Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder to Sing at Whitney Houston's Funeral
The music icon Rolling Stone magazine once called "the best singer of her generation" will be celebrated tomorrow by some of her legendary peers.
Whitney Houston's godmother, Aretha Franklin, along with Stevie Wonder, Alicia Keys, R. Kelly and Donnie McClurkin, will sing their farewells at the church where the fallen singer's golden voice was first heard.
Among those expected to speak at the funeral are Kevin Costner, her co-star in The Bodyguard, Houston's mentor, Clive Davis, and her cousin, singer Dionne Warwick.
Other guests expected to attend the invite-only funeral at New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, New Jersey include Oprah Winfrey, Tyler Perry, Chaka Kahn, Brandy, Beyonce and Jay-Z, Elton John, Bill Cosby and David Bowie.
Houston influenced countless singers, including Beyonce, Mariah Carey, Faith Evans and Mary J. Blige.
"She was the ultimate legend. The ultimate woman. Not only was she confident, poised, stunningly beautiful and intelligent, but she was sincere and kind. She took the time to make everyone feel like they were very important to her. I, like every singer, always wanted to be just like her," Beyonce stated on her website after learning of Houston's death.
After a week of heated speculation, Bobby Brown, Houston's ex-husband, was finally invited by the Houston family to attend the service, despite objections by some relatives who reportedly didn't want him there, according to TMZ.
The funeral is scheduled to start at noon and will be broadcast online. Some TV stations will air the feed live.
Houston's body will be laid to rest at the Fairview Cemetery in Westfield, New Jersey, according to her death certificate.
