Whitney Houston remembered in song and speeches at funeral

The hearse carrying the body of Whitney Houston leaves Whigham Funeral Home in Newark, N.J. for a short ride to the New Hope Baptist Church for her funeral Saturday, Feb. 18, 2012. / AP Photo/Rich Schultz

Updated 3:52 p.m. ET

NEWARK, N.J. - Actor Kevin Costner, filmmaker Tyler Perry, music producer Clive Davis and musicians Stevie Wonder and Alicia Keys  joined friends and family gathered Saturday to pay their respects to Whitney Houston in her hometown of Newark, N.J.

More than 1,500 packed  the New Hope Baptist Church for the nearly four- hour service  that celebrated  Houston's life  and career.

Costner remembered his  co-star in "The Bodygiard" as  a movie star who was uncertain of her own fame, who "still wondered, 'am I good enough? Am I pretty enough? Will they like me?' "

"It was the burden that made her great and the part that caused her to stumble in the end," Costner said.

Earlier, mourners at the New Hope Baptist Church fell quiet as three police officers escorted Houston's silver casket, draped with white roses and purple lilies. White-robed choir members began to fill the pews on the podium. As the band played softly, the choir sang in a hushed voice, "Whitney, Whitney, Whitney."

"We are here today, hearts broken but yet with God's strength we celebrate the life of Whitney Houston," Rev. Joe A. Carter told the packed church after the choir behind him sang "The Lord is My Shepherd." "Whitney, you are the only woman that could bring all of us together. Whitney, today is your day."

Complete Coverage: Death of a pop diva

A gospel choir, members dressed in white and gold, opened the funeral with song, and churchgoers were swaying and clapping along. Some stood in the aisles in the full church. Others were more mournful; singer Ray J., who spent time with Houston during her last days, broke down crying. His sister, singer Brandy, put her arm around him.

Houston's mother, Cissy Houston and Houston's daughter, 18-year-old Bobbi Kristina, clutched each other in the front of the row.

Oprah Winfrey, Jennifer Hudson, Robert Flack, Chaka Khan, Rev. Jesse Jackson, actor Lela Rochon, Monica and Jordin Sparks were among the guests at the funeral. Houston's cousin Dionne Warwick presided over the service, introducing speakers and singers and offering short comments about Houston between them.

At the beginning of the service, filmmaker Tyler Perry praised Houston's "grace that kept on carrying her all the way through, the same grace led her all the way to the top of the charts. She sang for presidents."

"There are two constants that I know about Whitney Houston," Perry said. "There was a grace that carried her from heaven down through Miss Cissy Houston, a grace that brought her up through singing. The other thing I know for sure: Whitney Houston loved the Lord."

When Costner gave his remarks he made the crowd laugh at various points while remembering their friendship and working relationship.

He talked about what the pair had in common: Both had been raised in the Baptist church and both liked to sing. He said Houston, of course, was a much better singer.

"I thought she was the perfect choice," Costner said about casting Houston in "The Bodyguard," her first movie role.

"Whitney if you can hear me now, you weren't just good enough," he said about Houston despite her insecurities. "You were great."

Costner, his voice cracking, ended by saying, "When you sing before Him, don't worry, you'll be good enough."

Watch live streaming video of Whitney Houston's funeral beginning 12:00 p.m. ET by clicking here.

Before her performance, Alicia Keys, wiping tears, called Houston a "beautiful human being," adding, "She's an angel to us. She's been an angel to us."

Houston's producer and longtime mentor Clive Davis then took the podium, saying, "She never took anything for granted ... She was always appreciative."

"Personally all I can say is that I loved her very much," Davis said, calling her "one of a kind." "You wait for a voice like that for a lifetime," he added.

Davis also acknowledged her public battles, adding, "But when I needed her, she was there."

The music mogul talked about meeting with Houston shortly before she died. During that encounter, Houston said, "I'm committed to getting in shape ... Clive, I'll be ready by August" [when the movie "Sparkle" hits theaters.]

Prior to his performance, Stevie Wonder told the crowd he wanted to praise God "for just allowing me to be alive the same time as Whitney."

Wonder then reworked his song, "Ribbon in the Sky," as a dedication for Houston, changing the lyrics from "a ribbon in the sky for our love" to "an angel from God's choir of love."

More music filled the church when R. Kelly, joined by a choir, sang "I Look to You." He was followed by gospel singer and good family friend CeCe Winans, who sang a soulful rendition of "Don't Cry for Me."

Gospel singer and pastor Marvin Winans spoke about faith and priority during his eulogy. He also commended New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's choice to fly flags at half-staff on Saturday.

And a fitting ending to the nearly four-hour-long funeral: Houston's recording of "I Will Always Love You" played while guests left and Houston's casket was removed from the church. Her mother's sobs could be heard throughout the church, and Houston's daughter was crying, too.

Close family friend Aretha Franklin, whom Houston lovingly called "Aunt Ree," had been expected to sing at the service, but she was too ill to attend. Franklin said in an email to The Associated Press that she had been up most of the night with leg spasms and sent best wishes to the family; "May God bless and keep them all," she wrote.

Houston's mother was helped by two people on either side of her as she walked in and sat with her granddaughter and other family. Houston's ex-husband, Bobby Brown, briefly appeared at her funeral, walking to the casket, touching it and walking out.

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Whitney Houston 1963-2012

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A program featuring a picture of Houston looking skyward read "Celebrating the life of Whitney Elizabeth Houston, a child of God." Pictures of Houston as a baby, with her mother, gospel singer Cissy Houston, and daughter, Bobbi Kristina, filled the program.

"I never told you that when you were born, the Holy Spirit told me that you would not be with me long," Cissy Houston wrote her daughter in a letter published in the program. "And I thank God for the beautiful flower he allowed me to raise and cherish for 48 years."

"Rest, my baby girl, in peace," the letter ends, signed "mommie."

A couple of hours before the funeral, the blockades parted to allow in the hearse carrying Houston's body in a silver casket, draped in black.

The service marks exactly one week after the 48-year-old Houston -- one of music's all-time biggest stars -- was found dead in a Beverly Hills hotel in California. A cause of death has yet to be determined.

Houston's death marked the final chapter for the superstar whose fall from grace, while shocking, was years in the making. Houston had her first No. 1 hit by the time she was 22, followed by a flurry of No. 1 songs and multi-platinum records.

Over her career, she sold more than 50 million records in the United States alone. Her voice, an ideal blend of power, grace and beauty, made classics out of songs like "Saving All My Love For You," "I Will Always Love You," "The Greatest Love of All" and "I'm Every Woman." Her six Grammys were only a fraction of her many awards.

But amid the fame, a turbulent marriage to Brown and her addiction to drugs tarnished her image. She became a woman falling apart in front of the world.

Her last album, "I Look To You," debuted on the top of the charts when it was released in 2009 with strong sales, but didn't have the staying power of her previous records. A tour the next year was doomed by cancellations because of illness and sub-par performances.

Still, a comeback was ahead: She was to star in the remake of the movie "Sparkle" and was working on new music. Her family, friends and hard-core fans were hopeful.

Houston will be buried next to her father, John Houston, in nearby Westfield, N.J.

45 Photos

Whitney Houston memorial

[FormerUSMCSergeant]

by yougogirl60 February 19, 2012 3:17 AM EST
@FormerUSMCSargent

You are the personification of Psalm 14:1 "The FOOL has said in his heart, There is no God."......

If you really were a Marine, thank you for your past service, but your comments on this story disgrace a beloved and honorable American institution. Shame on you! Are you DRUNK?
----
I dishonor the USMC not one iota by speaking the truth about this woman.

She was a junkie who could sing. Period.

[andie52]

The truth as you see it as an observer

[varigdc10]

Racism is alive and thriving in these here United States, I live in Chicago area and lately learned my city has the dubious distinction of being the most corrupt in the country,where dead people, dogs, and cats vote in Cook County and from my own experience very racist. I spend some time at a Bar and Grill in suburban Medinah across the street from famous Medinah country club,where the rich and beautiful people play golf, you folks should hear how the white folks talk about blacks in that establishment, wow, when a black person walks in, the whole atmosphere changes, it's really laughable , but serious stuff.

[FormerUSMCSergeant]

by nightowwl February 18, 2012 9:20 PM EST
I'll bet you call yourself a Christian - and don't even see the irony.
---
So being blind to truth makes one a good Christian does it?

Wait a minute.....after thinking about it a bit, I believe you're absolutely correct.

[mermera]

This network spins the death of an entertainer as a cultural icon, and yet poses no occasion for a parade for the troops, that preserved this woman's ability to perform, free from the constraints of Islam and other oppressive misogynist idealists, right here in the U.S., for the world to see, that we are free and that women are not bound by any rule or utterance from anyone, and Whitney just rode the white horse from the dome and is the new prophet, a Women, and all is new.

[nightowwl]

After reading these comments here is my take:

The intensity of racist and hateful statements increases directly in proportion to the poster's belief that he/she superior to others because he/she is a bible-toting Christian.

Kindness, empathy and compassion have no place in their world. And I'll bet they don't even see the irony in that statement.

[FormerUSMCSergeant]

My comments do not qualify.

I'm an atheist.

[FormerUSMCSergeant]

by elecbanker February 18, 2012 8:28 PM EST
For those that want to trash others you go right ahead because when your time comes (what goes around comes around).

---

Go ahead and aggreandoze the junkie because she could sing. I certainly don't give a crap.

Thousands of broads kill themselves before 50 with booze and drugs.

The only dif is they can't sing.

[yougogirl60]

@FormerUSMCSargent

You are the personification of Psalm 14:1 "The FOOL has said in his heart, There is no God."......

If you really were a Marine, thank you for your past service, but your comments on this story disgrace a beloved and honorable American institution. Shame on you! Are you DRUNK?

[petesis]

good grief. Have they finally buried this poor woman. Rest in Peace. enough is enough. She died a week ago. It is like a Hollywood production. Which I guess it is.

[FormerUSMCSergeant]

Well, just look at how the dolts lap it up......

[yougogirl60]

@petesis:

You evidently did NOT see the service on TV or the internet. It was a BEAUTIFUL, DIGNIFIED, and SPIRITUAL event NOT a "Hollywood production", but someone like you seem to be would not be able to appreciate it because you are so full of HATE. I SMH at your ignorance.

[elecbanker]

For those that want to trash others you go right ahead because when your time comes (what goes around comes around). However those that appreciate people for who they are and not their faults (like no one has any - ha) this world is a much better place. I happen to love life even though at times it feels like I want to give up. I am in my senior years but still work 40+ hrs. a week and volunteer with Junior Achievement teaching at inner-city schools very critical skills not in the normal curriculum. To me I will miss this very talented young lady who had a gift of music very few individuals could match. I am so sorry I never had the opportunity to meet this woman. She had a gift I certainly don't have and a vision to make something out of herself - someone who became a star whom people admired. I just thank God that in my life I got to experience the beauty of song she gave to millions and morn that now it is silenced forever. Imagine what opportunities she would have had to even become even better a performer/singer - I just cannot fathom at this point where it would have gone; only God will now have the pleasure of hearing her voice and admiring the beauty of her gracious presence. Whitney, God bless you in eternity and now that God has you, you can now comfort him with your gifts. Thank you for the short time you spent here on earth and that you shared your gift with me and others, in song and as good human being - we will miss you! May God's grace comfort your soul. trl

[RealiteBites]

Well, I guess there's two things that maybe strike people with regards to how Whitney should be honored. I guess there's the addiction, but there's also the celebrity.

I mean like in an ideal world, they'd show 4 hours of funerals of battle heroes. But the reason more people will tune into the funeral of the greatest singer of our time is because she moved people with her music, which makes it more personal to people. That's the way the world is - some of the richest people in the world are in the arts ... singers, actors, models - also sports stars.

That being said, Whitney hasn't really sang much the last 20 or so years ... she's basically been a tabloid queen known more for her addiction.

Like, if she had been clean when she died and they showed her 4 hour funeral, would people who are taking issue with the coverage then be okay with it? Something tells me part of what's bothering people is the whole celebrity angle perhaps?

There seems to always be a certain amount of those rich and famous creative types who unfortunately wind up with serious addictions for whatever reason - I mean like, most of us have addictions ... to coffee or tea. I can't imagine going a day without coffee ... addictions are hard ...

PS That woman's orange dress in the pic down below is really ill-fitting .. yikes! :o

[FormerUSMCSergeant]

by WiseAsOwl February 18, 2012 5:43 PM EST
What YOU are saying doesn't matter much, I guess.. Nor, does it make much sense. She was not perfect like you, but she was kind of imperfect.... kind of like me... and the rest of us mere mortals...

---
Listen you sanctimonious ass, you can agrandize a broad who drugged/drank herself to death before the age of 50 if you want to, but she was an addict and a lush. Spent millions on it.

The fact that she could sing changes those facts not one iota. You can worship such of you choose, but for me, I'll miss and esteem those who dont't enslave themselves to booze and drugs, thank you.

[FormerUSMCSergeant]

Amd O'll go you one better:

Those who have nothing and drown their sorrows in booze and drugs are stupid to do so - but one who had EVERYTHING and does so is even more stupid yet.

Go ahead and praise such all you wish.

[joshua1009]

The bible states that god is married to the backslider.