This Week in Music (video)
This week in music, the biggest news remains the death of multiple Grammy award-winning singer Whitney Houston.
As was the case with Michael Jackson and Amy Winehouse, Houston’s album sales have skyrocketed this week. Her Greatest Hits album covers her best songs and includes my top ten favorites.
Tonight, Oprah Winfrey will remember Houston by re-airing a two hour long interview with the singer from season 24 on the OWN Network.
On Saturday, the funeral for Houston will take place in the New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, New Jersey.
The cause of death is still being determined, though it is rumored to be a combination of alcohol and prescription drugs. There is also question if Whitney knew she was going to die soon. Regardless of the final cause or speculation thereof, the great gift of her voice will be missed. Though the service will not be open to the public, it should be available for TV and streaming, so the masses that loved her can say farewell too.
The sudden news of Houston’s death on the eve of the Grammys had the coordinators scrambling to appropriately pay tribute when the news was so fresh. Host LL Cool J noted that there was “a death in the family” and led the crowd in a prayer. A video then played of Houston singing “I Will Always Love You” from a previous Grammy awards.
Later in Sunday’s show, Jennifer Hudson gave an emotive and exquisite performance of “I Will Always Love You”
On Tuesday night, Glee also paid a tribute to Whitney. Amber Riley offered a beautiful and heartfelt rendition of “I Will Always Love You” in their Valentine’s Day Episode.
Who do you think was better, Hudson or Riley?