By Piya Sinha-Roy
LOS ANGELES, Oct 11 (Reuters) – Whitney Houston was given a
final sendoff by the Grammys on Thursday as Halle Berry, Britney
Spears, Jennifer Hudson, Usher and other stars shared their
memories and performed in homage to the late singer.
Academy-award winner Berry made a tearful introduction at
the “We Will Always Love You: A Grammy Salute to Whitney
Houston” special, and praised the “unforgettable” performer.
“She inspired a generation of little girls and women to
believe in their own dream and to know that they had within
themselves the greatest gift of all. I was one of those little
girls who then became a woman who never ever, ever, stopped
loving Whitney Houston,” Berry said.
The event was attended by Houston’s daughter Bobbi Kristina
Brown, who was joined by boyfriend Nick Gordon and sister-in-law
Pat Houston.
Noticeably absent was Houston’s mother, Cissy, and her
brother Gary. Record label executive Clive Davis, who discovered
the late singer, sat alongside the family in the front row.
The tribute comes towards the end of a year in which the
music world was rocked by Houston’s sudden death at age 48 in
February. She was found dead in a Beverly Hills hotel bathtub on
the night before the Grammy awards, from what authorities said
was accidental drowning brought on by cocaine use and heart
disease.
A homage to Houston was quickly put together at the Grammy
awards in February with Jennifer Hudson singing a heart-felt
rendition of “I Will Always Love You” on a stage lit by a single
spotlight. Later in May, R&B; star Jordin Sparks, who co-starred
with Houston in the late singer’s final movie “Sparkle,” sang
the same song at the Billboard Music Awards in tribute.
There was no mention of Houston’s turbulent personal life
and history of drug abuse on Thursday as the Grammy organizers
decided to focus on the late singer’s career achievements and
best-known performances, including her rendition of the
“Star-Spangled Banner” at the 1991 Superbowl.
Hudson on Thursday channeled Houston’s style from the 1980s
with big hair and a glittering blazer, performing more uptempo
numbers with a medley of “I’m Every Woman,” “How Will I Know”
and “I Wanna Dance With Somebody”.
R&B; star Usher sang “I Believe In You And Me” and gospel
singers Cece Winans and Yolanda Adams delivered a rousing
performance of “Count On Me,” which had Houston’s family in
tears.
Canadian singer Celine Dion was on the bill to perform on
the night but was unable to make it, taping her rendition of
“The Greatest Love Of All” in Canada to air during the televised
special.
The event organizers decided to leave Houston’s best-known
song, “I Will Always Love You,” to the late singer, showing a
tape of her singing at the 1994 Grammy awards.
Presenters at the event shared their memories. Pop star and
“X Factor” judge Spears said her version of Houston’s “I Have
Nothing” scored her a deal with a record label and started her
career.
The audience were also treated to exclusive interviews from
the early days of Houston’s career, showing her talking about
fame, philosophy and religion.
The one-hour CBS special will be aired on November 16.
(Reporting By Piya Sinha-Roy, editing by Elaine Lies and Andrew
Heavens)
