Music Icon Whitney Houston Passes Away at 48
 By Amber Eberle (Clubben.com)

The music world lost one of their most talented members on Saturday, February 11, when it was reported that Whitney Houston had died at the age of 48. The news broke just one day before the Grammy's, one of the biggest events in the music industry. Houston was scheduled to open Clive Davis’ start-studded pre-Grammy party the evening of her death.

Whitney was staying at the Beverly Hilton hotel, and was found unresponsive in the bath tub of her hotel room by a member of her entourage. Emergency personnel arrived quickly, but were unable to revive her, and she was pronounced dead at 3:55 pm local time. As of this writing the autopsy has been performed, but the results are pending a toxicology report. Sources have reported that Houston was using the anti-anxiety drug Xanax at the time of her death. It is thought that she may have become unconscious before slipping underwater in the bathtub and drowning.

Whitney Houston famously battled substance abuse issues, but sources are saying that the only drugs found in her hotel room at the time of her death were prescribed to her. TMZ.com is reporting that following Whitney’s death family members fear that her daughter Bobbi Kristina may be suicidal; she has allegedly been hospitalized twice in the past 24 hours, and is inconsolable over her mother’s passing. Whitney’s ex-husband and Bobbi Kristina’s father, Bobby Brown, is said to be distraught over his ex-wife’s passing and is traveling to L.A. to be with his daughter.

The sad news of Whitney Houston’s death cast a shadow over the Grammy Awards. She was remembered at the awards ceremony, as award’s host LL Cool J led a prayer in her honor, and songstress Jennifer Hudson performed Whitney’s hit single “I Will Always Love you”.

Whitney Houston was one of the most prolific singers of her generation; over the course of her career she won 2 Emmys, 6 Grammy's, 30 Billboard Music Awards, and 22 American Music Awards, in addition to selling over 200 million copies of her albums worldwide. Her talent will be sorely missed. R.I.P. Whitney Houston.