Whitney Houston is found dead in Beverly Hills hotel room after drugs battle

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Last picture: Whitney Houston is sweating and looks worse for wear as she leaves Tru Hollywood nightclub on Thursday night

Legendary singer and film star Whitney Houston has died in her hotel room after a long battle with hard drugs and alcohol that blighted her career. She was 48.

The star was found by her bodyguard drowned in a bathtub in a room containing prescription pill bottles, according to sources.

Paramedics battled to revive the singer but she was pronounced dead at 3.55pm yesterday afternoon.  

Her frantic daughter Bobbi Kristina, 19, is said to have got into a 'furious screaming argument' with police who refused to let her into the Beverly Hilton hotel in Los Angeles to see the body of her dead mother.

Friends of Miss Houston's cousin Dionne Warwick, who also went to the hotel to try to see the body, have said that she is 'inconsolable'.

The cause of death is not yet known. There were no illegal drugs in the fourth floor hotel suite but the previous evening she had 'partied heavily, drank and chatted loudly' with friends at the hotel bar, claims TMZ.

As the singer's body was wheeled to an ambulance, just yards away stars including Britney Spears and Kim Kardashian were taking part in the pre-Grammy Awards party at the hotel.

Miss Houston had been due to attend the event which was organised by her mentor Clive Davis.

The surreal scene inside the hotel event unfolded with Mr Davis paying tribute to the singer, before saying: 'Now ladies and gentlemen, let the music begin.' Stars paid tribute to her throughout the evening.

Grammy president and CEO Neil Portnow, who called Houston a friend, said 'canceling the party was never an option.' He announced that Jennifer Hudson would perform a tribute to Houston at Sunday's Grammys.

News of the death brought a string of public tributes from the music industry today. Simon Cowell said Houston was a 'true diva' with 'one of the best voices I have head in my life ever'.

Rihanna tweeted that she was 'in tears' while Mariah Carey said that she was 'heartbroken' over the loss of her friend.

Mitch Winehouse, the father of late Amy Winehouse who died last year after a public battle with class A drugs, paid tribute to Miss Houston on Twitter, writing: 'Amy, Etta, Whitney. Their music will NEVER die. What a great girl group in heaven. Mitch'. Winehouse, who was in Los Angeles when he heard the news, also said he was 'absolutely devastated'.

The Saving All My Love singer's publicist Kristen Foster confirmed that the singer had died. An unconfirmed report later emerged which said that Houston had been found alone in her bathtub. She may have drowned in the water.

A spokesman for the local police department said that emergency services had been called to the hotel at 3.43pm on Saturday, arriving minutes later.

Officials rushed to the room on the fourth floor where she was staying as a guest, where they found security staff and firemen attempting to revive her using CPR. Life-saving attempts proved unsuccessful after 20 minutes, and she was pronounced dead at 3.55pm.

A coroner's van leaves the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles, California, this morning where Whitney Houston was found dead. She is said to have 'drowned in the bathtub'

The corridor on the fouth floor of the hotel close to the room where Miss Houston died. Right, mourners gather at a makeshift memorial on the corner of Santa Monica and Wilshire Boulevards 

Bobbi Kristina and Miss Warwick were eventually allowed into the room later in the evening, according to Radar.com. The relatives broke down in floods of tears in emotional scenes inside the room, it is understood. Outside, fans gathered to mourn the star.

Authorities are currently trying to determine a cause of death, the spokesman added. He said there were 'no obvious signs of foul play and no obvious signs of a cause of death'. It was initially unclear whether or not her death was drug-related, as has been speculated by some.

Police are understood to be seeking a search warrant to sift through the hotel room for any signs of drugs. Some reports said that Houston had been found by her on-off boyfriend Ray J, but that turned out to be mistaken.

Her ex-husband Bobby Brown - whom Miss Houston blamed partly for her drug issues - was said to be 'in and out of crying fits' upon hearing the news - but still appeared on stage on Saturday with his band New Edition, and cried out 'I love you, Whitney!' in the middle of the concert.

A relative of Brown said Houston’s former husband is struggling to cope with the news.

‘He was sobbing, and by the end of the call, I was sobbing, too,’ the family member told People magazine. ‘He's beside himself right now.’

Sombre: The scene outside the Beverly Hilton hotel in Los Angeles, California today where Miss Houston was found dead in a suite on the fourth floor

Scene: A police van pulls up outside the Hilton after Houston's death. Right, officers gather outside the hotel as an investigation begins into the causes of death

MUSIC STARS' WHITNEY TRIBUTES

'One of the best voices I have heard in my life ever. A true superstar legendary diva.'     Simon Cowell 

'Mine is only one of the millions of hearts broken over the death of Whitney Houston. I will always be grateful and in awe of the wonderful performance she did on my song and I can truly say from the bottom of my heart, Whitney, I will always love you.'          Dolly Parton 

'This is a sad day today, all I want to talk about is her music. She was the most beautiful woman I think I ever saw. ... Thank you for giving us your talent, and one of the most beautiful voices I've ever heard.'  Elton John 

'Heartbroken and in tears over the shocking death of my friend, the incomparable Ms. Whitney Houston. My heartfelt condolences to Whitney’s family and to all her millions of fans throughout the world. She will never be forgotten as one of the greatest voices to ever grace the earth.' Mariah Carey

'I can't believe that Whitney is gone. My heart goes out to her family, to Clive (Davis), and to everyone who knew and loved this amazingly talented and beautiful artist. I will always love her.' Barry Manilow 

'She had everything, beauty, a magnificent voice. How sad her gifts could not bring her the same happiness they brought us.'  Barbra Streisand

'We have lost another legend. Love and prayers to Whitney's family. She will be missed.' Christina Aguilera

'I am devastated by the loss of Whitney. We have lost a true angel. My prayers, my heart goes out to her family. We have lost an extraordinary voice to the world.'  Lionel Richie

'No words! Just tears #DearWhitney' Rihanna

'We've lost probably the greatest singer the world has ever seen.'   Ronan Keating

'This is the saddest thing I've ever had to write in my life, R I P to one of the greatest humans that I have ever known Whitney Houston.' Wyclef Jean

LeAnn Rimes: 'Whitney Houston was the first cd I ever bought. She had a God given gift. Hopefully, she’s singing with angels now.'
LeAnn Rimes

Singer Johnny Gill, one of Brown's New Edition bandmates, is on tour in Memphis with the star. ‘Bobby is struggling and he's devastated,’ he told CNN.

Houston's mother Cissy apparently spoke to her daughter just half an hour before her death, and did not think anything was wrong.

And in the star's last interview in November, she said she was 'older and matured' - and described her 18-year-old daughter as her 'greatest inspiration'.

Houston won six Grammy awards, two Emmys, 30 Billboard Music Awards, and 22 American Music Awards, among others awards.

Her album Whitney in 1985 was the first album by a woman to ever debut at No. 1 on the Billboard Charts. She has sold more than 170million albums worldwide.

The album also gave her perhaps her most memorable hit - a stunning rendition of Dolly Parton's I Will Always Love You, which sat atop the charts for weeks and featured in The Bodyguard in 1992. It was Grammy's record of the year and best female pop vocal, and the Bodyguard soundtrack was named album of the year.

But the star's life had spiralled downhill since her early hits. She suffered a long battle with drugs, including cocaine, as well as alcohol and spent various spells in rehab. Recent appearances had become increasingly erratic and the years of substance abuse had clearly taken a toll.

She cancelled a string of concerts and talk shows as she struggled to cope. In a chat show with Oprah in 2003, the star admitted the scale of her addiction to smoking crack cocaine.

'It was every day, every,' she said. 'I didn't think about the singing part of it any more.'

Her powerful voice began to suffer because of her demons prompting record sales to nosedive and in 2007 she split from husband Bobby Brown after 15 years of marriage.

Recent reports suggested that the soul star was on the brink of bankruptcy, with her pop fortune said to have dwindled away, much of it going to her drug dealers.

There was further concern for her health last week when she was pictured looking dishevelled and disorientated as she left a Hollywood nightclub with her daughter Bobbi Kristina after performing at a pre-Grammy party. The singer had was sweating profusely, had blood on her leg and scratches on her wrists.

Before her death she was approached by Simon Cowell and asked to consider becoming a judge on the next season of the U.S. X-Factor.

Today, Cowell said paid tribute to Ms Houston and said the warning signs that she ‘still had problems’ came after the singer made an erratic appearance on the X Factor in 2009. The performance was to promote a new album after seven years off the scene.

The music mogul, 52, said: ‘There are always moments in your life that are horrible to remember. The day John Lennon died, the day Elvis died. More recently Michael Jackson, last year Amy Winehouse and now Whitney.

‘I know quite a few people who had been working with her over the years. We all knew Whitney had issues.

‘I last met her when she came on the X Factor. You could see at the time there were still a few problems but she was a delight to work with on the day.'

The guest appearance on X Factor - her first UK TV appearance for 12 years - was billed as the start of her comeback but the worrying performance  raised concerns for her wellbeing and she suffered an embarrassing wardrobe malfunction when her dress straps snapped.

Miss Houston then embarked on her Nothing But Love World Tour tour in 2010, but the UK leg was beset by cancellations. She was forced to reschedule the first three dates in Manchester and Glasgow after picking up a respiratory infection. She finally played her first UK gig in 11 years at the Birmingham LG Arena.

The talent show judge told Sky: ‘She probably wasn’t all together but it was still Whitney Houston and you were in the presence of a legend and I will never forget that day.

'There are so few people like her in the world. They are a rarefied breed, these are true superstar legendary divas, but I say diva that in the nicest possible way. She had one of the best voices I heard in my life ever.’

Speaking to CNN, Cowell said Houston was the benchmark contestants on his reality shows had always tried to reach.

He also revealed he was going to discuss the possibility of the late singer potentially joining the judging panel of the American X Factor with producers next week.

'Whitney - ever since I've been doing this job, particularly doing talent shows over the last 10 years, the number one singer anyone ever wanted to emulate, if they really wanted to be a superstar, it was always Whitney,' he said.

Former Boyzone star Ronan Keating also said the severity of the singer's problems had become apparent two years ago at the start of her comeback.

He told Sky: 'I'm devastated. I cannot believe it. It's hard to believe she's gone. Another legend, we've lost another singer, probably the greatest singer the world has ever seen.

Star qualities: Looking radiant in a white one-shouldered dress, Houston gives an incomparable performance at the peak of her career when she was one of the world's most popular singers

Superstar: Houston will long be remembered as one of the standout performers of her generation

Award success: Houston collects one of the  many accolades she received throughout her career. She was a frequent winner at the Grammys and other high-profile award ceremonies

Relationship: Houston performs with singer Bobby Brown, left. Their turbulent marriage was the subject of tabloid gossip for years

Mentor: Houston's career was started by record label boss Clive Davis, right, who saw her singing in a nightclub with her mother

Film: In 1992, she became a star in the acting world with 'The Bodyguard'. The story of a singer guarded by a former Secret Service agent was a success 

It's a showcase where she once reigned, and her death was sure to case a heavy pall on Sunday's ceremony.

Her longtime mentor Clive Davis was to hold his annual concert and dinner on Saturday, and a representative of the show said it would proceed.

SALES OF HITS EXPECTED TO SOAR

Whitney Houston's music is expected to soar to the top of the charts after the shock news of her death last night, the Official Charts Company (OCC) said.
The company said it was already expecting a sales surge to impact on the charts, with the singer's songs expected to take places in the Official Singles Chart and Official Albums Chart over the next week.

Although first verified sales reports will not be made until Tuesday morning, incorporating sales from Sunday and Monday, the OCC said it understood that sales are already surging.

A similar effect was seen after the deaths of Michael Jackson in June 2009 and Amy Winehouse in August 2011 as fans paid tribute by buying the artists' singles and albums.

In summer 2009, six Michael Jackson albums hit the Official Albums Chart Top 40, including a greatest hits at Number 1, while five singles hit the Official Singles Chart Top 40, a week after the singer's death.

Two years later, Amy Winehouse's albums took three places in the Official Top 10, along with five singles in the Official Top 40.

The OCC described Houston as a 'true legend' of the UK's Official Charts - her first UK hit Saving All My Love For You, became Official number 1 in 1985. She racked up four number one singles and 13 more top 10 singles, along with two number one albums and five more top 10 singles.

The star's biggest hit was a cover of Dolly's Parton's I Will Always Love You, which featured in The Bodyguard, which became the biggest-selling single of 1992 and the 10th biggest single of 1993, according to Official Charts data. It held the Official Number 1 spot for 10 weeks.

Houston was supposed to appear at the gala, and Davis had said that she would perhaps perform: 'It's her favorite night of the year... who knows, by the end of the evening.'

Producer Jimmy Jam, who had worked with Houston, said he anticipated the evening would become a tribute to her, and he expected there to be one at the Grammys as well.
After her death, the executive in charge of the awards issued a statement expressing sadness at the star's death.

'Six-time Grammy winner Whitney Houston was one of the world's greatest pop singers of all time who leaves behind a robust musical soundtrack spanning the past three decades,' Neil Portnow, president of the Recording Academy, said.

'Her powerful voice graced many memorable and award-winning songs. A light has been dimmed in our music community today, and we extend our deepest condolences to her family, friends, fans and all who have been touched by her beautiful voice.'
Music stars including Alecia Keys and the rapper P Diddy paid tribute to Miss Houston during the evening.

Ray Davies and Elvis Costello took to the stage to perform as Los Angeles county coroner's Capt. John Kades arrived at the hotel. Alicia Keys arrived earlier and embraced Davis as he prepared for the show under extreme duress.

With celebrities including Quincy Jones, Tony Bennett, Dr. Dre, Mary J. Blige and Jennifer Hudson in attendance, a somber Davis, reading from a sheet of paper, said: 'I am personally devastated by the loss of someone who has meant so much to me. She was full of life, looking forward for tonight. She loved music and she loved this night that celebrated music.'

He added: 'Whitney was a beautiful person and she had a talent beyond compare. She graced this stage ... so many times. So simply put: Whitney would have wanted the music to go on.'

He dedicated the evening to her and asked for a moment of silence as a photo of the 48-year-old, hands wide open, looking to the sky, appeared on the screen.

Then, he said with excitement: 'Now ladies and gentlemen, let the music begin.'
Bennett, the evening's first performer, recounted other recent big-name deaths in the music industry.

'First it was Michael Jackson, then Amy Winehouse, now the magnificent Whitney Houston,' he said. 'Let's legalize drugs, like Amsterdam. It's a very sane city now.'
He added that Houston was 'the greatest singer I've ever heard in my life.'

The scene was somewhat surreal given Houston's shocking death only earlier in the day. But Grammy president and CEO Neil Portnow, who called Houston a friend, said 'canceling the party was never an option.'

'A lot of us holding hands tonight, on each other's shoulders ... We'll be celebrating,' he said. 'The legacy she left will be here forever.'

'Whitney Houston, simply put, had the greatest voice of the world,' he told the crowd.
'Hearing her sing was like listening to magic. ... We lost an angel, and anytime we think of Whitney, we have to remember the positivity she gave us, when she performed, she performed 5,000 percent. She wasn't a hater, she was a congratulator.'

R&B singers Monica and Brandy, heavily influenced by Houston, were supposed to perform together at the event, but Davis said the singers were 'too heart-stricken.'
'I know the role Whitney played in their lives. Thank you for staying,' he said.

Troubled: Houston gets into a car, left, amid frantic scenes during her last public appearance hinted at her decades-long battles with substance abuse. right, the star is sweating profusely and clearly suffering from her problems.

Danni Minogue, left, Simon Cowell, Whitney Houston and Cheryl Cole, right, backstage on the X Factor. Whitney's performance raised concerns for her health with Cowell saying the warning signs were clear

Miss Houston performs on stage during Michael in New York's Madison Square Garden 2001. Her emaciated appearance led to rumours she had died the next day. Right, a year later, again in New York, the singer was still struggling with a troubled relationship and cocaine abuse 

At her peak in the 1980s and 90s, Houston was the golden girl of the music industry and one of the world's best-selling artists.

She wowed audiences with effortless, powerful, and peerless vocals that were rooted in the black church but made palatable to the masses with a pop sheen.

Among her hits were How Will I Know, Saving All My Love for You and I Will Always Love You. She won multiple Grammys including album and record of the year.

Her success carried her beyond music to movies like The Bodyguard.

But by the end of her career, drug use took its toll as her record sales plummeted and her voice became raspy and hoarse.

Her image became tarnished by her well-documented troubles, including her turbulent marriage to singer Bobby Brown.

By the end of her career, Houston became a stunning cautionary tale of the toll of drug use.

Famous friend: South African President Nelson Mandela and Whitney Houston smile for photographers in Johannesburg

Relatives: In this January 1998 photo, singer Houston, left, celebrates her win at the American Music Awards with her mother, Cissy, and brother, Gary, in Los Angeles

Her album sales plummeted and the hits stopped coming; her once serene image was shattered by a wild demeanour and bizarre public appearances.

She confessed to abusing cocaine, marijuana and pills, and her once pristine voice became raspy and hoarse, unable to hit the high notes as she had during her prime.

'The biggest devil is me. I'm either my best friend or my worst enemy,' Houston told ABC's Diane Sawyer in an infamous 2002 interview with then-husband Brown by her side.

However, she will be remembered not for the troubles she encountered in her last decade, but for her extraordinary voice and star charisma.

Houston was discovered by record label boss Clive Davis, who once said: 'The time that I first saw her singing in her mother's act in a club... it was such a stunning impact.

'To hear this young girl breathe such fire into this song. I mean, it really sent the proverbial tingles up my spine.'

Family: Houston, centre, poses with her former husband, singer Bobby Brown, right, and their daughter Bobbi, left, at Disneyland in Anaheim, California, in August 2004

Successor: Houston with Mariah Carey, one of the young singers who followed in her wake

With Ray J: Houston had another on-off relationship with the singer over the last few years

Before long, the rest of the country would feel it, too.

Houston made her album debut in 1985 with Whitney Houston, which sold millions and spawned hit after hit. Saving All My Love for You brought her her first Grammy, for best female pop vocal.

Another multiplatinum album, Whitney, came out in 1987 and included hits like Where Do Broken Hearts Go and I Wanna Dance With Somebody.

Her moving 1991 rendition of The Star Spangled Banner at the Super Bowl, amid the first Gulf War, set a new standard and once again reaffirmed her as America's sweetheart.

In 1992, she became a star in the acting world with The Bodyguard. Despite mixed reviews, the story of a singer (Houston) guarded by a former Secret Service agent (Kevin Costner) was an international success.

Child: Houston, pictured in 1965, was the daughter of gospel singer Cissy Houston, the cousin of 1960s pop diva Dionne Warwick and the goddaughter of Aretha Franklin

Duet: Houston sings with Jermaine Jackson during rehearsals for a TV performance in 1984

Odd friendship: Winfrey and Brown met with Israel's prime minister Ariel Sharon on a trip to the Middle Eastern country in 2003 

But during these career and personal highs, Houston was using drugs.

She blamed her rocky marriage to Brown, which included a charge of domestic abuse against him in 1993. They divorced in 2007.

Houston would go to rehab twice before she would declare herself drug-free to Oprah Winfrey in 2010. But in the interim, there were missed concert dates, a stop at an airport due to drugs, and public meltdowns.

Vigil: Two fans sing Whitney Houston songs as they mourn the star's death outside the Beverly Hilton hotel

Tribute: Clive Davis hosted a pre-Grammy party in the Beverly Hilton hotel

(www.dailymail.co.uk)

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