Friends and Family Said Goodbye to Whitney Houston

COMMENTARY | On Saturday, Feb. 18, Whitney Houston went home for the last time as friends and family members said good-bye to the award-winning singer. The crowd included a mixture of people who’ve known her since she was just little Nippy as well as friends acquired over the years in the business. Though the tears flowed like gentle streams from the cheeks of loved ones, it was also a time to celebrate the short life of the soulful songstress. Some speakers even recounted moments of laughter.

Friends and family members began gathering at New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, New Jersey in the morning. Though fans were not invited to the services, they left flowers and balloons on the church doorstep. They were also able to watch the funeral service on CNN, E!, MSNBC and online. CNN’s Piers Morgan said being in the community, you get a sense of the real Whitney Houston, not the superstar she became.

CNN presented past interviews of Whitney. The highlight was an interview she had with Oprah Winfrey, who attended the service with friend Gayle King, and they talked about the parallels between her life and that of Michael Jackson. Both were at a high point in their lives at the same time and met with untimely deaths. Whitney became tearful as she spoke of her former friend.

Other attendees included “The Bodyguard” costar Kevin Costner, Vivica Fox, “Waiting to Exhale” costar Lela Rochon, Jordin Sparks, Brandy, Ray J, Clive Davis, Mary J. Blige, Diane Sawyer, and ex-husband Bobby Brown. Brown reportedly left shortly after arriving, though, after a seating dispute. New Jersey Governor Chris Christie also joined family and friends at the funeral.

Reverend Joe A. Carter introduced Newark Mayor Cory Booker after a few opening remarks and instructions about cell phone, video and pictures. Booker stated that guests were there to mourn a loss and celebrate a life. He thanked the guests gathered for the funeral. It was a traditional service, complete with the reading of biblical passages and singing. Celebrity mourners, though, added a Hollywood touch to the proceedings.

Cousin Dionne Warwick introduced speakers that included both celebrity and non-celebrity friends who spoke of their time with her. You could hear the tears in their voices as they spoke. Tyler Perry, who met Whitney about four years ago, said that she was candid about her ups and her downs. He said she remained positive even when things were not going well.

BeBe Winans, a longtime friend and gospel singer, said he would miss the crazy Whitney he’d come to love. He mentioned a time when she had him over at her house before the Winans had their first major tour. He said she told him that she had some uniforms made and clothes for the backup singers, him and his sister. He said, at the height of her career, she was going to sing backup with BeBe and his sister CeCe.

BeBe said he tried dissuading her from giving them the clothes. Whitney said to him that they were like brothers and sisters and loved each other. He said she then said, “Ya’ll broke, right.” She then said, “I’m rich right. So, I can buy what I want for ya’ll, right?” Everyone laughed. I thought it showed how generous she was with people she loved. Others also spoke of her generosity with friends and family. He then sang a song he wrote for his brother who died. It’s obvious that she’s always remained

“Bodyguard” costar Kevin Costner spoke of his connection with Whitney on the movie set. He talked about how “I Will Always Love You” almost didn’t happen. He called her a “sweet miracle.” He said he and Whitney had a lot in common, including both growing up in a Baptist church and coming from a musical family. You could hear his voice cracking as he talked about them laughing together. Costner talked about how she was his first choice to costar with him in “The Bodyguard” despite the studios trepidations and her own doubts and fears.

Music producer Clive Davis connected with Bobbi Kristina. Like her, he lost his parents as a teenager; they were also in their 40s. He spoke of how Whitney took his breath away when he first heard her voice singing “The Greatest Love of All.” He also talked about the last time he talked to her, reminiscing about the hits they created together and how she reassured him about her movie debut. Davis told Bobbi Kristina to be proud of her mother. He concluded by telling everyone how Whitney talked about getting her health and voice back.

Aretha Franklin was supposed to sing at the service, but backed out at the last minute due to illness. She said she didn’t think she could take it emotionally. Alicia Keyes took Franklin’s place, playing the piano and singing. Before performing, she talked about how Whitney would call her for no reason and reached out to young artists, including herself, Brandy and Monica. The funeral ended with performance by Stevie Wonder and R. Kelly.

Whitney leaves behind daughter Bobbi Kristina Brown, her mother Cissy Houston and ex-husband Bobby Brown. A report by HollywoodLife.com states that Bobbi Kristina will live with her grandmother, Cissy, although this report is speculative at this moment. Whitney is preceded in death by father John Russell Houston, Jr.

Unlike the tribute to Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston’s funeral had an intimate feel, filled with more moments of laughter than tears. I thought the family did the right thing by limiting media coverage to one camera and not making it an event. If they had allowed more cameras to pan the audience, I think it would have taken away from the seriousness of the occasion.

Her family and friends had to share her with the world for years. It was time for them to have her all to themselves again. Fans had the privilege of getting a small peek into the service. When the dust settles, she will likely be like Elvis and other celebrities who died young. People will remember the troubled life, but the body of work will stand out more.


People also view

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *