The Divine Whitney Houston 1963 - 2012

On the eve of the Grammy Awards a pre-show party was just hours away. As I sat home messing around on the computer and watching the movie, “The English Patient” I decided to see what was going on in the world. I decided to get into my Twitter account and as I looked through the posts one after another stated that Whitney Houston had died at age 48. Her body was found in her hotel room at the Beverly Hills Hilton in the bath by someone in her entourage. She had gone into the bathroom and had been in there for some time when someone got up to check on her. After gaining access to the bathroom they found Whitney submerged under water and efforts to save her life were futile. Whitney was to attend the party that night but was not going to the Grammy’s. As the story still unfolds we are dealing with a loss of such a voice, a voice that Oprah said, was from God. Whitney Houston over the years has been traveling down a rough road in her personal life but many where hopeful that she was getting herself back on track. A sad ending to her journey here on earth.

On Sunday her daughter was rushed to the hospital and was released a short time later. It was said that she had suffered an anxiety attack. Her father Bobbi Brown arrived in Los Angeles to be with his daughter.

Autopsy has been completed and no word yet on the cause of death. The coroners office will not release the cause until the toxicology reports come back which could take as long as 6 weeks.

Whitney Elizabeth Houston was born August 9, 1963 to Gospel singer Cissy Houston in Newark, New Jersey. Aretha Franklin was like an Aunt, and her cousin is singer Dionne Warwick. Music surrounded her life from the day she was born. Whitney would begin singing in the Church choir and never forgot her Gospel roots in the years to come. She would sing in nightclubs in her very early years along with her mother Cissy Houston. Whitney would sing back up for some noted singers and then Clive Davis the head of Arista saw her. Whitney would sign a contract in 1983 and the rest is history.

The first release under Arista was a duet with Teddy Pendergrass which was on his album, Love Language in 1984 and would be on her debut album the following year. Houston's debut album, self titled was released in February 1985. Critics praised her voice as "one of the most exciting new voices in years" and this praise would follow her till her death. In 1986 was nominated and won her first Grammy for Best Pop Vocal Performance for "Saving All My Love for You". She would over the years win an Emmy, MTV Music Video, seven American Music Awards and so much more.

1989 Soul Train Music Awards Whitney would meet singer Bobbi Brown and after a three year courtship, they were married on July 18, 1992. In 1993 they would welcome a daughter Bobbi Kristina Brown and this would be Whitney’s only child. The relationship between Whitney and Bobbi was full of drama. Drugs, alcohol and abuse were very prevalent in their personal and public life. This would prove to be very detrimental to Whitney and start her on a path of disastrous proportions. The drama was all there for many to see, and played out in the national spotlight. Watching this beautiful talented woman slowly slip away to a toxic environment was unfolding before us. Houston separated from Bobby Brown in September 2006, and was finalized on April 24, 2007, with Houston gaining custody of their daughter.

The struggle did not stop with the divorce but many hoped it would be a start to her recovery. Her comeback failed and her voice wasn’t what it used to be. For her I imagine that was hard, to lose that wonderful voice. Whitney had been in and out of rehab but still kept moving forward. Many hoped that she would find the strength to finally beat down her demons, unfortunately that was not to happen.

Whitney Houston also made a few movies and one of the favorites is The Bodyguard with Kevin Costner in 1992.

In 1995 she was in Waiting to Exhale and in 1996 she starred in The Preachers Wife.

One movie she just got done filming is, Sparkle which is due to be released in August 2012. Whitney had done a few TV series appearances and a number of commercials.

The funeral for Whitney Houston was a celebration of her life and faith. As the Minister spoke at the beginning of the service, that they were going to have “church” today. There was signing, listening to scripture and sharing memories of Whitney.

Kevin Costner: "The Whitney I knew was still wondering if I'm good enough. Am I pretty enough? Will they like me? It was what made her great, and what caused her to stumble at the end."

Clive Davis: "You wait for a voice like that for a lifetime. You wait for a face like that, a smile like that, a presence like that for a lifetime. When one person embodies it all, it takes your breath away."

Some of those that sang at the funeral service were: Stevie Wonder, R Kelly, Alicia Keyes, and gospel singer Kim Burrell

Some of those that spoke at the funeral service were: Kevin Costner, Tyler Perry, Dionne Warwick, and Clive Davis.

Bobby Brown the ex husband of Whitney and the father of daughter Bobbi Kristina left after a few minutes. There are conflicting reports as to why he left.

Those in attendance paying their respects where: Elton John, Oprah, Bill Cosby, Jennifer Hudson, Rev Al Sharpton, Rev Jesse Jackson, Roberta Flack, along with many friends and family members.

As the pale barriers hoisted her casket with family following out of the church the song “ I Will Always Love You” was playing.

Whitney Houston will be buried tomorrow next to her father.