HOUSTON / AT THE FUNERAL
LOS ANGELES, FEBRUARY 21, 2012 (BULLETIN) By JANET R. NEPALES — "I am
shocked to learn of Whitney Houston's untimely death," Filipino fashion designer
Oliver Tolentino said.
"I just saw her do a duet with R&B singer Kelly Price at her
pre-Grammy party!"
Tolentino, who designed two gowns for Houston's friend, Kelly Price, for her
pre-Grammy performance and for the Grammy show and red carpet, attended a
pre-Grammy party with his business partner Andrew Caruthers. Houston was also at
the party.
The singer, according to Tolentino, was in good spirits. Just hours later,
she would be found dead in her room at the Beverly Hilton.
The pop superstar was buried beside her father in New Jersey Saturday noon.
The pre-party event, entitled "Kelly Price & Friends Unplugged: For the
Love of R&B," was attended by other big name artists. It was also a party to
celebrate her three Grammy nominations. Tolentino never expected that it would
be the last time he would see Houston alive.
Tolentino recalled what happened: "Andrew and I were both stunned to hear the
news a couple of hours ago because we realize now that we saw Whitney's last
public performance just two nights ago at Kelly Price's pre-Grammy party. We
even arrived at Tru Hollywood club where the party took place right at the same
moment Whitney pulled up in a black SUV.
"As we were about to enter the side VIP entrance, a tinted window rolled down
about three feet from us and there was Whitney Houston looking healthy and
beautiful. We went inside the club and realized how intimate the night was going
to be – there were only about 300 people in the club, including R&B
celebrities R Kelly, Brian McKnight, Faith Evans, Kenny Lattimore, and others.
Kelly hosted the night and introduced people who got up on stage and sang.
[PHOTO - WHITNEY AND DAUGHTER BOBBI KRISTINA BROWN]
"We didn't realize it because there was a back-up singer named Whitney, but
Kelly started talking to another Whitney on the left side of the stage and that
was where Whitney and her daughter Bobbi were. At one point, Kelly told a story
about working with Whitney and that Whitney got on Kelly for holding back her
voice until finally Kelly belted alongside her in the studio. Kelly was making
the point of what a gracious, secure singer Whitney was.
"Upon hearing this, Whitney came on stage and surprised Kelly by singing a
little improv with her, the song 'Yes, Jesus Loves Me.' We guess that was
probably the last time Whitney performed in public since it was just two nights
ago. Kelly told us the next day when she was fitting her two gowns that Whitney
never does press or stays at events, so she was so thrilled that Whitney had
stayed and enjoyed herself watching all the performances. If you are a fan, you
are always going to react to hearing of a talented star's death. By coincidence,
we were one of the last people in public to get to see her perform, and we both
noted how healthy and happy she looked."
Kelly, who told us earlier that she loved Tolentino because "he can really
design for plus-size figures like me," was nominated for "Best R&B
Performance" (Kelly and Stokley Williams), "Best R&B Song" ("Not My Daddy")
and "Best R&B Album" (Kelly) at the 54th Annual Grammy Awards held Feb. 12
at 8 p.m. at the Staples Center here in Los Angeles.
Kelly was still in shock over the death of her friend. She choked when she
was interviewed by Ryan Seacrest on the red carpet. She said, "My friend Whitney
was in good spirits at my pre-Grammy party and she had a great time!"
[PHOTO - WHITNEY AND HER MOM, CISSY]
A star-studded lineup was expected to sing and speak at pop star Whitney
Houston's funeral, from Alicia Keys and Kevin Costner to the soul and gospel
music royalty from which she hails, including her cousin Dionne Warwick and
Aretha Franklin.
Houston will be laid to rest after an invitation-only memorial service at the
New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, New Jersey, where Houston groomed her voice
singing in the church choir with her mother Cissy Houston, a soul and gospel
singer who once backed up Franklin.
Other top names taking part in the service include Houston's mentor and
record producer Clive Davis, singer Stevie Wonder and Hollywood actor and
producer Tyler Perry, who donated his plane to fly her body from Los Angeles to
Newark earlier this week.
Elton John, Beyonce and rapper Jay-Z, Oprah Winfrey and Bill Cosby are also
expected to attend, according to reports. (Additional report
from Reuters) PHOTOS FROM GETTY'S IMAGES.
FROM THE CANADIAN PRESS
Movie, music stars mourn Whitney Houston in NJ hometown
funeral with gospel hymns, prayer By Nekesa Mumbi Moody, The
Associated Press | The Canadian Press
NEWARK, N.J. - Clapping hands and swaying to gospel hymns in the
church where Whitney Houston's powerful voice once wowed her congregation, the
biggest names in entertainment sang along with the choir to remember the pop
superstar at her hometown funeral Saturday.
"We are here today, hearts broken but yet with God's strength we celebrate
the life of Whitney Houston," the Rev. Joe A. Carter told the packed New Hope
Baptist Church after the choir behind him sang "The Lord is My Shepherd."
Mourners including singer Jennifer Hudson and Houston's mother, gospel singer
Cissy Houston, stood, swayed and clapped along in the aisles as gospel singers
BeBe Winans and the Rev. Kim Burrell joined with pop stars like Alicia Keys in
paying tribute to the 48-year-old pop superstar who first began singing in the
Newark church.
"You wait for a voice like that for a lifetime," said music mogul Clive
Davis, who shepherded Houston's career for decades.
[PHOTO - Bobby Brown (L) stands outside prior to the funeral services
for Whitney Houston at the New Hope Baptist Church]
Others were more mournful; singer Ray J., who spent time with Houston during
her last days, broke down crying. His sister, singer Brandy, put her arm around
him. Cissy Houston and Houston's daughter, 18-year-old Bobbi Kristina, clutched
each other in the front of the row. Toward the end of the service, Bobbi
Kristina and Ray J. embraced at length and spoke. Others gathered near the front
of the church and hugged each other.
Actor Kevin Costner, her co-star in "The Bodyguard" that spawned her greatest
hit, remembered a movie star who was uncertain of her own fame, who "still
wondered, 'Am I good enough? Am I pretty enough? Will they like me?'"
"It was the burden that made her great and the part that caused her to
stumble in the end," Costner said.
Filmmaker Tyler Perry praised Houston's "grace that kept on carrying her all
the way through, the same grace led her all the way to the top of the charts.
She sang for presidents."
Stevie Wonder and Oprah Winfrey were among the biggest names gathered to
mourn Houston, along with Hudson, Monica, Brandy and Jordin Sparks —
representing a generation of big-voiced young singers who grew up emulating her.
Houston's voice, a recording of "I Will Always Love You," was to close the
funeral.
Houston's cousin Dionne Warwick presided over the funeral, introducing
speakers and singers and offering short comments about Houston between them.
Houston's mother was helped by two people on either side of her as she walked
in and sat with her granddaughter and other family to begin the service.
Houston's ex-husband, Bobby Brown, briefly appeared at her funeral, walking to
the casket, touching it and walking out. Security guards said Brown was upset
that he would have to sit separately from the people he arrived with, and left.
A Brown representative didn't immediately comment.
Mourners fell quiet as three police officers escorted Houston's casket,
draped with white roses and purple lilies. White-robed choir members began to
fill the pews on the podium. As the band played softly, the choir sang in a
hushed voice, "Whitney, Whitney, Whitney."
Close family friend Aretha Franklin, whom Houston lovingly called "Aunt Ree,"
had been expected to sing at the service, but she was too ill to attend.
Franklin said in an email to The Associated Press that she had been up most of
the night with leg spasms and sent best wishes to the family. "May God bless and
keep them all," she wrote.
A program featuring a picture of Houston looking skyward read "Celebrating
the life of Whitney Elizabeth Houston, a child of God." Pictures of Houston as a
baby, with her mother and daughter filled the program.
"I never told you that when you were born, the Holy Spirit told me that you
would not be with me long," Cissy Houston wrote her daughter in a letter
published in the program. "And I thank God for the beautiful flower he allowed
me to raise and cherish for 48 years."
"Rest, my baby girl in peace," the letter ends, signed "mommie."
The service marks one week after Houston, one of music's all-time
biggest stars, was found dead in a Beverly Hills hotel in California. A cause of
death has yet to be determined.
To the world, Houston was the pop queen with the perfect voice, the dazzling
diva with regal beauty, a troubled superstar suffering from addiction and,
finally, another victim of the dark side of fame.
To her family and friends, she was just "Nippy." A nickname given to Houston
when she was a child, it stuck with her through adulthood and, later, would
become the name of one of her companies. To them, she was a sister, a friend, a
daughter, and a mother.
"She always had the edge," the Rev. Jesse Jackson said outside church
Saturday. "You can tell when some kids have what we call a special anointing.
Aretha had that when she was 14. ... Whitney cultivated that and took it to a
very high level."
A few fans gathered Saturday morning hours before the service as close as
they could get to the church, some from as far away as Washington, D.C., and
Miami. Bobby Brooks said he came from Washington "just to be among the rest of
the fans."
"Just to celebrate her life, not just her death," said Brooks, "just to sing
and dance with the people that love her."
Others were more entrepreneurial, setting up card tables to sell
silk-screened T-shirts with Houston's image and her CDs. But only the invited
would get close to the church; streets were closed to the public for blocks in
every direction. But their presence was felt around the church, with a huge
shrine of heart-shaped balloons and personal messages that covered the street
corner around the church entrance.
Houston's death marked the final chapter for the superstar whose fall from
grace while shocking was years in the making. Houston had her first No. 1 hit by
the time she was 22, followed by a flurry of No. 1 songs and multi-platinum
records.
Over her career, she sold more than 50 million records in the United States
alone. Her voice, an ideal blend of power, grace and beauty, made classics out
of songs like "Saving All My Love For You," ''I Will Always Love You," ''The
Greatest Love of All" and "I'm Every Woman." Her six Grammys were only a
fraction of her many awards.
But amid the fame, a turbulent marriage to Brown and her addiction to drugs
tarnished her image. She became a woman falling apart in front of the world.
Her last album, "I Look To You," debuted on the top of the charts when it was
released in 2009 with strong sales, but didn't have the staying power of her
previous records. A tour the next year was doomed by cancellations because of
illness and sub-par performances.
Still, a comeback was ahead: She was to star in the remake of the movie
"Sparkle" and was working on new music. Her family, friends and hard-core fans
were hopeful.
The funeral is for invited guests only. Houston is to be buried next to her
father, John Houston, in nearby Westfield, N.J. __
Contributing to this report were Global Entertainment and
Lifestyles Editor Alicia Quarles and Mesfin Fekadu. ___
Online: http://www.whitneyhouston.com
BRIEF NOTES:
Aretha Franklin has been forced to pull out of performing at Whitney
Houstons funeral in New Jersey due to health issues Longtime family friend
Franklin was due to pay her last respects to the late superstar and perform the
singers classic The Greatest Love of All...
Kevin Costner, Clive Davis, Alicia Keys and Stevie Wonder were among
those that spoke and sung during the service.
As TMZ previously reported, Bobby Brown showed up at the church, but was
turned away because he wasn't allowed to bring his nine-person entourage into
the church with him.
Bobby Brown Statement On Exit From Whitney's
Funeral
By Chandra Price
Whitney
Houston was remembered in an intimate funeral service at the New Hope Baptist
Church in Newark, New Jersey on Saturday.
Her ex-husband Bobby Brown
arrived at the funeral but shortly exited the church, later releasing the
following statement:
"My children and I were invited to the funeral of
my ex-wife Whitney Houston. We were seated by security and then subsequently
asked to move on three separate occasions. I fail to understand why security
treated my family this way and continue to ask us and no one else to move.
Security then prevented me from attempting to see my daughter Bobbi-Kristina.
In light of the events, I gave a kiss to the casket of my ex-wife and departed
as I refused to create a scene. My children are completely distraught over the
events. This was a day to honour Whitney. I doubt Whitney would have wanted this
to occur. I will continue to pay my respects to my ex-wife the best way I know
how."
2/18/2012 4:50:00 PM by Chandra Price
GLOBAL NEWS
TV
Filed under:
Bobby_Brown_Funeral_Whitney_Houston
Chief News Editor: Sol
Jose Vanzi
© Copyright, 2012 by PHILIPPINE HEADLINE
NEWS ONLINE
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