Emotional tributes to Whitney Houston at funeral

NEWARK, Saturday

Aretha Franklin and Stevie Wonder sang on Saturday at the emotional private funeral of pop diva Whitney Houston, where her “Bodyguard” co-star Kevin Costner also paid tribute.

The service, in New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, New Jersey, where Houston sang as a child, was by invitation only and fans were asked to stay away for fear of crowds disrupting the event.

Houston’s death in Los Angeles on the eve of the Grammy Awards last weekend at the age of 48 shocked the world, drawing an outpouring of grief from fans and contemporaries.

Clive Davis, Houston’s producer and early mentor, was at the funeral. The late star’s cousin and fellow singer Dionne Warwick and civil rights leader Reverend Jesse Jackson also attended.

“She had that special something,” Jackson told CNN earlier on Friday, recalling Houston’s “huge voice,” and “very personable” demeanour.
Pastor and gospel singer Marvin Winans, a friend of Houston’s from Detroit, read the eulogy.

It was Winans who conducted the marriage ceremony of Houston to the soul singer Bobby Brown in 1992, a union that ended in divorce 15 years later after an emotionally combustible relationship.

Houston sold more than 170 million records during a long career derailed by substance abuse.

Speculation has raged since her untimely death that the singer may have died from a lethal cocktail of prescription drugs and alcohol, although official results from her autopsy may not be made public for up to eight weeks.

The private funeral service — the church has a capacity of 1,500 — was meant to be a homecoming and celebration of Houston’s astonishing career.

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie had ordered flags flown at half-mast today in honour of the late singer.

Newark police director Samuel DeMaio had advised fans to stay at home and watch the funeral, which was broadcast on television and streamed online.

Streets near the church, which had been adorned with floral tributes, candles, balloons and condolence cards in recent days, were sealed off today and people barred from approaching the building.

“I would advise the public that there really is going to be nothing to see here at the church,” DeMaio said on Friday.

“The best thing to do would be to stay home and watch the service on television.”

New Hope Baptist Church Reverend Joe Carter said he hoped people would respect the “sanctity of our church,” alluding to the need to keep order.