Published - Whitney Houston Funeral (BBC News)

Published: 89 days ago

Category: Blog, News

Tags: bbc, funeral, houston, news, whitney

Description:

As the nearly four-hour funeral for Whitney Houston drew to an end Saturday afternoon, A. Curtis Farrow, who helped the family organize the service, gave a nod to all the celebrities filling the pews at New Hope Baptist Church.

“As you all know, we have more stars here than the Grammys,” Farrow, the church’s chairman of sacred music, said as he directed guests how to exit.

There were, of course, expected guests, the ones whose dedications to Houston comprised not just words but song: Stevie Wonder, Alicia Keys, R. Kelly and gospel singers Kim Burrell, Donnie McClurkin and the Winans family (BeBe, CeCe, Marvin and Carvin).

Then there were those who paid their respects from every other part of the entertainment industry: Houston’s “Bodyguard” co-star, Kevin Costner; her musical director, Rickey Minor; her “industry father,” Clive Davis; film director Tyler Perry; Oprah Winfrey; music executive L.A. Reid; actor Forest Whitaker; Newark’s Queen Latifah; singers Mariah Carey, Mary J. Blige and Roberta Flack.