Remembering Whitney Houston

Feb 11, 2013, 6:01 PM | Updated: 6:05 pm

KTAR.com

The news of Whitney Houston’s death began to surface. On the day of Clive Davis’ annual Grammy party, we learned one of the most iconic (and troubled) vocalists of our time was gone.

I had the pleasure of meeting, working with and enjoying the performances of Whitney over the years, and while I was saddened at the news of her passing, like many others I was hardly shocked. Her increasingly erratic behavior, disheveled appearance and questionable vocal work only reinforced the beliefs we all had that she had serious issues.

I think Whitney stands as a reminder of the power drugs can have on people AND the frustrating inability of friends and family to save someone from them.

Flowers placed on a Grammy sidewalk plaque
honoring Whitney Houston's wins for Record of
the Year and Album of the Year in 36th Grammy
Awards, have been scattered and replaced
several times outside the Grammy Museum in
Los Angeles, Feb. 12, 2012. Houston died
Saturday, Feb. 11, 2012, on the eve of the
54th Grammys, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel,
where she was preparing to attend a pre-
Grammy party. She was 48. (AP Photo/Reed
Saxon)

A woman arriving for tonight's Grammy awards
looks at a Grammy sidewalk plaque, honoring
Whitney Houston's wins for Record of the Year
and Album of the Year in 36th Grammy Awards,
outside the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles,
Feb. 12, 2012. Houston died Saturday, Feb.
11, 2012, on the eve of the 54th Grammys, at
the Beverly Hilton Hotel, where she was
preparing to attend a pre-Grammy party. She
was 48. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)

Fans take pictures with a plaque commemorating
Whitney Houston's Record of the Year and Album
of the Year for the 36th Grammy Awards, at LA
Live in Los Angeles, on Sunday, Feb. 12, 2012.
Houston died Saturday, Feb. 11, 2012, on the
eve of the Grammys, at the Beverly Hilton
Hotel, where she was preparing to attend a pre-
Grammy party. (AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu)

A bouquet of pink roses placed at the
entrance to Harlem's Apollo Theater bears
lyrics from the last song music superstar
Whitney Houston ever sang in public, "Yes,
Jesus Loves Me," Sunday, Feb. 12, 2012, in
New York. Houston, 48, who sang the song for
a pre-Grammy celebration early Friday at a
Hollywood nightclub, died Saturday in Los
Angeles. Her death came on the night before
music's biggest showcase, the Grammys. (AP
Photo/Verena Dobnik)

Donzaleigh Abernathy places a flower at a
memorial outside the Beverly Hills Hilton
Hotel on Sunday, Feb. 12, 2012, in Beverly
Hills, Calif. Houston, who ruled 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, Feb. 11. She was
48. (AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu)

A memorial for Whitney Houston begins to take
shapel outside the Beverly Hills Hilton Hotel
on Sunday, Feb. 12, 2012, in Beverly Hills,
Calif. Houston, who ruled 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, Feb. 11. She was
48. (AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu)

An American flag flies at half-staff in front
of The Whitney E. Houston Academy of Creative
and Performing Arts in East Orange, N.J.,
Sunday, Feb. 12, 2012. As a young girl,
Houston attended what was known then as the
Franklin School. Houston, who ruled 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. She was 48. (AP
Photo/Mel Evans)

Three-year-old Faith Walker waits as her aunt
Shalana Gaston answers a question as they
leave New Hope Baptist Church in Newark,
N.J., Sunday, Feb. 12, 2012, where part of
the service was about the death of Whitney
Houston. As a young girl, Houston sang in the
choir at New Hope Baptist Church. Houston,
who ruled 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. She was 48. (AP Photo/Mel
Evans)

Soloist Vickilyn Reynolds leads the choir in
"I Will Trust In The Lord" as the Rev. Al
Sharpton, not shown, asks for a national day
of prayer for Whitney Houston, during regular
Sunday services at Second Baptist Church in
Los Angeles, on Sunday, Feb. 12, 2012.
Houston, whose musical roots were in church
gospel singing and ruled as pop music's queen
until her majestic voice was ravaged by drug
use and her regal image was tarnished by
erratic behavior and a tumultuous marriage to
singer Bobby Brown, died Saturday, Feb. 11,
on the eve of the Grammy Awards she once
reigned over. She was 48. (AP Photo/Reed
Saxon)

As members of the choir applaud, the Rev. Al
Sharpton asks for a national day of prayer
for Whitney Houston, during regular Sunday
services at Second Baptist Church in Los
Angeles, Sunday, Feb. 12, 2012. Houston,
whose musical roots were in church gospel
singing and ruled as pop music's queen until
her majestic voice was ravaged by drug use
and her regal image was tarnished by erratic
behavior and a tumultuous marriage to singer
Bobby Brown, died Saturday, Feb. 11, on the
eve of the Grammy Awards she once reigned
over. She was 48. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)

Flower tributes to US singer Whitney Houston
are fixed to a fence surrounding the U.S.
Embassy in Moscow, Russia, Sunday, Feb. 12,
2012. The internationally acclaimed singer, 48-
year old Houston died Saturday, Feb. 11, in a
Los Angeles, USA, hotel, and the cause of death
is yet unknown. (AP Photo/Mikhail Metzel)

Alicia Keys, center, hugs Clive Davis, right,
as Swizz Beatz looks on at the loading dock
outside the Beverly Hilton Hotel, Saturday,
Feb. 11, 2012, in Beverly Hills, Calif.
Whitney Houston, who ruled 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. She was 48. (AP
Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Media mobs a coroner's van as it leaves the
Beverly Hilton Hotel, early Sunday, Feb. 12,
2012, in Beverly Hills, Calif. Whitney Houston,
who ruled 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.
She was 48. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

The body of Whitney Houston is removed from the
Beverly Hilton Hotel early Sunday Feb. 12, 2012
in Beverly Hills Calif. Whitney Houston, who
ruled 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. She was 48.
(AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

A coroner's van leaves the Beverly Hilton
Hotel, Sunday, Feb. 12, 2012, in Beverly Hills,
Calif. Whitney Houston, who ruled 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. She was 48. (AP
Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Bruce St James

KTAR.com

KTAR News host Bruce St. James names his top 10 movies of 2019

Need something new to watch? Bruce St. James, co-host of KTAR News 92.3 FM's Bruce St. James & Pamela Hughes Show, has some suggestions.

4 years ago

Kevin Stone

Arizona AG preparing decision on disputed airport Uber/Lyft fees

Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich said his office will issue an opinion next month on whether new fees on Uber and Lyft rides at Sky Harbor Airport violate the state’s constitution.

4 years ago

Rodney Puckett (Pinal County Sheriff's Office photo)...

KTAR.com

‘Bruce and Pamela’ listeners named this the ‘Crazy AZ’ story of 2019

KTAR News 92.3 FM's Bruce St. James and Pamela Hughes Show listeners this week chose this craziest Arizona story of the year.

4 years ago

Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Kathy Hoffman (KTAR News Photo/Steve Zinsmeister)...

Jessica Swarner

Hoffman says vaccine exemption, Pledge of Allegiance bills unnecessary

Arizona's top education official says there's no need for two education-related bills being pushed by a state representative.

4 years ago

KTAR.com

Arizona DPS head says he’s ‘surprised’ he was not given speeding ticket

Arizona Department of Public Safety Director Col. Frank Milstead says he was surprised he didn't get a ticket when he was pulled over for going 90 mph on Interstate 17.

4 years ago