The music industry lost one of its finest last week when Whitney Houston died on Saturday, February 11, 2012.
Today, Houston’s close friends and family laid her to rest in a solemn home going service held at New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, New Jersey, where she worshiped and sang as a child. Her family, including mom Cissy Houston, daughter Bobbi Kristina and cousin Dionne Warwick, welcomed the likes of Oprah Winfrey, Mary J. Blige, Mariah Carey, Forest Whitaker, Spike Lee, Rev. Al Sharpton and Rev. Jesse Jackson to the invitation-only funeral.
Stevie Wonder, Alicia Keys, Donnie McClurkin, BeBe and CeCe Winans, Kim Burrell, and R. Kelly were all on hand to provide musical tributes to the late singer. Aretha Franklin, who was scheduled to sing “Greatest Love of All,” was not able to perform as she suffered from “terrible leg spasms and locked leg muscles,” according a statement she released this morning.
Tyler Perry, T.D. Jakes, Clive Davis and Kevin Costner spoke powerful words of praise for Houston. BeBe Winans, who said that he’ll miss the “crazy Whitney” the most, shared a funny moment they once shared “in her closet.”
Through tears and laughter, see how Whitney Houston’s closest friends said goodbye.