Kevin Winter, Getty Images
Last night, a special show paying tribute to Whitney Houston was taped at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles. Jennifer Hudson, Usher, Halle Berry and Britney Spears
were among those present to perform and commemorate the singer's life
at the event, entitled "We Will Always Love You: A Grammy Salute to
Whitney Houston."
Hudson paid tribute to Houston earlier this year, after the singer's sudden death
on the night prior to the
Grammy Awards, and she took the stage again
last night (Oct. 12). She performed a three-song medley of "I'm Every
Woman," "How Will I Know" and "I Wanna Dance With Somebody." Her '80s
Whitney-inspired look was a highlight of the evening.
Usher performed "I Believe in You and Me" and said, "Houston possessed
one of the greatest voices we have heard in this lifetime. I will never
forget her."
Both Halle and Britney gave emotional speeches in honor of the singer.
Berry admitted that the "I Will Always Love You" singer inspired her as a
girl to follow her dreams. "She inspired a generation of little girls
and women to believe in their own dreams and to know that they had
within themselves the greatest gift of all. I was one of those little
girls who then became a woman who never ever, ever, stopped loving
Whitney Houston," the actress said.
Spears revealed she actually performed a version of Houston's "I Have
Nothing" to score her initial record deal. The event was also attended
by Whitney's daughter, Bobbi Kristina Brown, and Clive Davis, the record
executive credited with discovering Whitney.
Cece Winans and Yolanda Adams closed out the show with a performance of "Count on Me." Celine Dion,
who was unable to attend the evnet, will record a rendition of "The
Greatest Love of All" in Canada, which will be edited in with the other
footage for the final show. The tribute will air on CBS on Nov. 13 at
10PM ET.
Houston died at age 48 due to accidental drowning, and complications from cocaine use and heart disease.
