Emotional tributes to Whitney Houston at funeral

Aretha Franklin and Stevie Wonder sang on Saturday at the emotional private funeral of pop diva Whitney Houston, where her “Bodyguard” co-star Kevin Costner also paid tribute. The service, in New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, New Jersey, where Houston sang as a child, was by invitation only and fans were asked to stay away for fear of crowds disrupting the event.

Houston’s death in Los Angeles on the eve of the Grammy Awards last weekend at the age of 48 shocked the world, drawing an outpouring of grief from fans and contemporaries. Clive Davis, Houston’s producer and early mentor, was at the funeral. The late star’s cousin and fellow singer Dionne Warwick and civil rights leader Reverend Jesse Jackson also attended.

“She had that special something,” Jackson told CNN earlier on Friday, recalling Houston’s “huge voice,” and “very personable” demeanour. Pastor and gospel singer Marvin Winans, a friend of Houston’s from Detroit, read the eulogy.

It was Winans who conducted the marriage ceremony of Houston to the soul singer Bobby Brown in 1992, a union that ended in divorce 15 years later after an emotionally combustible relationship.

With tears and laughter, BeBe Winans shared memories of sitting with Houston – in her closet – preparing for her first tour. "We weren't crowded," he joked of the space. "It was as big as this church."

Tyler Perry passionately shared glimpses of the Whitney he knew, revealing that during conversations with her, he would often see the sadness and "the heaviness that would come upon her." He emphasized that through it all she always had faith in God. "She is resting, singing with the angels," he said.

Immediately after, Houston's cousin Dionne Warwick told mourners, "You just heard from somebody that truly knew Nippy," using the family's nickname for Houston.
Kevin Costner, Houston's co-star in The Bodyguard, also shared fond memories of working with the singer-turned-actress. "A lot of leading men could have played my part, a lot of guys could have filled that role, but you Whitney, I truly believe are the only one who could have played Rachel Marron," he said. "You weren't just pretty, you were as beautiful as a woman could be. People didn't just like you, they loved you."

Houston sold more than 170 million records during a long career derailed by substance abuse. Speculation has raged since her untimely death that the singer may have died from a lethal cocktail of prescription drugs and alcohol, although official results from her autopsy may not be made public for up to eight weeks.

The private funeral service — the church has a capacity of 1,500 — was meant to be a homecoming and celebration of Houston’s astonishing career. New Jersey Governor Chris Christie had ordered flags flown at half-mast today in honour of the late singer, source AFP and agencies