Whitney Houston dead at 48

• Story by USA Today
• Photo by AP
• Whitney Houston - An American Treasure Link: http://kirktanter.blogspot.com/2012/02/whitney-houston-american-treasure.html

As Beverly Hills police continue to investigate the death Saturday of Whitney Houston, their initial report is that "there were no obvious signs of any criminal intent," according to Lt. Mark Rosen.

At tonight's Grammy Awards, where Houston had been expected to sing, Jennifer Hudson will sing in her honor.

"It was a big shock when the news hit," said Grammy executive producer Ken Ehrlich. "We're definitely going to do something, but in some ways it's too fresh and too early to do a full-blown tribute."
Ehrlioch said he had been on the phone with Grammy host LL Cool J several times since the news of Houston's death broke Saturday evening.

"He's trying to see what exactly he'll say, but I'm glad he's able to do so," Ehrlich said.

Her death Saturday afternoon in a Beverly Hills hotel room came hours before she was scheduled to appear at an annual pre-Grammy party that introduced her to the industry decades ago and was expected to honor the six-time Grammy winner.

The 48-year-old singer had been making the rounds in the days before the event, appearing at rehearsals and offering advice to singers Monica and Brandy. On Thursday, she appeared with fellow singer Kelly Price on stage at a Hollywood club, where she sang the hymn Yes, Jesus Loves Me to loud cheers.

With Houston's daughter Bobbi Kristina in the audience, the women shared a long hug and talked about their lives and families throughout the night, Price recalled Saturday. Houston spent hours standing on the side of the stage at the event honoring R&B music, then joined partygoers on the dance floor, she said. "Whitney on Thursday night was one of the girls."

"She was happy," Price said. "She was the Whitney I always knew."

Soul singer Kenny Lattimore, who co-hosted the R&B event, said Houston seemed to be having a good time, making her sudden death "such a shock for me." He said Houston didn't appear to be having any problems.

Houston struggled for years with addiction to cocaine, marijuana and pills, and the years of hard living took a toll on her once-pristine voice.

Despite more than a decade of problems, including her divorce from Bobby Brown and instances of erratic behavior, Houston was working toward a potential comeback. She had just completed work on a remake of the film Sparkle, a project she'd worked to develop for years.

Yet some speculated that she was under the influence after the Thursday club appearance, when paparazzi snapped photos of Houston leaving and looking disheveled. Price called the rumors "totally untrue."

There was a family feel to the gathering, she said: "Our kids were there."

Price said she and Houston were planning another reunion, and that she was set to appear at the pre-Grammy gala thrown by her longtime mentor, Clive Davis, on Saturday night. Davis had expected that Houston would sing at the party, which went on as planned, he explained, because she would have wanted it that way. It took place in the hotel where her body was being examined by coroner's officials.

"I am personally devastated by the loss of someone who has meant so much to me," Davis said. "She was full of life, looking forward for tonight. She loved music and she loved this night that celebrated music."

Officials have released few details about how Houston was found or what killed her. A member of her entourage found the singer and alerted hotel security and paramedics already on site for Davis' gala. They failed to revive the singer.

In the hours after Houston's death, fans chose to remember the singer in better times, when her soaring voice introduced a new generation to the Dolly Parton song I Will Love You and propelled the film The Bodyguard into blockbuster status.

Her songs and albums quickly became top-sellers on iTunes, and fans and celebrities alike shared remembrances and accounts of impromptu memorials on the social networking site Twitter. Price said her friend would want to be remembered as God-fearing and a good mother, rather than simply a singer. She said she and Houston often discussed parenting and issues unrelated to their musical careers.

She recalled her last night with Houston, the words they shared before Houston delivered what would be her final performance.

"I never ever imagined I'd be talking about her because she's not here," Price said.

A tribute of Whitney Houston and Soul Train founder Don Cornelius, tonight on the Grammy Awards 8pm eastern.

Whitney Houston Bio Link: http://kirktanter.blogspot.com/2012/02/whitney-houston-american-treasure.html