Whitney Houston funeral: Singer's godmother Aretha Franklin cancels appearance | Daily Mail Online comments Aretha Franklin has cancelled her appearance at Whitney Houston's funeral today. The 69-year-old soul singer had been due to perform at the New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, New Jersey, but is suffered from 'leg spasms and locked leg' syndrome into the early hours of this morning and is therefore unfit to attend, according to her statement. She was scheduled to sing The Greatest Love of All, but will now grieve for her goddaughter privately at home. Pulling out: Aretha Franklin performing at Radio City Music Hall last night has cancelled her appearance at Whitney Houston's funeral today Passing of an icon: Whitney, picture two days before her death She said via her spokesperson: 'Regretfully, I am so sorry that I was unable to be with you at Whitney's service today. 'I had every intention of being there. 'But unfortunately I had terrible leg spasms and locked leg muscles until 4:00AM this morning following my concert last night, which I've been having for the last few days. 'I feel it necessary and very important to stay off my leg today as much as possible until concert time this evening.

'My heart goes out to my dear friend Cissy, Dionne, Bobbi Kristina and the rest of the family. May God keep them all. Last night Franklin performed a New York City concert at Radio City Music Hall - and was reported to be exhausted and overwhelmed afterwards. She will rest for the day before performing again tonight. A representative for Franklin told Forbes: 'She would have had to be back in New York by three o’clock at the latest. She feels terrible about it. But she’s got to rest.' R.E.S.P.C.T singer Aretha paid tribute to Houston during her gig last night, calling her 'one of the greatest singers that ever stood behind a microphone'. 'She's moved on up just a little bit higher now,' she added. RELATED ARTICLES Share this article Share Today's service will feature musical tributes from Stevie Wonder, R. Kelly, Alicia Keys and gospel greats Kim Burrell and BeBe Winans. The New Hope Baptist Church Mass Choir and the New Jersey Mass Choir will open the service. Pastor Marvin Winans will deliver the eulogy while Houston's Bodyguard co-star Kevin Costner and music mentor Clive Davis will speak.

Close: Whitney and Aretha pictured together back in 1997 with singer-producer Babyface. A spokesman for the soul singer says she will grieve privately for Houston today Send off: The New Hope Baptist Church Mass Choir and the New Jersey Mass Choir pictured warming up before the funeral. They will open the ceremony Whitney Houston's Music Inspired By Her Faith - MTV mtv archive-John-Mitchell 02/16/2012 She may be best known for her soulful ballads and upbeat pop tunes, but gospel music was Whitney Houston 's first musical love. The singer developed her powerful voice in the church and told MTV in 1997 that the New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, New Jersey, where her [article id="1679380"]funeral will be held on Saturday[/article], was her family's "second home." "My root is gospel. My root is not R&B; my root is gospel music," Houston said in a 1990 interview featured in Wednesday night's MTV special "Whitney Houston: In Her Own Words." "And gospel is not something that you can categorize.

It's not black, it's not white; it comes from the soul. It is a feeling that comes from the soul." Houston learned to sing from her mother, gospel singer Cissy Houston, who, along with her cousin Dionne Warwick and godmother Aretha Franklin, was a notable figure in gospel music in the 1960s and '70s. As a child, Houston joined the New Hope church's junior choir, where her talent was quickly rewarded with solos, the first of which was reportedly the hymn "Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah." "Wherever I go, it doesn't matter, I always tell the world of the love that I have for God and Jesus," Houston told MTV of her faith. She even admitted that she had reservations about being a pop singer rather than a gospel one, but concluded that she was able to bring God's word to a broader audience as a superstar. "He said, 'I chose you to be mass,' " Houston said in 1997. "I chose you to take that voice I gave you and to spread it around because I know you'll always think about me.

And no matter how far you go, or no matter where you go, I'll be knocking at your door, saying, 'Whitney, remember me?' " Houston returned to her first musical love in 1996 when she recorded six gospel songs with the Georgia Mass Choir for the soundtrack to "The Preacher's Wife." One of the tracks, "I Believe in You and Me," was a top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. The record, which Houston also produced, went on to become the best-selling gospel album of all time. "We all can be angels," Houston told MTV. "It doesn't have to be somebody dropping down from the sky and just appearing." There's no doubt that the faith Houston was raised with is now comforting her friends and family in the wake of her tragic death. Gospel music will play a large role in the celebration of Houston's life this weekend in Newark, with Grammy-winning gospel singer and longtime family friend Marvin Winans providing the eulogy at her funeral and Franklin singing at the service. Share your condolences with Whitney's family and friends on our Facebook page.

Singer Whitney Houston dies at 48 | Fox News Singer Whitney Houston dies at 48 Published February 12, 2012 Facebook 0 Twitter 0 livefyre Email Print LOS ANGELES – Whitney Houston , who reigned as pop music's queen until her majestic voice and regal image were ravaged by drug use, erratic behavior and a tumultuous marriage to singer Bobby Brown, died Saturday night. She was 48. The Beverly Hills Police Department responded to an emergency call at the Beverly Hilton hotel Saturday, Lt. Mark Rosen of the Beverly Hills Police Department said. Members of hotel staff and fire department officials attempted to revive a person on the fourth floor, who has since been confirmed to be Houston, Rosen said. Officials did not see obvious signs of criminal intent, and are currently investigating to determine the cause of death, he said. A coroner's official says Whitney Houston's body has been transported from the hotel and is awaiting an autopsy. More On This... Source: Whitney Houston remained close with daughter Bobbi Kristina up until the end Capt. Brian Elias of the Los Angeles County coroner's office says the examination has not been scheduled and that investigators are awaiting reports before an autopsy can be conducted.

He says he could not release any information about how Houston's body was found at the Beverly Hills Hilton. Her body remained at the hotel for several hours before being taken to the morgue. Houston's death on the eve of the Grammy Awards sent shock waves through the music industry, with many stars expressing surprise and sadness. Brown reportedly broke down backstage before a show with his band New Edition in Southhaven, a few miles south of Memphis. Brown skipped the first song of the concert, but appeared onstage for the second. He shouted, "I love you, Whitney. The hardest thing for me to do is to come on this stage." He then blew a kiss to the sky with visibly teary eyes. Houston's longtime mentor Clive Davis held his annual concert and dinner Saturday at the hotel where her body was found. Producer Jimmy Jam, who had worked with Houston, said he anticipated the evening would become a tribute to her. Aretha Franklin, her godmother, also said she was stunned. "I just can't talk about it now," Franklin said in a short statement. "It's so stunning and unbelievable. I couldn't believe what I was reading coming across the TV screen." The Rev.

Al Sharpton said he would call for a national prayer Sunday morning during a service at Second Baptist Church in Los Angeles. Houston's death is sure to put a damper on the Grammy's, which are considered music's biggest night of the year. Jennifer Hudson and Chaka Khan will perform a tribute to Houston at the awards, according to reports. Grammy executive producer Ken Erhlich said event organizers believed Hudson -- an Academy Award-winning actress and Grammy Award-winning artist -- could perform a "respectful musical tribute" to Houston, the Los Angeles Times reported. "It's too fresh in everyone's memory to do more at this time, but we would be remiss if we didn't recognize Whitney's remarkable contribution to music fans in general, and, in particular, her close ties with the Grammy telecast and her Grammy wins and nominations over the years," Ehrlich told the newspaper. According to ET Online, Chaka Khan will also perform as part of Sunday night's tribute to Houston. At her peak, Houston was the golden girl of the music industry. From the middle 1980s to the late 1990s, she was one of the world's best-selling artists.

She wowed audiences with effortless, powerful, and peerless vocals that were rooted in the black church but made palatable to the masses with a pop sheen. Her success carried her beyond music to movies, where she starred in hits like "The Bodyguard" and "Waiting to Exhale." She had the perfect voice, and the perfect image: a gorgeous singer who had sex appeal but was never overtly sexual, who maintained perfect poise. "Six-time GRAMMY winner Whitney Houston was one of the world's greatest pop singers of all time who leaves behind a robust musical soundtrack spanning the past three decades," Neil Portnow, President/CEO of The Recording Academy said in a statement. "Her powerful voice graced many memorable and award-winning songs. A light has been dimmed in our music community today, and we extend our deepest condolences to her family, friends, fans and all who have been touched by her beautiful voice," he said. She influenced a generation of younger singers, from Christina Aguilera to Mariah Carey , who, when she debuted, sounded so much like Houston that many thought it was Houston. But by the end of her career, Houston became a stunning cautionary tale of the toll of drug use.

Her album sales plummeted and the hits stopped coming; her once serene image was shattered by a wild demeanor and bizarre public appearances. She confessed to abusing cocaine, marijuana and pills, and her once-pristine voice became raspy and hoarse, unable to hit the high notes as she had during her prime. "The biggest devil is me. I'm either my best friend or my worst enemy," Houston told ABC's Diane Sawyer in an infamous 2002 interview with then-husband Brown by her side. It was a tragic fall for a superstar who was one of the top-selling artists in pop music history, with more than 55 million records sold in the United States alone. She seemed to be born into greatness. She was the daughter of gospel singer Cissy Houston, the cousin of 1960s pop diva Dionne Warwick and the goddaughter of Aretha Franklin . Houston first started singing in the church as a child. In her teens, she sang backup for Chaka Khan , Jermaine Jackson and others, in addition to modeling. It was around that time when music mogul Clive Davis first heard Houston perform. "The time that I first saw her singing in her mother's act in a club ...

it was such a stunning impact," Davis told " Good Morning America ." "To hear this young girl breathe such fire into this song. I mean, it really sent the proverbial tingles up my spine," he added. Before long, the rest of the country would feel it, too. Houston made her album debut in 1985 with "Whitney Houston," which sold millions and spawned hit after hit. "Saving All My Love for You" brought her her first Grammy, for best female pop vocal. "How Will I Know," "You Give Good Love" and "The Greatest Love of All" also became hit singles. Another multiplatinum album, "Whitney," came out in 1987 and included hits like "Where Do Broken Hearts Go" and "I Wanna Dance With Somebody." The New York Times wrote that Houston "possesses one of her generation's most powerful gospel-trained voices, but she eschews many of the churchier mannerisms of her forerunners.

She uses ornamental gospel phrasing only sparingly, and instead of projecting an earthy, tearful vulnerability, communicates cool self-assurance and strength, building pop ballads to majestic, sustained peaks of intensity." Her decision not to follow the more soulful inflections of singers like Franklin drew criticism by some who saw her as playing down her black roots to go pop and reach white audiences. The criticism would become a constant refrain through much of her career. She was even booed during the "Soul Train Awards" in 1989. "Sometimes it gets down to that, you know?" she told Katie Couric in 1996. "You're not black enough for them. I don't know. You're not R&B enough. You're very pop. The white audience has taken you away from them." Some saw her 1992 marriage to former New Edition member and soul crooner Bobby Brown as an attempt to refute those critics. It seemed to be an odd union; she was seen as pop's pure princess while he had a bad-boy image, and already had children of his own.

(The couple had a daughter, Bobbi Kristina, in 1993.) Over the years, he would be arrested several times, on charges ranging from DUI to failure to pay child support. But Houston said their true personalities were not as far apart as people may have believed. "When you love, you love. I mean, do you stop loving somebody because you have different images? You know, Bobby and I basically come from the same place," she told Rolling Stone in 1993. "You see somebody, and you deal with their image, that's their image. It's part of them, it's not the whole picture. I am not always in a sequined gown. I am nobody's angel. I can get down and dirty. I can get raunchy." It would take several years, however, for the public to see that side of Houston. Her moving 1991 rendition of "The Star Spangled Banner" at the Super Bowl , amid the first Gulf War, set a new standard and once again reaffirmed her as America's sweetheart.

In 1992, she became a star in the acting world with "The Bodyguard." Despite mixed reviews, the story of a singer (Houston) guarded by a former Secret Service agent ( Kevin Costner ) was an international success. It also gave her perhaps her most memorable hit: a searing, stunning rendition of Dolly Parton's "I Will Always Love You," which sat atop the charts for weeks. It was Grammy's record of the year and best female pop vocal, and the "Bodyguard" soundtrack was named album of the year. She returned to the big screen in 1995-96 with "Waiting to Exhale" and "The Preacher's Wife." Both spawned soundtrack albums, and another hit studio album, "My Love Is Your Love," in 1998, brought her a Grammy for best female R&B vocal for the cut "It's Not Right But It's Okay." But during these career and personal highs, Houston was using drugs. In an interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2010, she said by the time "The Preacher's Wife" was released," (doing drugs) was an everyday thing. ...

I would do my work, but after I did my work, for a whole year or two, it was every day. ... I wasn't happy by that point in time. I was losing myself." In the interview, Houston blamed her rocky marriage to Brown, which included a charge of domestic abuse against Brown in 1993. They divorced in 2007. Houston would go to rehab twice before she would declare herself drug-free to Winfrey in 2010. But in the interim, there were missed concert dates, a stop at an airport due to drugs, and public meltdowns. She was so startlingly thin during a 2001 Michael Jackson tribute concert that rumors spread she had died the next day. Her crude behavior and jittery appearance on Brown's reality show, "Being Bobby Brown," was an example of her sad decline. Her Sawyer interview, where she declared "crack is whack," was often parodied. She dropped out of the spotlight for a few years. Houston staged what seemed to be a successful comeback with the 2009 album "I Look To You." The album debuted on the top of the charts, and would eventually go platinum. Things soon fell apart.

A concert to promote the album on "Good Morning America" went awry as Houston's voice sounded ragged and off-key. She blamed an interview with Winfrey for straining her voice. A world tour launched overseas, however, only confirmed suspicions that Houston had lost her treasured gift, as she failed to hit notes and left many fans unimpressed; some walked out. Canceled concert dates raised speculation that she may have been abusing drugs, but she denied those claims and said she was in great shape, blaming illness for cancellations. The Associated Press and Newscore contributed to this report. Advertisement More videos (1 of 9) «» The family of Whitney Houston has opted to hold a final farewell at Newark's New Hope Baptist Church, but fans in the New Jersey city where Houston was born are upset over the lack of a public service. Katy Tur reports. (Published Thursday, Feb. 16, 2012) Whitney Houston's godmother, Aretha Franklin, who was slated to perform at the pop queen's funeral on Saturday, will no long be attending the service, according to The Associated Press. News of Franklin’s absence came as the hearse carrying Houston's casket arrived at the private New Jersey funeral.

Remembering Whitney Houston Stevie Wonder is still set to perform at the service. The funeral will be held in Newark, N.J. at New Hope Baptist Church, where Houston got her start singing in the choir and which seats about 1,500. Houston's family is "planning a joyful celebration of life," Rev. Joe Carter told NBC New York . He said the eulogy would be given by Marvin L. Winans, a gospel singer and longtime Houston friend. "It's going to be a very musical celebration and we're looking to help the family grieve and mourn the loss, and at the same time, add some joy to this very sad, sad moment," Carter said. Houston's long-time mentor and Arista Records head Clive Davis is expected to speak at the funeral. So is Kevin Costner, Houston's co-star in "The Bodyguard," according to People magazine. Houston's ex-husband Bobby Brown as well as Oprah Winfrey have also received invitation to the service, publicist Kristen Foster told the Associated Press. The noon service will not be open to the media, though one pool camera will be allowed inside the church, giving fans around the world the opportunity to watch a live feed.

Viewers can watch the livestream Saturday here . Houston will then be buried in Westfield, N.J., at the Fair View Cemetery—the same cemetery where her father was buried, according to the AP. Earlier, there were reports the family was planning a public memorial at a New Jersey arena that seats 18,000. The family ultimately decided against the move . Houston is survived by her 18-year-old daughter Bobbi Kristina Brown, who is "doing much better " since being hospitalized for anxiety, her father said . "We continue to provide love and support to Bobbi Kristina," Bobby Brown said Wednesday. "She is dealing with the tragedy of her mother's death and would prefer to do it outside of the public eye. I ask again that our privacy be respected." Meanwhile, the Houston death investigation is underway in Los Angeles. Investigators plan to make contact with the late pop superstar’s doctors to get all of her medical records, L.A. Coroner Asst. Chief Ed Winter told news outlets. “There were some prescription bottles that were not identified in terms of what they were,” Winter told the New York Daily News . Earlier this week, Winter confirmed the bottles were discovered in Houston’s Beverly Hilton hotel room.

But the amount found was less than he kept in his medicine cabinet at home, he said. Winter told People that looking into medical records is “normal procedure for us.” It “doesn’t appear” the investigation is similar to the one into Michael Jackson’s doctor, Conrad Murray, Winter said. The initial autopsy on Houston was completed Sunday, one day after the singer’s mysterious death at age 48. Beverly Hills police have said Houston was found underwater and unconscious in her hotel bathtub. It won’t be known for at least several weeks whether toxicology reports reveal that the soul queen’s history of drug abuse played a role in her death. "It's not a matter of squirting blood or urine into a test tube like you see in 'CSI,'" Bruce Goldberger, professor and director of toxicology at the University of Florida, told NBC Los Angeles . "There is an amazing amount of work that needs to be done to complete these cases." Goldberger said toxicologists could test blood, urine and tissue samples “for hundreds of over-the-counter, illicit and prescription drugs." New Jersey Gov.

Chris Christie said flags will fly at half-staff throughout the state Saturday in memory of the "cultual icon." "Her accomplishments were a great source of pride for the people of the state," he said. Houston's family has appealed for supporters to send donations in her memory to the Whitney Houston Academy of Creative and Performing Arts in East Orange, N.J. Whitney Houston's death stuns music world - BBC News BBC News Whitney Houston's death stuns music world 12 February 2012 Close share panel Media captionWhitney Houston performed briefly on Thursday - courtesy JET Magazine Fans and musicians have reacted with shock to the death of American singer and actress Whitney Houston. Aretha Franklin, the star's godmother, said the news was "stunning and unbelievable" while Mariah Carey said she was "heartbroken and in tears". Houston died in her hotel room the night before the Grammy Awards, which are taking place in Los Angeles. Some reports say she was found in the bath. Meanwhile, Houston's daughter Bobbi, 18, has been taken to hospital. The 48-year-old Houston was best known for powerful ballads such as I Will Always Love You and One Moment In Time.

But her later career was overshadowed by substance abuse and her turbulent marriage to singer Bobby Brown. Media captionExcerpts from some of Whitney Houston's famous songs Following news of her death, a visibly distraught Brown took to the stage in Southaven, Mississippi, with his band New Edition on Saturday evening. Opening the show, he pointed to the sky and declared, "I love you". Addressing fans, he added: "First of all, I want to tell you that I love you all. Second, I would like to say, I love you Whitney. The hardest thing for me to do is to come on this stage." Houston's career highlights 11 US and four UK number one hits Won six Grammys, including three for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance Won 30 Billboard Awards and 22 American Music Awards I Will Always Love You is the best selling single by a female artist of all time The couple's volatile marriage, which was marked by drug addiction and allegations of domestic abuse, ended in 2007. After that, Houston's career appeared to be set for a revival.

Her 2009 comeback album, I Look To You, reached number one in the US, and she had recently finished filming a new movie, Sparkle. Autopsy The singer's publicist Kristen Foster announced on Saturday that the singer had died. Police sources later confirmed that she had been found unresponsive in her hotel room at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. Celebrity news website TMZ.com said the singer had been found slumped in the bathtub by members of her entourage, her face underwater. Police investigators inspected the scene before Ms Houston's body was moved from the hotel to the coroner's office for an autopsy. She will never be forgotten as one of the greatest voices to ever grace the earth Mariah Carey An autopsy is likely to be held within the next two days. However, if drugs or alcohol are involved, it will take between six and eight weeks for toxicology tests to be completed. Houston's daughter Bobbi was taken from the Beverly Hilton - the same hotel where her mother died - on Sunday morning, according to the Beverly Hills Fire Department. Her condition is currently not known, but is said to be "non-life threatening". The singer's death came on the eve of the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles.

She had been due to attend a pre-awards party in the hotel she was staying in, organised by her long-time mentor and record industry executive Clive Davis on Saturday evening. He went ahead with the party, holding a minute's silence and telling the audience he was "personally devastated by the loss of someone who has meant so much to me for so many years". Jazz legend Herbie Hancock, who was attending the event, said: "It's difficult not to be sad about it because it's a great loss. Her soul, her spirit, lives within all of us." R&B star Rihanna, who was rehearsing her Grammy performance when the news broke, simply tweeted: "No words! Just tears". She later posted lyrics from Houston's biggest hits on her Twitter account, including "I have nothing if I don't have you", a track from the soundtrack to the star's biggest film, Bodyguard. Media captionThe BBC's David Sillito looks back at Whitney Houston's career Music mogul Simon Cowell said he expected Sunday's ceremony to become a tribute to the singer, describing her as a "trailblazer and "legend". "There are so few people like her in the world.

They are a rarefied breed, these are true superstars, legendary divas - and I say divas in the nicest possible way. "She had one of the greatest voices I have ever heard in my life, ever." Organisers of the Grammys later said Houston would be remembered in a special tribute by singer Jennifer Hudson. Civil rights activist Rev Al Sharpton said that on the morning of the Grammys, "the world should pause and pray for the memory of a gifted songbird". 'Finest voice' Houston's background was steeped in soul and gospel music. Her mother was gospel singer Cissy Houston, she was cousin to singer Dionne Warwick as well as having Aretha Franklin as godmother. "I just can't talk about it now," Ms Franklin said in a short statement. "It's so stunning and unbelievable. I couldn't believe what I was reading coming across the TV screen." Having grown up in New Jersey, Houston began singing in church and then in the night clubs of New York, and was a model before being signed by Arista Records.

Image caption The star performed The Star Spangled Banner at the 1991 Super Bowl, and donated proceeds to the American Red Cross Gulf Crisis Fund To this day, she holds the record for having the most consecutive chart-topping singles in the US - reaching number one seven times between 1985 and 1988. The first of those, Saving All My Love For You, set the template of towering, melismatic vocal performances - with Houston stretching single syllables out over dozens of notes. Artists from Mariah Carey to Christina Aguilera have tried to emulate her bravura performances, but none of them were as good as the original, music critic Paul Gambaccini told the BBC. Houston also enjoyed success acting in blockbuster films such as The Bodyguard and Waiting to Exhale. Sony Pictures announced on Sunday that it would release the star's final film, Sparkle, which is loosely based on the story of The Supremes, in August. "Like all those who knew and loved her, we are shocked and saddened," said spokesman Steve Elzer said on behalf of the studio.

"The world has lost an incomparable talent." The film also features Houston's final recordings - including a cover of the gospel standard His Eye Is On The Sparrow - which will be released on a soundtrack album over the summer. Drug abuse Image caption Whitney Houston had been partying heavily at a pre-Grammy party on Thursday night In recent years drug use had taken its toll on the star and her voice - once acknowledged as one of the finest in pop music - was badly damaged. She cancelled the first date of what was to be her final UK tour in 2010 citing respiratory problems. In her later performances, she was often said to be short of breath and unable to sustain the long, high notes that had been a hallmark of her career. "The biggest devil is me. I'm either my best friend or my worst enemy,'' Houston told ABC's Diane Sawyer in a 2002 interview. According to TMZ, Houston had been partying heavily on both Thursday and Friday nights. She briefly took the microphone and performed a song while out in Hollywood on Thursday, and was seen drinking and chatting loudly with friends in the hotel bar on Friday, according to TMZ. Despite her personal problems, she was still a widely-respected figure in the music industry.

Singer and X Factor judge Kelly Rowland paid tribute on Twitter, saying Houston had advised her in the early days of her career. "I am beyond heartbroken. Whitney Houston was undoubtedly one of the greatest singers and performers of all time and such a huge influence of me [sic]. Media captionTributes from rapper Sean 'Diddy' Coombes and singer Alicia Keys - Courtesy The Recording Academy "She embraced me when I first started out with Destiny's Child, with love, with encouragement and with that powerhouse voice." Country singer Dolly Parton - who wrote one one of Houston's most memorable hits, I Will Always Love You - said in a statement: "Mine is only one of the millions of hearts broken over the death of Whitney Houston." "I will always be grateful and in awe of the wonderful performance she did on my song, and I can truly say from the bottom of my heart, 'Whitney, I will always love you. You will be missed'." George Merrill and Shannon Rubicam, who wrote two of Houston's biggest hits How Will I Know and I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me), paid tribute to her "matchless" voice.

"I am grateful to her always for the gifts she brought to my life by recording - by so thoroughly rocking - our two songs," said Rubicam. "So Whitney, from my heart, I honour you and wish you peace and joy, wherever you are." Rap mogul P Diddy recalled the time he spent with the star, saying: "She always hit you with that beautiful smile, she always hit you with that incredible energy. "She gave you that hug that, you know? That grandma hug that you know that just shook your body." Whitney Houston funeral: Singer's godmother Aretha Franklin rocks the stage in New York just hours after cancelling appearance | Daily Mail Online comments She cancelled her appearance at her goddaughter Whitney Houston's funeral yesterday saying that she had been suffering 'leg spasms' since the early hours of the morning, and needed to rest before her evening's concert. And it appears Aretha Franklin made the speedy recovery she was hoping for, as she took to the stage at Radio City Music Hall last night. The 69-year-old soul singer was reportedly at the top of her game as she performed in New York, overflowing with the sass and vivacity that has been a hallmark of her greatest hits tour.

Bounced back: Aretha Franklin performed at Radio City Music Hall in New York last night after cancelling her appearance at Whitney Houston's funeral Paid tribute: About halfway through the show Aretha took a moment for her goddaughter Aretha paid tribute to Whitney during the second half of the 100 minute show, sitting behind a piano and belting out a re-worked gospel version of I Will Always Love You. RELATED ARTICLES Share She took a moment to reflect the 'homegoing' of 'Nippy,' - which was Houston's nickname. 'She was a very fine young lady' and 'one of the best, greatest singers,' said Franklin, switching between melody and spoken word. Struggled through: Aretha was said to be 'overwhelmed' after her concert on Friday and in need of rest Thinking of her health: Aretha had reportedly been awake since the early hours of the morning with leg spasms Sent her love: Aretha passed on a heartfelt message to Whitney's friends and family 'She was giving, gave so much of herself,' Aretha continued. 'God bless you, Nippy,' she concluded.

'We'll always remember.' Aretha had been due to perform at the New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, New Jersey, but having endured 'leg spasms and locked leg' syndrome into the early hours of the morning and is therefore unfit to attend, according to her statement. Regrettable: Aretha was scheduled to sing The Greatest Love of All at the funeral, but will now grieve for her goddaughter privately at home She was scheduled to sing The Greatest Love of All, but will now grieve for her goddaughter privately at home. She said via her spokesperson: 'Regretfully, I am so sorry that I was unable to be with you at Whitney's service today. 'I had every intention of being there.' Pulling out: Aretha Franklin performing at Radio City Music Hall last night has cancelled her appearance at Whitney Houston's funeral today Passing of an icon: Whitney, picture two days before her death 'But unfortunately I had terrible leg spasms and locked leg muscles until 4:00AM this morning following my concert last night, which I've been having for the last few days. 'I feel it necessary and very important to stay off my leg today as much as possible until concert time this evening.

'My heart goes out to my dear friend Cissy, Dionne, Bobbi Kristina and the rest of the family. May God keep them all. Franklin performed a New York City concert at Radio City Music Hall on Friday night - and was reported to be exhausted and overwhelmed afterwards. A representative for Franklin told Forbes: 'She would have had to be back in New York by three o’clock at the latest. She feels terrible about it. But she’s got to rest.' R.E.S.P.C.T singer Aretha paid tribute to Houston during her gig last night, calling her 'one of the greatest singers that ever stood behind a microphone'. 'She's moved on up just a little bit higher now,' she added. RELATED ARTICLES Share this article Share Yesterday's service featured musical tributes from Stevie Wonder, R. Kelly, Alicia Keys and gospel greats Kim Burrell and BeBe Winans. The New Hope Baptist Church Mass Choir and the New Jersey Mass Choir openwed the service. Pastor Marvin Winans delivered the eulogy while Houston's Bodyguard co-star Kevin Costner and music mentor Clive Davis both spoke.

Close: Whitney and Aretha pictured together back in 1997 with singer-producer Babyface. A spokesman for the soul singer says she would grieve privately for Houston Bobby Brown dramatically stormed out of his ex-wife's funeral. The 43-year-old singer was cheered by fans as he arrived - but according to a mourner at the service family became 'frustrated' inside. TMZ reports he became angry after the Houston family refused to seat his entourage of nine people. He had apparently been invited with a plus two. Send off: The New Hope Baptist Church Mass Choir and the New Jersey Mass Choir pictured warming up before the funeral Whitney Houston calls Israel 'home' | ISRAEL21c Email Prime Minister Ariel Sharon greets Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown at the prime minister’s residence in Jerusalem last week.Pop singer Whitney Houston, who Rolling Stone magazine dubbed “one of the greatest voices of the 20th century,” spent last week on a high-profile tour of Jewish and Christian holy sites in Israel with her daughter and husband, singer Bobby Brown. Houston spent the week touring every corner of the country, including a visit with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in Jerusalem.

Sharon welcomed the singer to his home, saying: “You are most welcome here. This is your first visit here, we believe the first of many to come.” Standing on Sharon’s patio, clad in a festive red-and-white ethnic ensemble, Houston told Sharon that “I’ve never felt like this in any other country. I feel at home, I feel wonderful.” Houston said that she had come to Israel both for a “spiritual retreat” and to gather inspiration for a Christmas album she plans on recording soon. Her husband, Brown told reporters in Israel that the couple would return to the country in September, in order to film a program for the HBO cable network to be aired on Christmas eve. In addition to meeting with Sharon, Brown met with Tourism Minister Benny Elon. The main purpose of the couples’ trip was to visit to the Hebrew Israelite community, known as the Black Hebrews in the southern town of Dimona. The community of 2,000 African-Americans, whose members have converted to Judaism, has lived in Dimona since the early 1970s. They are controversial because of their practice of polygamy, and Israel has hesitated to give them permanent resident status.

Nonetheless, over the decades, many community members have integrated into Israeli society, and their musical performances are particularly popular. Houston was greeted by the community upon her arrival in Eilat, where she began her trip. She then headed north to Dimona itself to see where they live. According to the community’s spokespeople, Ben Ami Carter, the leader of the community, proposed the idea of hosting the singer Whitney Houston in the Negev. Houston’s mother, the veteran soul singer, Cissy Houston, as well as Whitney’s godmother, Aretha Franklin, are friends of community member Asiel Ben Yisrael from his earlier days in Chicago. Ben Yisrael has been working on this visit for over two years and met in the United States with mutual friends of his and the singer’s family. About a month ago, Houston’s personal manager came to Israel and stayed with Hebrew Israelites in Dimona. She remained in the south for two weeks and felt that “Israel is a safe place” and recommended that Whitney and her family visit. “You have to understand, black-skinned people always dream of visiting the Holy Land,” says Yeda’a Bat Yisrael told the newspaper Ha’aretz.

“We’re Jews and she’s Christian, but the holiness of Israel is common to different religions. Whitney came to Israel on a journey of spiritual purification and to visit the holy sites and we’re glad that she’s coming with her children. It’s important they see the places they’ve read about over the years.” Bat Yisrael said that she hoped the Houston visit would encourage other Americans to visit Israel as well. “She is loving it,” reported Patricia Houston, the singer’s spokeswoman and sister-in-law. “She is a spiritual woman and wanted to come here and touch the land.” Before leaving the country, Houston told reporters that she was going to build a house in Dimona, as she planned on visiting Israel frequently in the future. Meeting with Dimona Mayor Gabi Laloush, Houston said they would go back to the U.S. and encourage Americans to visit Israel. Houston’s career peaked in the 1990’s when she produced hit after hit and starred in the successful movie, The Bodyguard. She has sold more than 120 albums over the course of her career.

But recently, her name has become associated with controversy in recent years, with stories of physical abuse, other violent incidents involving Brown, who has been arrested repeatedly and stories of drug use, fueled by cancelled high-profile appearances and rumors of ill health when she made public appearances looking dangerously thin. Last year in a television interview, she admitted to drug use, but insisted that she was never addicted. In the meantime, her singing career is far from over. Her last album, Just Whitney, which came out in November 2002, has sold 11 million copies.

Question: Which soul singer is Whitney Houston's god mother?
Answer: Aretha Franklin