Whitney Houston, whose soaring voice lifted her to the top of the pop music world but whose personal decline was fueled by decades of drug use, died last night in a Beverly Hills hotel room.
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Her death came on the eve of the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles and at the same hotel where her mentor, record mogul Clive Davis, was holding an annual pre-event party at which she was scheduled to perform.
A dramatic scene unfolded at the Beverly Hilton Hotel as music celebrities arriving for the party expressed shock at her death, while reporters swarmed the hotel and fans gathered to pay their respects.
Tributes poured in from around the world for the 48-year-old singer whose remarkable vocal range produced some of the most memorable music of her generation, including her signature hit, I Will Always Love You.
"Whitney Houston was not only an amazing artist but also a beautiful person. She was so smart and her knowledge and appreciation for the musical art form was remarkable," Motown founder and R&B legend Berry Gordy said in a statement.
Neil Portnow, president of the Recording Academy, which runs the Grammys, said event producers were working on ways to honour the singer in front of her many friends in the audience.
Throughout her decades in music, Houston won six Grammys, 30 Billboard awards and 22 American Music Awards.
She released seven studio albums, sold some 170 million CDs, singles and videos that included smash hits Saving All my Love for You.
She also appeared in the movies Bodyguard (1992), Waiting to Exhale (1995) and The Preacher's Wife (1996).
Her godmother Aretha Franklin said in a statement: "It's so stunning and unbelievable.
"I couldn't believe what I was reading coming across the TV screen. My heart goes out to Cissy, her daughter Bobbi Kris, her family and Bobby (Brown)."
