All-Star Lineup Expected To Attend Whitney Houston's Funeral
Feb. 17 2012, Published 3:00 p.m. ET
A-list stars including the likes of Oprah Winfrey, Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Elton John, Aretha Franklin, Bill Cosby, Kevin Costner, and David Bowie will be among those in the pews at Whitney Houston’s funeral at Newark, New Jersey’s New Hope Baptist Church on Saturday, and RadarOnline.com will live stream the service beginning at noon EST.
"It’s going to be a ceremony that reflects her life," New Hope church Pastor Joe A. Carter told the New Jersey Star-Ledger. "A celebration of Whitney’s life, with the participation of many people who are very important in Whitney’s life."
Scheduled speakers for Saturday’s memorial include Houston’s The Bodyguard co-star Kevin Costner, who personally chose her for the role; her cousin, Dionne Warwick; acclaimed director Tyler Perry; and her ace producer Clive Davis. In addition, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Alicia Keys and R. Kelly are slated to sing at the service, following which, Houston will be buried at Fair View Cemetery in Westfield, New Jersey, which is where her father is also laid to rest.
Houston’s ex-husband, Bobby Brown, as well as their 18-year-old daughter Bobbi Kristina, will attend the service; afterwards, Brown will head off to headline a concert with New Edition in Connecticut that very same day.
The area around the church will be cordoned off several blocks to the public, according to the paper.
Grammy Award-winning gospel singer and Houston family friend Marvin Winans, who presided over Houston’s 1992 wedding to Brown, will deliver the eulogy for the hit-maker, who died Saturday at the Beverly Hills Hilton at 48.
While Houston's autopsy is complete, it might be several weeks before authorities in Los Angeles can determine what killed the Grammy-winning singer.
As we previously reported, the Run To You singer, who sought help for a crack addiction last year, was seen in public for the last time late Thursday in Hollywood, looking disheveled and sporting cuts.
Stay with RadarOnline.com for more on the shocking death of Whitney Houston.