Whitney Houston, the great ballad singer of such popular songs as “I Will Always Love You” and “One Moment in Time” passed away last night at the famous Beverly Hilton Hotel at the intersection of Wilshire and Santa Monica Boulevards in Beverly Hills just short of her planned attendance at the recording industry’s annual Grammy Awards on Sunday night, February 12. Houston, 48, was found in her hotel room slumped in a bathtub with her face under water. Press reports state an autopsy will be held in the next few days. There has been no explanation offered to the public on the causes of Houston’s death. Houston suffered from drug abuse issues after her initial successes in the music industry.
Houston had been very much in attendance at pre-Grammy parties and was to attend one such party Saturday night organized by her mentor, Clive Davis. She never made the event. Tonight songstress Jennifer Hudson will offer a tribute to Houston during the televised Grammys.
The Beverly Hilton is an iconic hotel in southern California. Opened by Conrad Hilton himself in 1953, the hotel is a fixture of the entertainment industry. It hosts the annual Golden Globe awards. The hotel was once owned by television personality and game-show mogul Merv Griffin. The hotel has housed fine restaurants over the years such as the wonderful “haute cuisine” L’Escoffier, and one of the original Trader Vic’s, a meeting place for people like Robert Wagner, Natalie Wood, and David Frost. (I had the opportunity to visit both over the years.) Both restaurants are now closed, overcome by the Hotel’s response to changing tastes.
A visit to the Beverly Hilton on any given weekend is likely to yield some interesting Hollywood people-watching to this day. The hotel was also the scene of the video-taped visits of U.S. Presidential candidate and Senator John Edwards for his extramarital affair with Rielle Hunter.
Houston’s death is tragic and a real loss for not only her family but music lovers around the world.
Beverly Hilton Hotel
All of our hearts are broken today. She was an incredible talent. She couldn’t handle the fame, and sought relief from the pressure in alcohol and drugs. We can all pray she finds peace in the arms of her Saviour.
This is so sad. What a terrible loss. I pray that her daughter finds some sort of comfort through prayer. I too pray that Whitney has found eternal peace with Our Lord in her passing. Tragically, I suspect that she might have died because of an accidental overdose; or because her body just gave up after all of the years of the assalt she put it through. May she rest in peace.
Who cares? A true talent, a gift from God, and she wasted it on drugs. Her along with her no talent husband Bobby Brown, how pathetic….
Battling with her known demons, the real loser is the daughter who must rely on her non-existent father for solice? Hopefully she will be surrounded by family who will offer her loads of support. One never expects to bury their parent at such a young age.
Perscribe more drugs and keep weed illegal????
Makes a ton of sence…..
I felt like a member of my own family passed away.I heard a newsman on tv say if only her music had given her the solace it gave all of us. i just know i will miss her. i pray she is with Jesus and her daughter finds some peace knowing her mom is not hurting anymore. there will never be another voice like hers and she left us with music that will be heard for the rest of time.RIP Whitney.
I always felt she started going downhill once she got involved w/Bobby Brown. They just didn’t seem to be a match. How sad that all that talent was wasted and now she is gone. Very Sad