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| Stars attend Whitney Houston funeral in New Jersey | Stars attend Whitney Houston funeral in New Jersey |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| Some 1,500 family and friends have attended the funeral of music star Whitney Houston in Newark, New Jersey. | Some 1,500 family and friends have attended the funeral of music star Whitney Houston in Newark, New Jersey. |
| Houston's cousin, singer Dionne Warwick, presided over the ceremony at New Hope Baptist Church on Saturday. Stevie Wonder and Kevin Costner were among celebrities paying tribute. | |
| Houston will be buried beside father John Russell Houston at Fairview Cemetery in Westfield on Sunday. | |
| The 48-year-old was found dead in a hotel in Los Angeles a week ago. | |
| Officials are waiting for the results of toxicology tests that will help them ascertain how she died. | Officials are waiting for the results of toxicology tests that will help them ascertain how she died. |
| 'Private viewing' | 'Private viewing' |
| The young Whitney Houston found her voice at the New Hope Baptist Church in her hometown in New Jersey. | The young Whitney Houston found her voice at the New Hope Baptist Church in her hometown in New Jersey. |
| At her funeral in the same spot, hers was the last voice that was heard. The song that made her a superstar, I Will Always Love You, played as her silver coffin was carried out of the church. | At her funeral in the same spot, hers was the last voice that was heard. The song that made her a superstar, I Will Always Love You, played as her silver coffin was carried out of the church. |
| During the service, family and friends shared stories about the singer. Kevin Costner, who starred opposite her in the film The Bodyguard, paid tribute: "You weren't just good enough, you were great." | During the service, family and friends shared stories about the singer. Kevin Costner, who starred opposite her in the film The Bodyguard, paid tribute: "You weren't just good enough, you were great." |
| Police cordoned off a wide area around the church but that didn't stop fans who will remember the singer for her achievements as well as her personal troubles from trying to get close and say one last goodbye. | Police cordoned off a wide area around the church but that didn't stop fans who will remember the singer for her achievements as well as her personal troubles from trying to get close and say one last goodbye. |
| The New Hope Baptist Church is where a young Houston sang in a gospel choir run by her mother. | The New Hope Baptist Church is where a young Houston sang in a gospel choir run by her mother. |
| Police cordoned off streets surrounding it, as pockets of fans gathered outside the perimeter. A golden hearse was used to transfer Houston's coffin from a nearby funeral home to the church. | Police cordoned off streets surrounding it, as pockets of fans gathered outside the perimeter. A golden hearse was used to transfer Houston's coffin from a nearby funeral home to the church. |
| During the service Kevin Costner, who starred opposite Houston in The Bodyguard, paid tribute to what he called the "sweet miracle" of her life. | During the service Kevin Costner, who starred opposite Houston in The Bodyguard, paid tribute to what he called the "sweet miracle" of her life. |
| "Whitney returns home today to the place where it all began," he said and urged the nation to "dry our tears, suspend our sorrow and perhaps our anger". | "Whitney returns home today to the place where it all began," he said and urged the nation to "dry our tears, suspend our sorrow and perhaps our anger". |
| He spoke about how they built a friendship, despite their obvious differences, exchanging stories about their childhood and growing up in a Baptist church community. | He spoke about how they built a friendship, despite their obvious differences, exchanging stories about their childhood and growing up in a Baptist church community. |
| Stevie Wonder performed the song Love's in Need of Love Today, and Alicia Keys Send me an Angel. There were also musical tributes from R Kelly, BeBe and CeCe Winans, and the Rev Kim Burrell. | Stevie Wonder performed the song Love's in Need of Love Today, and Alicia Keys Send me an Angel. There were also musical tributes from R Kelly, BeBe and CeCe Winans, and the Rev Kim Burrell. |
| Aretha Franklin had been due to sing at the service, but the Houston family said she would not be able to attend as she was unwell. | Aretha Franklin had been due to sing at the service, but the Houston family said she would not be able to attend as she was unwell. |
| There were also tributes from Clive Davis, her musical mentor, and Houston's sister-in-law Patricia Houston. | There were also tributes from Clive Davis, her musical mentor, and Houston's sister-in-law Patricia Houston. |
| The service closed with her best-selling single I Will Always Love You. | The service closed with her best-selling single I Will Always Love You. |
| Houston's ex-husband, Bobby Brown, arrived at the service, but AP news agency reported that he left again shortly afterwards in an apparent disagreement over seating arrangements. | Houston's ex-husband, Bobby Brown, arrived at the service, but AP news agency reported that he left again shortly afterwards in an apparent disagreement over seating arrangements. |
| A number of Houston's relatives attended a private viewing service at the funeral home on Friday night. | A number of Houston's relatives attended a private viewing service at the funeral home on Friday night. |
| Houston was one of the world's leading musical artists from the mid-1980s to the late 1990s, selling 170 million records worldwide. | Houston was one of the world's leading musical artists from the mid-1980s to the late 1990s, selling 170 million records worldwide. |
| Sales of her records have soared since her death was announced last Saturday. | Sales of her records have soared since her death was announced last Saturday. |