“She would call you for no reason at all, but just to say ‘hi.’ She was a beautiful human being – really caring, beautiful, thoughtful.” So said Alicia Keys today, holding back tears, prior to breaking into a rendition of “Send Me An Angel” in honor of the late Whitney Houston. Watch for yourself now: Alicia Keys – “Send Me An Angel” (Whitney Houston Funeral) Stevie Wonder also performed at the memorial , while Houston’s former co-star in The Bodyguard was applauded for his beautiful tribute to the part-time actress. “To you, Bobbi Kristina, and to all those young girls who are dreaming that dream, thinking that maybe they aren’t good enough, I think Whitney would tell you, guard your bodies,” said Kevin Costner. “And guard the precious miracle of your own life. Then sing your hearts out. “Off you go Whitney, off you go. Escorted by an army of angels to your heavenly Father. When you sing before him, don’t you worry. You’ll be good enough.”
Keys, who shared a mentor with Houston in Clive Davis, performs ‘Send Me an Angel’ during Saturday’s funeral in New Jersey. By Rebecca Thomas Alicia Keys, Clive Davis and Swizz Beatz attend Whitney Houston’s funeral Photo: Jason Merritt/ Getty Images After a stormy 14-year marriage to bad-boy singer Bobby Brown, Whitney Houston decided to end that chapter in 2006. Three years later, Houston had aligned again with mentor Clive Davis, the music industry impresario who first discovered a teenage Whitney belting out tunes in a nightclub and signed her to his Arista Records. Their final collaboration, I Look to You, was set to launch her on a the “comeback” trail. Live broadcasting by Ustream Like so many young singers, Alicia Keys — also a Davis acolyte — had long looked up to Houston. But the gifted songwriter cemented her connection to Houston, who was found dead at 48 a week ago, by writing the album’s hit single, “Million Dollar Bill.” On Saturday afternoon (February 18), Keys honored Houston in song once again, but instead of a dance-floor-filler, the “Unbreakable” singer took to the piano for an emotional farewell at New Jersey’s New Hope Baptist Church. Keys, dressed in a dark suit, first happily recalled Houston as a “beautiful human being, [who would] call you for no reason at all but to say, ‘Hi.’ ” Keys, who co-wrote “Bill” with husband Swizz Beatz, said Houston also made it a habit to nurture the female singers who were following in her superstar footsteps. “She reached back to so many people; she reached back to me, to Monica and Brandy … all these beautiful young artists, and just made us feel strong and capable and loved.” “So she’s an angel to us, and has been an angel to us,” Keys added before performing a moving “Send Me an Angel.” Keys wasn’t the only singer to pay soulful tribute to the “How Will I Know” star. Stevie Wonder, R. Kelly and gospel greats BeBe & CeCe Winans, Donnie McClurkin and Kim Burrell were among the performers at Houston’s Going-Home ceremony in Newark, where her “Bodyguard” co-star Kevin Costner delivered a heartbreaking eulogy. Stay with MTVNews.com all day Saturday for continuing coverage of Whitney Houston’s funeral services. Related Videos Live From Whitney Houston’s Funeral Whitney Houston: In Her Own Words Related Photos Friends, Family And Fans Show Love At Whitney Houston’s Funeral Related Artists Alicia Keys Whitney Houston
‘The Bodyguard’ actor relives pop diva’s first screen test in a poignant eulogy on Saturday at New Hope Baptist Church. By Rebecca Thomas Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner in “The Bodyguard” Photo: Warner Bros. On Saturday afternoon (February 18), Whitney Houston was sent to rest by family and friends at New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, New Jersey, during a stirring funeral dubbed her Home-Going. While the pop diva’s onetime leading man Bobby Brown reportedly left moments before the noon ceremony began, the pop diva’s onscreen leading man Kevin Costner delivered a poignant eulogy in her honor. In 1992, Houston made her film debut in “The Bodyguard,” a star turn that paired her in the lead with Costner in the title role. Written by Lawrence Kasdan and directed by Mick Jackson, the romantic drama followed Frank Farmer, a Secret Service agent-turned-bodyguard tasked with protecting pop star Rachel Marron from a stalker. The film would go on to gross more than $400 million at the worldwide box office, and the diamond-selling soundtrack spawned Houston’s game-changing rendition of “I Will Always Love You” , the best-selling single of all time. But according to Costner, Warner Bros., the studio behind “The Bodyguard,” not only had to be convinced that the film’s signature song should be a cover of Dolly Parton’s country tune — but also that the part should go to Houston. “At the height of her fame as a singer, I asked her to be my co-star,” Costner recalled on Saturday. Filmmakers were concerned, however, suggesting they should “think about another singer … maybe somebody white.” Though Costner conceded “nobody ever said it out loud,” he agreed that the implications were fair considering how much was at stake. The only problem was, as Costner put it, “I thought she was perfect for what we were trying to do.” Costner remained steadfast about his casting choice, even delaying production by a year so that Whitney could complete a tour. And though the actor knew he’d already all but given her the part, he submitted her to a screen test because he wanted to be “fair.” Houston, possibly the biggest pop star at the time, was frightened. Costner went to her trailer the day of the test and to reassure her, holding her hand and telling her that she looked beautiful. Still, the singer zeroed in on a million things she imagined to be wrong. Feeling insecure, Houston scrubbed her camera-ready makeup job in favor of the thick layer of cover-up she used on the road. The patina of cosmetic paint was perhaps an apt metaphor for how the megastar masked her insecurities. Of course, four minutes in, Houston’s makeup job was streaking; the singer was devastated. “I just wanted to look my best,” she told Costner. “Call it doubt, call it fear, I’ve had mine,” Costner said of the internal struggles that come with fame. “The Whitney I knew, despite her success and worldwide fame, 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.” Houston famously battled substance abuse issues, in particular during her tumultuous 14-year marriage to singer Bobby Brown. She was found dead a week ago in a Beverly Hills hotel; the official cause of her death is still being investigated . But Costner insisted her personal turmoil should not muddy her legacy. “As the debate heats up … about the greatest singer of the last century, as the lists are drawn, it will have little meaning to me if her name is not on it,” Costner proclaimed to applause. “Off you go, Whitney, off you go,” Costner continued tears, “Escorted by an army of angels to your heavenly father. And when you sing before him, don’t you worry — you’ll be good enough.” Stay with MTVNews.com all day Saturday for continuing coverage of Whitney Houston’s funeral services. Related Videos Whitney Houston: In Her Own Words Related Photos Friends, Family And Fans Show Love At Whitney Houston’s Funeral Related Artists Whitney Houston
Fans line streets near New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, New Jersey, where funeral service is under way today. By Rob Markman, with reporting by Raynold D. Fabre-Jeune Whitney Houston Photo: Vince Bucci/Getty Images NEWARK, New Jersey — With her music, Whitney Houston brought joy to the lives of her family, friends and fans, so it is only right that exactly one week after her death, on the day of her funeral, all the love Whitney gave is given right back. Live video by Ustream Fans lined the streets of Newark, New Jersey, in hopes of getting as close as they could to the New Hope Baptist Church, where the funeral for Houston, who was found dead in a Beverly Hills hotel on February 11, is being held. It is the same church the pop diva grew up attending and where she built a loving fanbase even as a youngster with her powerful church choir vocals. “Everybody, I want them to know that God sent us an angel, and now his angel has gone back home to rest and sing in heaven,” Patricia Copeland Williams, a Houston family friend, told MTV News on Friday upon leaving the pop star’s wake at New Hope Baptist. “We will always love her and we’ll always remember, and we’re never going to forgot Cissy, the woman that birthed her.” The Houston funeral is a private affair and only invited guests are allowed into the church and the surrounding city blocks. Before the ceremony, fans gathered outside of police barricades on the corner of Orange and Nesbitt streets, about four blocks from the church, singing Houston’s hits including “Greatest Love of All” and “I Will Always Love You.” Media outlets lined the block on the corner of Lock Street and Essex Avenue, but without an invite, that was about as close as anybody would get. Musical luminaries and close friends Clive Davis, Stevie Wonder and CeCe Winans are all expected to attend. Kevin Costner, who starred with Houston in the 1992 hit film “The Bodyguard” and ex-husband Bobby Brown are also among the expected attendees. Aretha Franklin, who is Whitney’s close family friend, had been scheduled to sing “I Will Always Love You” at the service but canceled due to illness, according to CNN . Franklin performed in Whitney’s honor Friday night at Radio City Music Hall. Stay with MTVNews.com all day Saturday for continuing coverage of Whitney Houston’s funeral services. Related Videos Whitney Houston: In Her Own Words Related Photos Whitney Houston: A Life In Photos Related Artists Whitney Houston
Aubrey O’Day and Debbie Gibson tell MTV News they ‘didn’t get along in the beginning.’ By Jocelyn Vena, with reporting by Kelly Marino Aubrey O’Day and Debbie Gibson Photo: MTV News This Sunday, a slew of celebrities will backstab and cat fight their way to the top of the heap when “Celebrity Apprentice” kicks off its new season. Considering who made the cut — a Gotti, a real housewife, several comedians and a few pop stars — drama will certainly ensue. MTV News had the pleasure of catching up with Debbie Gibson and former Danity Kane singer Aubrey O’Day, who revealed how they went from enemies to besties while shooting the show. “I was somewhat familiar, but I was a little bit of a victim of perception,” Gibson said about O’Day, who is best known for her drama-filled run on MTV’s “Making the Band.” “I knew Aubrey’s persona, but not really a lot about her; I try not to judge anybody until I meet them anyway.” “I had Debbie Gibson, of course, on my iPod, and if I didn’t have it on my iPod, I heard every one of her songs during the entire show,” O’Day joked. While the two ladies are good pals now, O’Day recalls when that wasn’t the case. “We didn’t get along in the beginning; it wasn’t disrespectful,” she teased. “She was always singing all the time; it got on my nerves, but then we really got along. It’s like a distant memory now.” Gibson, who owned up to being the “obnoxious singing girl,” recalled when the two finally started to relate to each other. “There was an episode where we saw eye-to-eye over somebody else that was agitating both of us. So we bonded over that. We were kind of like ‘Oh my god! We’re on the same page after all.’ ” O’Day describes both girls as having Type-A personalities, making it easy for them to eventually bury the hatchet. “What I like about Aubrey is we kind of didn’t care that we didn’t jell. … We were being real about it,” Gibson said. “And then we were able to get over it.” Hosted by Donald Trump, the show will also feature “American Idol” season two runner-up Clay Aiken, racecar driver Michael Andretti, TV and radio personality Adam Carolla, actor Lou Ferrigno, former talk-show host Arsenio Hall, magician Penn Jillette, rocker Dee Snider, “Star Trek” actor George Takei, “American Chopper” star Paul Teutul Sr., actress Tia Carrere, “Real Housewives” castmember Teresa Giudice, Victoria Gotti of “Growing Up Gotti,” comedian Lisa Lampanelli, model and actress Cheryl Tiegs, Miss Universe Dayana Mendoza, and actress and model Patricia Velasquez. The celebrity winner will earn $250,000 for the charity of their choice. Who are you rooting for on “Celebrity Apprentice”? Leave your comment below!
‘What my heart feels cannot be expressed in words,’ singer says in a statement issued to MTV News. By Rob Markman Ray J and Whitney Houston in 2008 Photo: Denise Truscello/WireImage The sudden death of Whitney Houston has left her family, friends and fans broken-hearted. And on Friday (February 17), her close friend Ray J finally ended his silence, releasing this statement to MTV News: “Over the past few days I’ve tried to process the emptiness that I am experiencing. What my heart feels cannot be expressed in words. The world lost an icon but I lost my close friend. Nippy I miss you so much! You were so happy and full of love. Your smile will live in my heart forever.” The “One Wish” singer was no doubt close to Houston, and while neither ever confirmed a romance, it was widely speculated that he and Houston were an item. Soon after Houston was found dead in her L.A. hotel room on February 11, reports began to surface that it was Ray J who found her body in a bath tub at the Beverly Hilton. Those reports were quickly refuted by Ray J’s representative. The statement comes just a day before Houston is to be laid to rest following her funeral at Newark, New Jersey’s New Hope Baptist Church Saturday at noon. The funeral is invite-only, but fans will be able to watch an online live stream . New Hope Pastor Joe A. Carter will preside over the ceremony, and gospel singer Marvin Winans will give the eulogy. People magazine reported on Thursday that Kevin Costner, who co-starred with Houston in the 1992 film “The Bodyguard,” will also speak at the funeral. Share your condolences with Whitney’s family and friends on our Facebook page. Related Videos Whitney Houston: In Her Own Words Related Photos Whitney Houston: A Life In Photos Related Artists Whitney Houston Ray J
Singer’s catalog sales surged following her death, including nearly 900,000 individual tracks moved. By Gil Kaufman Whitney Houston Photo: Jan Persson/ Getty Images Much as they did after the deaths of Michael Jackson and Amy Winehouse , fans of Whitney Houston rushed out to buy the late diva’s music in the wake of her passing on Saturday . Billboard reported that Houston’s only hits package, Whitney: The Greatest Hits, is poised to re-enter the Billboard 200 chart this week at #6 after selling 64,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan. Most amazingly, that jump in purchases represent just one full day of sales, since the reporting week ended on February 12. Houston was found dead midday in Los Angeles the day before of as-yet-undetermined causes. The uptick for the Greatest collection represents a 10,419 percent gain over the pervious week, when it moved just under 1,000 copies. A number of other Houston albums also moved back up the charts, including her 1986 debut Whitney Houston, which jumped to #72 on sales of 8,000 (a 3,901 percent rise), the soundtrack to “The Bodyguard” (#80 on sales of 8,000, up 5,213 percent) and her final studio album, I Look to You (#118 on sales of 5,000, up 3,901 percent). The magazine reported that more Houston albums were purchased in the last week — over 101,000 — than had been sold in all of 2011 and 2012 to date. The most impressive figures, though, were the number of digital tracks fans purchased. In all, there were 887,000 downloads over the past week, a gain of 5,730 over the previous week’s 15,000 tracks sold. The biggest gainer was, of course, her signature song, “I Will Always Love You,” which moved 195,000 units, a 6,742 percent gain over the previous week. While that song enters the Digital Songs chart at #3, seven other songs hit the Digital Songs chart as well, including “I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)” (#25, 74,000, up 8,769 percent), “Greatest Love of All” (#32, 60,000, up 7,270 percent), “How Will I Know” (#46, 43,000, up 5,767 percent), “I Have Nothing” (#53, 38,000, up 5,179 percent), “Saving All My Love for You” (#65, 33,000, up 6,423 percent), “One Moment in Time” (#74, 30,000, up 6,206 percent) and Houston’s rendition of “The Star Spangled Banner” (#75, 29,000, up 8,278 percent). Next week’s chart should see an even bigger boost to Houston’s catalog as it will reflect a full week of sales. Related Videos Whitney Houston: Life And Music Of An Icon Related Photos Whitney Houston: A Life In Photos Related Artists Whitney Houston
Live 30-minute special will feature interview clips with Houston dating back to her network debut in 1986. By Gil Kaufman Whitney Houston in 1995 Photo: 20th Century Fox/Getty Images MTV will pay respects to Whitney Houston on Wednesday (February 15) with a live 30-minute tribute entitled “Whitney Houston: In Her Own Words.” The MTV News special, airing at 7:30 p.m. ET and hosted by Sway Calloway, will feature interview clips of Houston from her network debut in 1986 through her final interview. Houston died at age 48 on Saturday in her Los Angeles hotel room of as-yet-undetermined causes. The singer had a long history with the network, dating back to her 1985 self-titled debut album. The third single from that multiplatinum smash was “How Will I Know,” which helped introduce the singer to a wider audience when it became one of the first videos by a black female singer to go into heavy rotation on MTV, blasting open the doors for a whole generation of R&B and pop divas to follow. Along the way, Houston smashed a number of records , including the best-selling single of all time by a female artist, her iconic cover of Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You.” The Grammy-winning album that song came from, the soundtrack to her big-screen debut, “The Bodyguard,” also set the all-time record for soundtrack albums, with more than 44 million copies sold worldwide. During the MTV special, Sway will share personal stories from music celebrities on Houston’s impact and her peerless voice. The show will stream simultaneously on MTV.com and be available on demand immediately after it airs. In addition, MTV News will continue its coverage of the tragic death of the singer, covering everything from breaking developments to Houston’s funeral . Houston will be laid to rest in her native Newark, New Jersey, on Saturday at an invitation-only private funeral at her childhood house of worship, the New Baptist Church. The cause of Houston’s death is still unknown. Assistant Chief Coroner Ed Winter of the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office continues to quell any speculation. “I know there are reports that she maybe was drowned or did she overdose, but we won’t make a final determination until all the tests are in,” he told CNN . Share your condolences with Whitney’s family and friends on our Facebook page. Related Videos Remembering An Icon: Whitney’s Top MTV Moments Related Photos Whitney Houston: A Life In Photos Related Artists Whitney Houston
Written by Dolly Parton, the ballad was nearly recorded by Elvis Presley. By John Mitchell Whitney Houston in her “I Will Always Love You” video Photo: Arista Records On Sunday night’s Grammy Awards, Jennifer Hudson paid tribute to the late Whitney Houston , who was found dead a day earlier in Beverly Hills, by delivering a teary-eyed rendition of her most famous song, “I Will Always Love You.” What many do not know is that “Love You” is a tune with a long and interesting musical history that dates back to 1974 and has a connection to the King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley. “I Will Always Love you” was written by country superstar Dolly Parton on June 6, 1974, as the second single from Parton’s 13th solo studio album, Jolene. That’s right, by 1974, Dolly Parton had already released 13 albums. And it may interest fans of the song to know that while “I Will Always Love You” is most certainly a love song, it’s not really about the deeply passionate parting of two lovers that was conveyed in Houston’s cover; the song is about Parton’s professional parting of ways with her onetime partner and longtime mentor Porter Wagner. The song went all the way to #1 on the country charts, and along with “Jolene,” arguably one of Parton’s finest songs, propelled her out of Wagner’s shadow and onto the country A-list in her own right. The song brought Parton a fan in the unlikely form of rock god Elvis Presley, who expressed interest in recording a cover version of the tune. This, of course, delighted Parton. There was a catch, however: Elvis’ formidable manager, Tom Parker, insisted that she sign over 50 percent of the publishing royalties to Presley. That was a problem for Parton, who had a policy against signing away her publishing rights — no matter how big the star wanting to record her track. “He was planning to record my song, ‘I Will Always Love You.’ He invited me down to the studio, and the day of the studio, Colonel Tom Parker called and said that they only recorded songs that they had the publishing on, and I couldn’t do that,” Parton told David Letterman in 2010. “That broke my heart, because I loved Elvis. “I cried all night. Other people were saying, ‘You’re nuts. It’s Elvis Presley. I mean, hell, I’d give him all of it,’ ” Parton said. “I said, ‘I can’t do that. Something in my heart says don’t do that.’ And I just didn’t do it, and they didn’t do it.” Parton re-recorded the song herself in 1982 and included it on the soundtrack to her film “Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.” It again went to #1 on the country charts, making Parton the first artist ever to earn a #1 record twice with the same song as a singer. (Once Houston’s cover hit the top of the charts, she became the first songwriter ever to hit #1 three times with the same song.) Like so many other iconic moments in pop culture, Houston’s cover of “I Will Always Love You” wasn’t even supposed to happen. She originally intended to cover Jimmy Ruffin’s “What Becomes of the Brokenhearted” as the lead single from “The Bodyguard” until she found out the song had been used just one year earlier in the 1991 film “Fried Green Tomatoes.” Houston’s “Bodyguard” co-star Kevin Costner attempted to remedy the situation by introducing the singer to Linda Ronstadt’s 1975 version of “I Will Always Love You,” and Houston loved the song. She decided to rearrange it as a soul ballad with producer David Foster, and a classic was born. Houston and Foster, it seems, were not intent on owning the song’s publishing rights. With Houston’s legendary voice laid on the track, “I Will Always Love You” went on to become one of the biggest singles in music history, spending 14 weeks at the top of the Billboard charts — a record at the time — and helping “The Bodyguard” soundtrack sell 44 million copies worldwide to become the biggest soundtrack of all time. Eternally good-hearted, Parton complimented Hudson on her performance of the song at the Grammys and praised Houston’s amazing gift in a statement earlier Monday (February 13), saying, “I was brought to tears again last night, as I’m sure many were, when Jennifer Hudson sang ‘I Will Always Love You’ on the Grammys in memory of Whitney. Like everybody else, I am still in shock. But I know that Whitney will live forever in all the great music that she left behind. I will always have a very special piece of her in the song we shared together and had the good fortune to share with the world. Rest in peace, Whitney. Again, we will always love you.” For her part, Hudson was overjoyed to have a chance to say goodbye to her mentor at the Grammys. “It was the greatest honor of my life to be able to be the one to pay tribute to Whitney’s memory,” Hudson said in a statement Monday. “It was from my heart. I haven’t stopped crying since she passed. Her family is in my prayers.” Stick with MTV News all for all the Grammy red-carpet fashion , Grammy winners and performance recaps until the hangover wears off! Share your condolences with Whitney’s family and friends on our Facebook page. Related Videos Whitney Houston: Life And Music Of An Icon Related Photos Whitney Houston: A Life In Photos Related Artists Whitney Houston Jennifer Hudson
Late singer’s top MTV Moments, from the VMA stage to an all-access interview. By Christina Garibaldi Whitney Houston in MTV News’ “All Access: Whitney Houston” special Photo: MTV Whitney Houston was one of the most iconic stars of all time. She commanded the stage, captivated audiences on the big screen and was celebrated around the world. Now, as her fans continue to mourn her shocking death Saturday and details continue to emerge , MTV News is celebrating the life and legacy of a true icon as we look back at Houston’s top five MTV moments. 1986: Whitney Houston Makes Video Music Awards Debut : She was just 23 years old when she performed and won at the third-ever MTV Video Music Awards in 1986 . Houston took home her first ever Moonman, winning the award for Best Female Video for her hit single “How Will I Know” . She later went on to perform a classic rendition of the song, flowing into a flawless performance of her power ballad “The Greatest Love of All,” which left the crowd in awe and on their feet. 1996: Whitney Houston Performs at the Movie Awards : By 1996, Houston already proved to the world that not only did she have one of the most remarkable voices in music, but that she could make it in Hollywood as well. Houston starred opposite Kevin Costner in box-office smash “The Bodyguard,” which won her the 1993 MTV Movie Award for Best Song from a Movie for “I Will Always Love You.” In 1996 , she returned to the Movie Awards to perform “Why Does it Hurt So Bad,” a single off the soundtrack to her second film, “Waiting to Exhale.” 1998: Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey Face-Off : Rumored rivals Houston and Mariah Carey took the stage at the 1998 Video Music Awards in the same “one-of-a-kind” dress. In a comedic stand-off, the two divas both tore away the hem of their gowns, turning their matching designs into two different stylish looks. Clearly, there was no diva competition between the two, since later that year, Carey and Houston teamed up again, this time in the studio, to record the song “When You Believe,” for the animated feature “The Prince of Egypt.” 1999: All Access: Whitney Houston : In November of 1998, Houston released her first album in eight years, My Love is Your Love. After 14 years in the business, the superstar was making a fresh start, showing off a revitalized sound, and embarking on a 70-day My Love Is Your Love World Tour. During three of those stops, she invited along MTV News’ John Norris, and gave him a rare, up-close look at the diva, in the MTV News special, “All Access: Whitney Houston.” 2000: Whitney Houston Makes Memorable Entrance at the VMAs : Now even though troubles began for Whitney Houston that year, she made an electrifying entrance that year at the 2000 Video Music Awards . After a warm introduction by Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera , Houston was given a standing ovation as she belted her way onto the stage, showing off her vocal power with an a capella snippet of “I Will Always Love You,” making it one of the most memorable entrances for a Video of the Year presenter ever. Stick with MTV News all for all the Grammy red-carpet fashion , Grammy winners and Grammy news until the hangover wears off! Share your condolences with Whitney’s family and friends on our Facebook page. Related Videos Whitney Houston: Life And Music Of An Icon Remembering An Icon: Whitney’s Top MTV Moments Related Artists Whitney Houston
