'Let's sing her into heaven'

More than two decades ago, Clive Davis introduced a young woman with a scintillating voice to the music industry at his annual pre-Grammy soiree: Whitney Houston.

On Saturday night, hours after Houston's death at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, Davis — Houston's mentor, producer, champion and longtime friend — memorialised her at this year's gala, held downstairs from the hotel where she died and where her body was being examined by coroner's officials.

It was a surreal scene: Elvis Costello took to the stage to perform as Los Angeles county coroner's Captain John Kades arrived at the hotel. Alicia Keys arrived earlier and embraced Davis as he prepared for the show under extreme duress.

With celebrities including Tony Bennett, Dr. Dre, Mary J. Blige and Jennifer Hudson in attendance, a sombre Davis, reading from a sheet of paper, said: "I am personally devastated by the loss of someone who has meant so much to me. She was full of life, looking forward for tonight. She loved music and she loved this night that celebrated music."

He added: "Whitney was a beautiful person and she had a talent beyond compare. She graced this stage ... so many times. So simply put: Whitney would have wanted the music to go on."

He dedicated the evening to her and asked for a moment of silence as a photo of the 48-year-old, hands wide open, looking to the sky, appeared on the screen.

Then, he said with excitement: "Now ladies and gentlemen, let the music begin."

Bennett, the evening's first performer, recounted other recent big-name deaths in the music industry. "First it was Michael Jackson, then Amy Winehouse, now the magnificent Whitney Houston. Let's legalise drugs, like Amsterdam, it's a very sane city now."

He added that Houston was "the greatest singer I've ever heard in my life".

Legacy will endure

The scene was somewhat surreal given Houston's shocking death only earlier in the day. But Grammy president and CEO Neil Portnow, who called Houston a friend, said "cancelling the party was never an option".

"A lot of us holding hands tonight, on each other's shoulders... We'll be celebrating," he said. "The legacy she left will be here forever."

He announced that Jennifer Hudson would perform a tribute to Houston at the Grammys.

Sean "Diddy" Combs gave his own memories of Houston, recalling her incredible smile and positive spirit. He said when he heard she died, "I was in a state of shock."

"Whitney Houston, simply put, had the greatest voice [in] the world," he told the crowd. "Hearing her sing was like listening to magic. We lost an angel, and any time we think of Whitney, we have to remember the positivity she gave us, when she performed, she performed 5,000 per cent. She wasn't a hater, she was a congratulator."

Keys was one of the last performers. She called the evening a "very special night" and, after singing a line from Houston's I Wanna Dance With Somebody, noted how the late diva had inspired her.

"You think about how this person touched you," she said. "[Then] you form a friendship, a sisterhood, a bond. You see how incredible they really are. She was a sister to me."

Moments later, she launched into her hit No One, saying: "This one's for her. Let's sing her into heaven."