Family, friends and fans began to gather to mourn the funeral of Whitney Houston on Saturday, one week before the sudden death of the singer, whose spectacular voice and best-selling album was one of the biggest pop star of his era.
Houston, who died in a Beverly Hills hotel room last week, stirring recorded love songs and lively dance tunes during a 30-year career that culminated in 1992 with her signature hit "I Will Always Love You." The guests began arriving to honor her invitation only funeral service in a modest neighborhood in his native Newark, New Jersey.
"His strong legacy of his music," the Rev. Jesse Jackson, civil rights activist and the first guests arrive, told reporters outside the red brick church, where services will be made.
A gold hearse carrying the body remained in Houston to a nearby funeral home Saturday from the New Hope Baptist Church, where Houston has developed his voice as a young gospel singer in the choir with his mother, weakling Houston, who is a backup singer Aretha Franklin.
There was a heavy police presence outside the funeral and the streets were also calls it. The police urged fans to stay home and watch the funeral on television or the Internet, but few came up early outside the police checkpoints that they could get closer to the late singer.
"She meant so much to me. I used to literally sit in my room and sing his songs," said Wendy Saunders, 42, a fan who has to pay him respect from Detroit Houston. "It's so real, and that's what I loved her."
Soul, gospel and pop music greats set to sing and speak to a service that was expected to last three hours. These include Alicia Keys, Stevie Wonder, Franklin, R. Kelly and Houston's cousin Dionne Warwick.
Hollywood stars Kevin Costner and Houston and Tyler Perry's mentor, Clive Davis, music producer, is also scheduled to speak. Oprah Winfrey, Elton John, Beyonce and Bill Cosby were expected to attend the service.
Houston's family decided against a public monument, as it did in 2009 after the death of pop star Michael Jackson, but agreed that the service live on television networks and the Internet.
Many Houston fans the last few days left flowers, cards and balloons dedicated to the singer who became a Global Star with her 1985 debut album, which contained the hits "Saving All My Love For You," "How Will I Know" and "Greatest Love of All. "
Houston was one of the greatest singers of the 1980s and 1990s, but his private life and marriage to singer Bobby Brown was stormy. He admitted to heavy cocaine, marijuana, alcohol and prescription pills.
His death at age 48 shocked his family, fans and the music industry. Houston found an underwater hotel bathtub on the eve of the music industry's Grammy Awards. The cause of death has not been determined.
SO EMOTIONAL
Houston grew up surrounded by gospel and soul legends like Franklin and Warwick. she later forged a new area with a black, female artist, who was affected by R & B and gospel to pop music mainstream.
After his debut, his popularity has grown exponentially in the second album "Whitney" (1987), all four singles - "We're almost It All," "So Emotional", "Where do Broken Hearts Go" and "I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me) "- hitting No. 1 on U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart.
His music videos featuring his 1980s style and innocent, fun image was widely popular throughout the world. The 1992's "The Bodyguard" starring Costner, Houston played a character not far from her true self: an international singing sensation to cope with fame.
Her other film credits including "The preacher's wife", but the 15-year period when she married the singer Brown coincided with the decline in the quality and frequency of his albums. The couple, who have a 18-year-old daughter, Bobbi Kristina Brown were divorced in 2007.
Houston suffered a strong voice in recent years. In his last world tour in 2010, he struggled to hit the high notes.
Houston, who died in a Beverly Hills hotel room last week, stirring recorded love songs and lively dance tunes during a 30-year career that culminated in 1992 with her signature hit "I Will Always Love You." The guests began arriving to honor her invitation only funeral service in a modest neighborhood in his native Newark, New Jersey.
"His strong legacy of his music," the Rev. Jesse Jackson, civil rights activist and the first guests arrive, told reporters outside the red brick church, where services will be made.
A gold hearse carrying the body remained in Houston to a nearby funeral home Saturday from the New Hope Baptist Church, where Houston has developed his voice as a young gospel singer in the choir with his mother, weakling Houston, who is a backup singer Aretha Franklin.
There was a heavy police presence outside the funeral and the streets were also calls it. The police urged fans to stay home and watch the funeral on television or the Internet, but few came up early outside the police checkpoints that they could get closer to the late singer.
"She meant so much to me. I used to literally sit in my room and sing his songs," said Wendy Saunders, 42, a fan who has to pay him respect from Detroit Houston. "It's so real, and that's what I loved her."
Soul, gospel and pop music greats set to sing and speak to a service that was expected to last three hours. These include Alicia Keys, Stevie Wonder, Franklin, R. Kelly and Houston's cousin Dionne Warwick.
Hollywood stars Kevin Costner and Houston and Tyler Perry's mentor, Clive Davis, music producer, is also scheduled to speak. Oprah Winfrey, Elton John, Beyonce and Bill Cosby were expected to attend the service.
Houston's family decided against a public monument, as it did in 2009 after the death of pop star Michael Jackson, but agreed that the service live on television networks and the Internet.
Many Houston fans the last few days left flowers, cards and balloons dedicated to the singer who became a Global Star with her 1985 debut album, which contained the hits "Saving All My Love For You," "How Will I Know" and "Greatest Love of All. "
Houston was one of the greatest singers of the 1980s and 1990s, but his private life and marriage to singer Bobby Brown was stormy. He admitted to heavy cocaine, marijuana, alcohol and prescription pills.
His death at age 48 shocked his family, fans and the music industry. Houston found an underwater hotel bathtub on the eve of the music industry's Grammy Awards. The cause of death has not been determined.
SO EMOTIONAL
Houston grew up surrounded by gospel and soul legends like Franklin and Warwick. she later forged a new area with a black, female artist, who was affected by R & B and gospel to pop music mainstream.
After his debut, his popularity has grown exponentially in the second album "Whitney" (1987), all four singles - "We're almost It All," "So Emotional", "Where do Broken Hearts Go" and "I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me) "- hitting No. 1 on U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart.
His music videos featuring his 1980s style and innocent, fun image was widely popular throughout the world. The 1992's "The Bodyguard" starring Costner, Houston played a character not far from her true self: an international singing sensation to cope with fame.
Her other film credits including "The preacher's wife", but the 15-year period when she married the singer Brown coincided with the decline in the quality and frequency of his albums. The couple, who have a 18-year-old daughter, Bobbi Kristina Brown were divorced in 2007.
Houston suffered a strong voice in recent years. In his last world tour in 2010, he struggled to hit the high notes.
She talked about it publicly fighting addiction. In a 2002 interview with television journalist Diane Sawyer, Houston asked what was the "biggest devil" in his flaws. Houston replied, "No one makes me want to do nothing. Thus, the greater devil, I'm not the best friend or my worst enemy."
