Superstar singer WHITNEY HOUSTON is dead. The tragic news was announced by her publicist, KRISTIN FOSTER, in Los Angeles on Saturday afternoon, 11th February. WHITNEY was 48.
The singer was found dead in her room at the Beverley Hills Hilton where she had been preparing for a performance at a pre-Grammy Awards party. Hotel sources said that she was discovered by her bodyguard and that despite attempts to resuscitate her she was pronounced dead at 3.55 pm local time. Police in Los Angeles said that HOUSTON and her entourage – which included friends, family and musicians – had taken up a “fair portion” of the hotel’s fourth floor. The police added that there was a crime scene investigation going on at the hotel – but “the matter is a death scene, not a crime scene”.
WHITNEY HOUSTON, of course, came from a musical dynasty – daughter of CISSY, cousin of the WARWICK sisters – and she enjoyed a spectacular career. She’d won two Emmys, six Grammys, 30 Billboard Awards and 22 American Music Awards. She’d sold over 200 million albums and enjoyed seven consecutive no. 1 hits in the USA. Her ‘Bodyguard’ movie grossed over £250 million and the soundtrack was a record-breaking best seller.
Sadly HOUSTON’S life seemed to unravel after her 1992 marriage to BOBBY BROWN and her life became plagued with all kinds of problems – medical, financial, personal and professional. Earlier this week she was spotted looking dishevelled and exhausted as she left a Hollywood nightclub.
Despite the problems, no one should ever underestimate her achievements or doubt her secure place in the Soul Pantheon.
