A moving, star-studded tribute to Whitney Houston was recorded on Thursday highlighting the best and dearest moments the late singer and actress gave to the world.
“We are still mourning, but tonight we have chosen to look at the great work she left us,” said Grammy Awards’ executive producer Ken Ehrlich of the tribute.
Usher, Jennifer Houston, Britney Spears, Halle Berry, Cece Winans and Yolanda Adams are just a few of the entertainers who lent their talent and memories of the singing Diva to the hour-long homage “We Will Always Love You: A Grammy Salute to Whitney Houston” which took place at the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles. The show will air Nov. 16 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on CBS.
Along with heart-felt performances of Houston’s hits by some of the top names in music, the show features numerous clips of Houston at various stages in her career. Houston herself performs her best known song, “I Will Always Love You,” in a clip from the Grammy Awards. The clip brought the audience members to their feet, just as it did when she sang it live in 1994.
Jennifer Hudson opened the show in a sparkly blazer and big hair reminiscent of Houston’s look in the 80s. Hudson performed a lively medley of “I’m Every Woman,” “How Will I Know,” and “I Wanna Dance With Somebody.” Earlier this year at the Grammy’s, Hudson performed “I Will Always Love You” in a hastily organized addition to the show to honor the fallen star. Houston had been found dead in her Beverly Hills hotel room the previous night.
“She inspired a generation of little girls and women to believe in their own dream 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,” Berry said.
Houston’s daughter Bobbi Kristina Brown, beau Nick Gordon and sister-in-law Pat Houston attended the show. They were joined by Clive Davis, the record executive credited with discovering Houston. Houston’s mother Cissy and brother Gary were not among the attendees.
Usher performed “I Believe in You and Me,” from “The Preacher’s Wife” soundtrack, a movie in which Houston played the starring role. Usher said Houston had “one the greatest voices we have heard in this lifetime. I will never forget her.”
