusually large number. The governor noted he has ordered flags flown at half-staff for all 31 fallen New Jersey soldiers and every fallen police officer during his time in office. He also ordered flags lowered last year for Clarence Clemons, the saxophonist for Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band. In Newark, residents were irritated to hear of criticism of the governor's decision to honor Houston, who acknowledged her drug abuse in interviews. Resident Anna Simpson said she admires Christie for honoring Houston because "if it were Bruce Springsteen or Jon Bon Jovi, nobody would bat an eye." Simpson was at New Hope Baptist Church Wednesday, where Houston's funeral will be held, to pay her respects on her way home from her airport job. "She never forgot where she came from," Simpson said. "She was real. We would see her and be like, 'She's one of ours,' and she always made us proud, no matter what happened." After Houston became famous she continued to make regular trips to the public school she attended in East Orange and to which her family has directed donations be sent in lieu of flowers. ___ Associated Press writer Geoff Mulvihill in Haddonfield, N.J., contributed to this report. Funeral for Whitney Houston set for Saturday in NJ BETH DeFALCO, The Associated Press NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Whitney Houston's funeral will be held Saturday in the church where she first showcased her singing talents as a child, her family choosing to remember her in a private service rather than in a large event at an arena. The owner of the Whigham Funeral Home said Tuesday that the funeral will be held at noon at Newark's New Hope Baptist Church, which seats up to 1,500 people. Gospel singer Marvin Winans, a Grammy Award winner and longtime family friend, has been chosen to give the eulogy, his son said. The family said no public memorial service is planned. Officials had discussed the possibility of holding a memorial at the Prudential Center, a major sports and entertainment venue that can seat about 18,000 people, but the funeral home said it had been ruled out. Funeral home owner Carolyn Whigham said the church service will be by invitation only, reflecting the family's decision to keep the memorial more personal. "They have shared her for 30-some years with the city, with the state, with the world. This is their time now for their farewell," she said. "The family thanks all the fans, the friends and the media, but this time is their private time," she said. Houston, 48, died Saturday at a hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif., just hours before she was set to perform at producer Clive Davis' pre-Grammy Awards bash. Officials say she was underwater and apparently unconscious when she was pulled from a bathtub. After an autopsy Sunday, authorities said there were no indications of foul play and no obvious signs of trauma on Houston. It could be weeks, however, before the coroner's office completes toxicology tests to establish the cause of death. Los Angeles County coroner's assistant chief Ed Winter said bottles of prescription medicine were found in the room. He would not give details except to say: "There weren't a lot of prescription bottles. You probably have just as many prescription bottles in your medicine cabinet." Houston's body was returned to New Jersey late Monday. Houston was born in Newark and was raised in nearby East Orange. She began singing as a child at New Hope Baptist Church, where her mother, Grammy-winning gospel singer Cissy Houston, led the music program for many years. Her cousin singer Dionne Warwick also sang in its choir. Houston's family asked Tuesday that any donations in her memory be sent to the arts-focused public school that she attended as a child and that was named after her in the late 1990s. In lieu of flowers, they said mourners should donate to the Whitney Houston Academy of Creative and Performing Arts in East Orange, a school serving students in kindergarten through eighth grade. Houston attended the school as a girl when it was named the Franklin School and was a regular visitor for many years afterward. On Monday, students held an outdoor service in her memory. An impromptu memorial for Houston was held Sunday during a sadness-tinged Grammys, with Jennifer Hudson saluting her memory with a performance of "I Will Always Love You." Viewership for the awards show soared over last year by 50 percent, with about 40 million viewers tuning in to the program on CBS. On Tuesday, a steady stream of well-wishers continued to stop at the New Hope Baptist Church, where the front fence was adorned with dozens of flowers, balloons and oversized cards, some with hundreds of signatures and condolences written on them. Several people expressed disappointment that a public memorial had not been scheduled. But they also said they understood why the funeral was being kept private. "Maybe at some point down the road, they might do something," said B.J. Frazier, of East Orange, who said she had performed as a singer with one of Houston's aunts. "But it's like they're saying today, they shared her for a long time and they just want her to themselves for now." Gov. Chris Christie ordered flags flown at half-staff Saturday at state government buildings, describing Houston as a "cultural icon" who belongs in the same category of New Jersey music history as Frank Sinatra, Count Basie and Bruce Springsteen. "Her accomplishments were a great source of pride for the people of the state," he said. Houston, a sensation from her first album, was one of the world's best-selling artists from the mid-1980s to the late 1990s, turning out such hits as "I Wanna Dance With Somebody," ''How Will I Know," ''The Greatest Love of All" and "I Will Always Love You." But as she struggled with drugs, her majestic voice became raspy and she couldn't hit the high notes. Houston left behind one child, 18-year-old daughter Bobbi Kristina Brown, from her marriage to singer Bobby Brown. Winans, in his role as a pastor, married Houston and Brown. The Winans and Houston families have been friends for years, and Houston performed with Winans' siblings CeCe and BeBe, members of one of gospel music's first families. Winans' office at Perfecting Faith Church in Detroit and his son, Marvin Jr., confirmed to The Associated Press on Tuesday he will eulogize Houston. Houston was especially close to CeCe and BeBe Winans and performed with both. She and CeCe sang "Count on Me," for the movie "Waiting to Exhale," in which Houston starred. ___ AP Entertainment Writer Lynn Elber in Los Angeles and AP Music Writer Nekesa Mumbi Moody in New York contributed to this report. _________________________________________________ For Houston mourners, a dearth of places to grieve BETH DeFALCO, The Associated Press NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — In Whitney Houston's hometown, her family plans a private church service, with no public memorial set. In Los Angeles, where she died, there's not even a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for fans to pile flowers. So for the legion of music lovers mourning a global superstar, where do broken hearts go? Fans who have gathered outside the church where Houston will be eulogized Saturday at an invitation-only service — and outside the funeral home where her body now rests — say they understand why the family wants to keep the world out the best they can. But they also yearned for the chance to fully share in the grief and the remembrance of a native daughter who made it big and made them proud. Samuel Turner Jackson, of Newark, said he was looking forward to heading down to "The Rock," as the Prudential Center is known. Before, that is, the funeral home announced Tuesday that no public service would be held at the 18,000-seat arena, an option that had been discussed. The arena, home to home to the NHL's New Jersey Devils, displayed an image of Houston on a screen outside Tuesday. "We don't know what the circumstances are, but we're sure that the family did want to share something with the community that she gave so much to," he said. "But they have their reasons, and we're going to do the best we can to pay our respects and to mourn her." Antonio Ballinger, of Newark, also hoped to attend a public service and "see her off," and said he was saddened to hear he wouldn't get the opportunity. "But my blessings go out to the family, and I wish them nothing but the best," he said. The family said Tuesday it had no plans right now for a public memorial. Still, fans in this downtrodden city held out hope. "Maybe at some point down the road, they might do something," said B.J. Frazier, of East Orange. "It's like they're saying today, they shared her for a long time and they just want her to themselves for now." Houston, a sensation from her first, eponymous album in 1985, was one of the world's best-selling artists from the mid-1980s to the late 1990s, turning out such hits as "I Wanna Dance With Somebody," ''How Will I Know," ''The Greatest Love of All" and "I Will Always Love You." But as she struggled with drugs, her majestic voice became raspy, and she couldn't hit the high notes. Houston, 48, died Feb. 11 at a hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif., just hours before she was set to perform at producer Clive Davis' pre-Grammy Awards bash. Officials say she was underwater and apparently unconscious when she was pulled from a bathtub. Authorities Sunday said an autopsy found no indications of foul play or obvious signs of trauma on Houston. It could be weeks, however, before the coroner's office completes toxicology tests to establish the cause of death. Houston was born in Newark and was raised in nearby East Orange. She began singing as a child at New Hope Baptist Church, where her mother, Grammy-winning gospel singer Cissy Houston, led the music program for many years. Her cousin, future pop star Dionne Warwick, also sang in its choir. The family decided that, after sharing Whitney with the city, state and world for more than 30 years, "this is their time now for their farewell," said funeral home owner Carolyn Whigham. "The family thanks all the fans, the friends and the media, but this time is their private time," she said. The hearse that carried Houston's body from an airport to the Whigham Funeral Home came into Newark under the cloak of darkness, in the middle of the night, denying local folks another opportunity to grieve publicly. Police met with church officials Tuesday to discuss logistics and how to handle the large crowds expected to gather Saturday in the streets outside the New Hope Baptist Church, about a mile from the funeral home. In Newark, perennially ranked among the nation's poorest and most dangerous cities, a public memorial at taxpayer expense is a tricky proposition. New Jersey's largest city, at more than 270,000 residents, laid off more than 160 police officers in November. The dismal school system is relying on a large grant from Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg for salvation. And whether the megastar's estate would pick up any slack for a memorial is up for debate. The singer failed to fulfill a $100 million recording deal in 2001 that reportedly called for six records. Since then, only four have come out, including a greatest hits collection that was not released in the United States. She lost two homes to foreclosure several years ago. Newark's quandary is similar to the decisions Los Angeles had to make when Michael Jackson, another pop superstar brought down before his time, died in 2009. A public memorial at the Staples Center, a professional sports arena, cost taxpayers about $3 million but pumped a million more than that into the local economy through hotel stays, restaurants and other businesses, according to a city report. In Los Angeles, it has become a tradition that whenever a major celebrity dies, fans lay flowers and other gestures of sorrow and tribute on the deceased's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Houston had no star, leaving Angelenos with nowhere in particular to express their grief. The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, which manages the Walk of Fame, explained that Houston was selected for a star in 1995, but a date was never requested by the singer's representatives for an unveiling ceremony. That selection expired in 2000, it said, but can be reconsidered if desired by the family. Gospel singer Marvin Winans, a Grammy Award winner and longtime family friend, has been chosen to give the eulogy in Newark, his son, Marvin Jr., and Winans' office at Perfecting Faith Church in Detroit told The Associated Press. Winans, in his role as a pastor, married Houston and fellow singer Bobby Brown in 1992; the couple later divorced. The Winans and Houston families have been friends for years, and Houston performed with Winans' siblings CeCe and BeBe, members of one of gospel music's most prominent families. Houston was especially close to CeCe and BeBe Winans and performed with both. She and CeCe Winans sang "Count on Me," for the movie "Waiting to Exhale," in which Houston starred. In a show of support for the local community and in lieu of flowers, Houston's family asked Tuesday that any donations in her memory be sent to the Whitney Houston Academy of Creative and Performing Arts, a public school in East Orange serving students in kindergarten through eighth grade. Houston attended the school as a girl, when it was named the Franklin School, and regularly visited for many years afterward. On Monday, students held an outdoor service in her memory. Houston left behind one child, daughter Bobbi Kristina Brown, 18, from her marriage to Brown. Gov. Chris Christie ordered flags flown at half-staff Saturday at state government buildings, describing Houston as a "cultural icon" who belongs in the same category of New Jersey music history as Frank Sinatra, Count Basie and Bruce Springsteen. "Her accomplishments were a great source of pride for the people of the state," he said. ___ Associated Press writers Dave Porter in Newark and Ryan Nakashima in Los Angeles contributed to this report. _________________________________________________ NEKESA MUMBI MOODY, The Associated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) — A year ago, Clive Davis' glittery pre-Grammy showcase was winding down after a number of electric performances when the grandest name of all, Whitney Houston, walked on stage to close the evening with what promised to be a show-stopping tribute to her famous cousin, Dionne Warwick. Instead, what transpired was yet another troubling display of erratic behavior from the superstar, and a foreshadowing perhaps of what was to come. Though she looked spectacular, her once-stunning voice sounded frayed and hoarse. She didn't seem to follow the rehearsed plan and looked out of sorts at times. Even when Davis, her longtime mentor and producer, announced that the show was over, Houston appeared to try to get back on the microphone, only to be stopped by Davis with the joke: "I found you when you were 19; I'm still your boss!" On Saturday, Houston was once again the focus of Davis' annual party, but her presence was a posthumous one. Pop music's former queen, until her majestic voice was ravaged by drug use and her regal image was tarnished by erratic behavior and a tumultuous marriage to singer Bobby Brown, died on the eve of the Grammy Awards she once reigned over. She was 48. Houston was pronounced dead Saturday afternoon in her room on the fourth floor of the Beverly Hilton, Beverly Hills police Lt. Mark Rosen said. "There were no obvious signs of any criminal intent," he said. The cause of death was unknown, said Houston's publicist, Kristen Foster. Houston's death came on the night before music's biggest showcase, the Grammys. She will be remembered Sunday in a tribute by Jennifer Hudson, organizers said. Houston had been at rehearsals for the show Thursday, coaching singers Brandy and Monica, according to a person who was at the event but was not authorized to speak publicly about it. The person said Houston looked disheveled, was sweating profusely and liquor and cigarettes could be smelled on her breath. At her peak, Houston was the golden girl of the music industry. From the mid-1980s to the late 1990s, she was one of the world's best-selling artists. She wowed audiences with effortless, powerful and peerless vocals rooted in the black church but made palatable to the masses with a pop sheen. Her success carried her beyond music to movies, where she starred in hits like "The Bodyguard" and "Waiting to Exhale." She had the perfect voice and the perfect image: a gorgeous singer who had sex appeal but was never overtly sexual, who maintained perfect poise. She influenced a generation of younger singers, from Christina Aguilera to Mariah Carey, who when she first came out sounded so much like Houston that many thought it was Houston. But by the end of her career, Houston became a stunning cautionary tale of the toll of drug use. Her album sales plummeted and the hits stopped coming; her once serene image was shattered by a wild demeanor and bizarre public appearances. She confessed to abusing cocaine, marijuana and pills, and her once pristine voice became raspy and hoarse, unable to hit the high notes as she had during her prime. "The biggest devil is me. I'm either my best friend or my worst enemy," Houston told ABC's Diane Sawyer in an infamous 2002 interview with then-husband Brown by her side. It was a tragic fall for a superstar who was one of the top-selling artists in pop music history, with more than 55 million records sold in the United States alone. Davis, went ahead with his annual concert Saturday at the same hotel where her body was found. He dedicated the evening to her and asked for a moment of silence. Houston was supposed to appear at the gala, held downstairs in the hotel where her body lay for most of Saturday night. Aretha Franklin, her godmother, said she was stunned. "I just can't talk about it now," Franklin said in a short statement. "It's so stunning and unbelievable. I couldn't believe what I was reading coming across the TV screen." Houston seemed to be born into greatness. In addition to being Franklin's goddaughter, she was the daughter of gospel singer Cissy Houston and the cousin of 1960s pop diva Dionne Warwick. She first started singing at the New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, N.J., as a child. At the church on Sunday morning, a couple of sympathy cards were tied to a fence post. "To the greatest songstress ever," one said, and tied next to it was a small bouquet of fresh flowers. The pastor asked for strength for Houston's family, said churchgoer Shawn Cooper, 32, of Newark. He said he hadn't regularly attended church but felt compelled to go on this Sunday. "The Houston family means a lot to this community, they have done a lot for this community, and being there for them is the best thing we can do as a community," he said. In her teens, Houston sang backup for Chaka Khan, Jermaine Jackson and others, in addition to modeling. It was around that time when music mogul Clive Davis first heard Houston perform. "The time that I first saw her singing in her mother's act in a club ... it was such a stunning impact," Davis told "Good Morning America." "To hear this young girl breathe such fire into this song. I mean, it really sent the proverbial tingles up my spine," he added. Before long, the rest of the country would feel it, too. Houston made her album debut in 1985 with "Whitney Houston," which sold millions and spawned hit after hit. "Saving All My Love for You" brought her her first Grammy, for best female pop vocal. "How Will I Know," ''You Give Good Love" and "The Greatest Love of All" also became hit singles. Another multiplatinum album, "Whitney," came out in 1987 and included hits like "Where Do Broken Hearts Go" and "I Wanna Dance With Somebody." Her decision not to follow the more soulful inflections of singers like Franklin drew criticism by some who saw her as playing down her black roots to go pop and reach white audiences. The criticism would become a constant refrain through much of her career. She was even booed during the "Soul Train Awards" in 1989. "Sometimes it gets down to that, you know?" she told Katie Couric in 1996. "You're not black enough for them. I don't know. You're not R&B enough. You're very pop. The white audience has taken you away from them." Some saw her 1992 marriage to former New Edition member and soul crooner Bobby Brown as an attempt to respond to those critics. It seemed to be an odd union; she was seen as pop's pure princess while he had a bad-boy image and already had children of his own. (The couple had one daughter, Bobbi Kristina, born in 1993.) Over the years, he would be arrested several times, on charges including DUI and failure to pay child support. But Houston said their true personalities were not as far apart as people may have believed. "When you love, you love. I mean, do you stop loving somebody because you have different images? You know, Bobby and I basically come from the same place," she told Rolling Stone in 1993. "You see somebody, and you deal with their image, that's their image. It's part of them, it's not the whole picture. I am not always in a sequined gown. I am nobody's angel. I can get down and dirty. I can get raunchy." Brown was getting ready to perform at a New Edition reunion tour in Southaven, Miss., as news spread about Houston's death. The group went ahead with its performance, though Brown appeared overcome with emotion when his voice cracked at the beginning of a ballad and he left the stage. Before his departure, he told the sell-out crowd: "First of all, I want to tell you that I love you all. Second, I would like to say, I love you, Whitney. The hardest thing for me to do is to come on this stage." Brown said he decided to perform because fans had shown their loyalty to the group for more than 25 years. During an intermission, one of Houston's early hits, "You Give Good Love," played over the speakers. Fans stood up and began singing along. It would take several years for the public to see the "down and dirty" side of Houston. Her moving 1991 rendition of "The Star Spangled Banner" at the Super Bowl, amid the first Gulf War, set a new standard and once again reaffirmed her as America's sweetheart. In 1992, she became a star in the acting world with "The Bodyguard." Despite mixed reviews, the story of a singer (Houston) guarded by a former Secret Service agent (Kevin Costner) was an international success. It also gave her perhaps her most memorable hit: a searing, stunning rendition of Dolly Parton's "I Will Always Love You," which sat atop the charts for weeks. It was Grammy's record of the year and best female pop vocal, and the "Bodyguard" soundtrack was named album of the year. She returned to the big screen in 1995-96 with "Waiting to Exhale" and "The Preacher's Wife." Both spawned soundtrack albums, and another hit studio album, "My Love Is Your Love," in 1998, brought her a Grammy for best female R&B vocal for the cut "It's Not Right But It's Okay." But during these career and personal highs, Houston was using drugs. In an interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2009, she said by the time "The Preacher's Wife" was released, "(doing drugs) was an everyday thing. ... I would do my work, but after I did my work, for a whole year or two, it was every day. ... I wasn't happy by that point in time. I was losing myself." In the interview, Houston blamed her rocky marriage to Brown, which included a charge of domestic abuse against Brown in 1993. They divorced in 2007. Houston would go to rehab twice before she would declare herself drug-free to Winfrey in 2009. But in the interim, there were missed concert dates, a stop at an airport due to drugs, and public meltdowns. She was so startlingly thin during a 2001 Michael Jackson tribute concert that rumors spread she had died the next day. Her crude behavior and jittery appearance on Brown's reality show, "Being Bobby Brown," was an example of her sad decline. Her Sawyer interview, where she declared "crack is whack," was often parodied. She dropped out of the spotlight for a few years. Houston staged what seemed to be a successful comeback with the 2009 album "I Look To You." The album debuted on the top of the charts, and would eventually go platinum. Things soon fell apart. A concert to promote the album on "Good Morning America" went awry as Houston's voice sounded ragged and off-key. She blamed an interview with Winfrey for straining her voice. A world tour launched overseas, however, only confirmed suspicions that Houston had lost her treasured gift, as she failed to hit notes and left many fans unimpressed; some walked out. Canceled concert dates raised speculation that she may have been abusing drugs, but she denied those claims and said she was in great shape, blaming illness for cancellations. Houston was to make her return to film in the remake of the classic movie "Sparkle." Filming on the movie, which stars former "American Idol" winner Jordin Sparks, recently wrapped. Houston was one of the producers, and it tells the story of a family of singers ravaged by drug abuse — a story Houston knew all too well. ___ Associated Press writers Andrew Dalton in Los Angeles, Adrian Sainz in Memphis, Tenn., and Bruce Shipkowski in Newark, N.J., contributed to this report. ____________________________________ Reactions to the death of Whitney Houston LOS ANGELES (AP) — A collection of reactions to Whitney Houston's death Saturday in Beverly Hills at age 48: — "First of all, I want to tell you that I love you all. Second, I would like to say, I love you Whitney. The hardest thing for me to do is to come on this stage." — Houston's ex-husband Bobby Brown, performing a show in Southaven, Mississippi, hours after her death. — "I am devastated by the loss of Whitney. We have lost a true angel. My prayers, my heart goes out to her family. We have lost an extraordinary voice to the world." — singer Lionel Richie. — "This is a sad day today, all I want to talk about is her music. She was the most beautiful woman I think I ever saw .... Thank you for giving us your talent, and one of the most beautiful voices I've ever heard." — Elton John, from the stage at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, before dedicating the song "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" to Houston. — "Mine is only one of the millions of hearts broken over the death of Whitney Houston. I will always be grateful and in awe of the wonderful performance she did on my song and I can truly say from the bottom of my heart, Whitney, I will always love you. You will be missed." — Dolly Parton, who wrote the original version of "I Will Always Love you," which Houston later sang for the film "The Bodyguard." — "She had everything, beauty, a magnificent voice. How sad her gifts could not bring her the same happiness they brought us." — Barbra Streisand. — "She will never be forgotten as one of the greatest voices to ever grace the earth." — Mariah Carey. — "As a spokesperson for the Academy, the industry, I guess I would sum it up by saying, there's only one Whitney Houston. There will probably never ever be another." — Neil Portnow, president and CEO of the Recording Academy — "I truly, truly adored Whitney Houston. Her album 'I'm Your Baby Tonight' was the very first album I ever bought." — Michelle Williams of Destiny's Child — "I can't believe that Whitney is gone. My heart goes out to her family, to Clive (Davis), and to everyone who knew and loved this amazingly talented and beautiful artist. I will always love her." — Barry Manilow __ "My friend Whitney sang better than anyone. She was magnificent. She gave us everything she had. May she rest in peace and may we let her memory rest in peace." — Liza Minnelli — "Without a doubt, her voice, for me, and for the world, was the gold standard. She had it all, she broke all barriers." — Tommy Mottola, former chairman and CEO of Sony Music Entertainment — "Whitney Houston was the greatest singer I've ever heard and she will be truly missed." — Tony Bennett in a post on Twitter — "The morning of the Grammys, the world should pause and pray for the memory of a gifted songbird." — Rev. Al Sharpton, who called for a national prayer to honor Houston and support her family — "I've known Whitney since she was a little girl and I loved her. She was like family to me. I will miss her." — Smokey Robinson — "Whitney was the reason many of us do what we do." — Pink, in a Twitter post — "At the apex of her career, Whitney had no peer, with a voice that shaped a generation. She has left behind a musical and film legacy that will endure.... she will be sorely missed by us all." — Bishop T.D. Jakes, producer of Houston's final film project, a remake of the movie "Sparkle." — "I think her contribution was her excellence of all levels. She was outstandingly gorgeous, an excellent performer ... Excellent vocalist. She was excellent on so many levels, and set the standard for what it is to be a great female artist." — India.Arie — "She blessed us with so much greatness in songs that we can never ever forget her." — Producer Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins, who worked with Houston — "Her music inspired millions and the power of her voice was hard to match in its depth and crystalline beauty." — Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who knew Houston. ___________________________________________ Bobby Brown on Mississippi stage: 'I love you, Whitney' ADRIAN SAINZ, The Associated Press SOUTHAVEN, Miss. (AP) — It was an emotional night for soul singer Bobby Brown as he performed Saturday night before thousands just hours after learning that his ex-wife Whitney Houston had died in Beverly Hills. "First of all, I want to tell you that I love you all," he told fans gathered at a nearly sold-out 7,500-seat venue in northern Mississippi. "Second, I would like to say, 'I love you, Whitney.' The hardest thing for me to do is to come on this stage." Brown took the stage as part of the New Edition reunion tour at the Landers Center in Southaven, close to Memphis, Tenn. He said he decided to go on with the performance because fans had shown their loyalty to the group New Edition for more than 25 years. He performed about 10 songs over more than hour — "My Preogative" and "Mr. Telephone Man" among them — before he appeared visibly shaken on stage. Brown suddenly appeared overcome with emotion as the concert wound down, wiping his face with his vest as the group prepared to sing a ballad. When the song began, he joined in, but his voice cracked. He then waved to the fans and walked off stage. The show ended shortly afterward. Houston and Brown had a tumultuous 15-year marriage that ended in 2007. In 1993, they had a daughter, Bobbi Kristina. Ten years later, police responded to a domestic violence call from Houston about Brown. Police found Houston with a cut lip and bruised cheek. She was in and out of drug rehabilitation during the mid-2000s, and appeared to hit a low point with her unsteady appearances in the 2005 reality TV show "Being Bobby Brown." She filed for legal separation the following year and the couple divorced in 2007. Before New Edition took the stage, Landers Center executive director Todd Mastry had indicated Brown would go on as scheduled but wouldn't be available to talk with the media. Mastry said he hadn't spoken with Brown, but had been backstage. Asked the mood there, he said, "It's what you would expect it to be when something like this happens — respectful." Singer Kevon Edmonds paid tribute to Houston on stage and said his thoughts and prayers were with her family, according to Mastry. New Edition began its show with the five members coming onstage without Brown. He joined them to a standing ovation. They were all wearing burgundy red coats with black pants and white shirts, and Brown wore a black hat. As they began to perform, one group member said, "This one is for Whitney." During an intermission, one of Whitney Houston's early hits, "You Give Good Love," played over the speakers. Fans stood up and began singing along with the song. Khalilah Hollis, 34, of Horn Lake, Miss., said she was already in the building for the concert when she found out through Facebook that Houston had died. "It's really sad that she passed away. She was an icon," Hollis said. She said that when she heard the news, she thought that perhaps Brown would not perform. But she was glad when he did go on. She said Brown's words about Whitney were touching. "He probably didn't want to go into details because he probably would have broken down," Hollis said. _______________________________________________________ Key dates from Whitney Houston's life and work The Associated Press, The Associated Press 1963: Whitney Elizabeth Houston is born in East Orange, N.J. to gospel singer Cissy Houston on Aug. 9. 1974: Starts performing as soloist in junior gospel choir at New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, N.J. 1978: Sings backup on mother's album "Think It Over," beginning run of backup performances for artists including Chaka Khan, Jermaine Jackson and Lou Rawls. 1983: Arista records executive sees her performing on stage with her mother, label head Clive Davis sees her soon after and signs her to contract. 1985: Debut album, "Whitney Houston," is released, selling millions and spawning huge hits "How Will I Know," ''You Give Good Love," ''Saving All My Love For You" and "Greatest Love of All." 1987: Multiplatinum follow-up album "Whitney" is released. Includes hits "I Wanna Dance With Somebody," ''So Emotional" and "Where Do Broken Hearts Go." 1988: Records theme song for Seoul Olympics, "One Moment In Time." 1991: Returns to limelight with performance of "The Star Spangled Banner" at the Super Bowl during the first Gulf War. 1992: Stars opposite Kevin Costner in "The Bodyguard." The hit film makes Houston a Hollywood star and its theme song, "I Will Always Love You," becomes a signature hit that tops charts for weeks and wins Grammys for record of the year and best female pop vocal. 1992: Begins high profile and tumultuous marriage to former New Edition member and soul-singing star Bobby Brown. 1993: Has daughter with Brown, Bobbi Kristina. 1995: Stars in movie "Waiting to Exhale." 1996: Stars opposite Denzel Washington in "The Preacher's Wife." 1997: Appears as fairy godmother in TV version of Rogers and Hammerstein's "Cinderella." 1998: Releases album "My Love Is Your Love." Song "It's Not Right But It's Okay" brings Grammy for best female R&B vocal. 2003: Police respond to domestic violence call from Houston about Brown. Police find Houston with cut lip and bruised cheek. 2004: Briefly enters drug rehabilitation clinic. 2005: Returns to drug rehab under court order. 2005: Appears in reality TV show "Being Bobby Brown." 2006: Files for legal separation from Brown. 2007: Divorces Brown. 2009: Comeback album "I Look To You" debuts at top of charts, eventually goes platinum. 2009: In an interview with Oprah Winfrey, declares herself drug free. She would return to rehab in 2011. 2012: Dies at age 48 in a hotel room in Beverly Hills, Calif., on Feb. 11. _________________________________________________________________________