Publicist
confirms death of troubled soul singer, one of the world's best-selling artists
at her peak in the 80s and 90s
American soul singer
and actress Whitney Houston, one of the most decorated female artists of all
time, has died aged 48.
Her
publicist, Kristen Foster, confirmed her death in the early hours of this
morning. While the cause of death remains unclear, police said she was found
dead in her hotel room in Los
Angeles.
Police
spokesman Mark Rosen told reporters Houston was
pronounced dead at 15:55pm (23:55 GMT) in her room on the fourth floor of the
Beverly Hilton Hotel.
"She
has been positively identified by friends and family (who) were with her at the
hotel, and next of kin have already been notified," he said.
The
singer was in Beverly
Hills for
the Grammy Awards which take place on Sunday night. She died hours before she
was expected to perform at record producer Clive Davis's annual pre-Grammy
party on Saturday, which is held at the Beverly Hilton.
Houston was
one of the world's best-selling artists at her peak in the 80s and 90s, selling
more than 170 million albums. Among her hundreds of awards sat two Emmys and
six Grammys as she moved effortlessly from musical hits such as I Wanna Dance
With Somebody (Who Loves Me) and Saving All My Love For You to worldwide movie success
with The Bodyguard - which included her signature hit I Will Always Love You -
and Waiting to Exhale.
But
her striking voice and image, along with her record sales, became ravaged in
recent years by drink and drug abuse. Public appearances became more erratic
and she confessed to using cocaine, marijuana and pills leaving her unable to
hit the high notes she had done in her prime.
Despite
her personal troubles she commanded great affection among her music industry
colleagues, and emotional tributes were sent out in the hours after news broke
of her death.
"I
am absolutely heartbroken at the news of Whitney's passing," legendary
music producer Quincy Jones said in a statement. "... I always regretted
not having had the opportunity to work with her. She was a true original and a
talent beyond compare. I will miss her terribly."
Neil
Portnow, president of the Recording Academy,
which runs the Grammys, said event producers were working on ways to honour the
singer in front of her many friends in the audience.
Standing
on the red carpet outside the hotel, Portnow said they would "try to
celebrate her life," and called Houston a
"one of a kind singer" whose body of work was "staggering."
Whitney
Houston, her debut album in 1985, sold millions. Saving All My Love for You
brought her her first Grammy, for best female pop vocal. Further hits followed
leaving the New York Times to write that Houston "possesses
one of her generation's most powerful gospel-trained voices".
Houston seemed
born for greatness. She was the daughter of gospel singer Cissy Houston, the
cousin of 60s pop diva Dionne Warwick, and the goddaughter of Aretha Franklin.
She started singing in church as a child and in her teens, she was a backing
singer for Chaka Khan and Jermaine Jackson.
Following
her death Franklin released
a statement saying: "I just can't talk about it now. It's so stunning and
unbelievable. I couldn't believe what I was reading coming across the TV screen.
My heart goes out to Cissy, her daughter Bobbi Kris, her family and Bobby
(Brown)."
Houston married
soul singer Bobby Brown in 1992, the year that The Bodyguard made
her an acting star. But their rocky marriage, during which Brown was arrested
several times on charges including domestic abuse, ended in divorce in 2007.
Two spells in rehab followed before Houston appeared
on The Oprah Winfrey Show in 2010 to declare herself clean.
Houston briefly
reignited her album sales with the 2009 platinum-selling I Look To You, but a
disappointing world tour followed.
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