(Reuters) - Funeral services will be held on Saturday for Grammy-winning singer Whitney Houston. The 48-year-old performer, best known for her hit song "I Will Always Love You," died last week at a Beverly Hills hotel.
Here are some facts about her life, career, death and the funeral service:
THE FUNERAL
- Held at the New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, New Jersey, on Saturday. As a child, Houston sang in the church's gospel and soul choir with her mother, Cissy Houston.
- Invitation-only memorial service will be televised from 11 a.m. Eastern Time (1600 GMT). Police will lock down the streets near the funeral, which is set to begin at noon (1700 GMT).
- Performers confirmed to take part in the service are Tyler Perry, Kevin Costner, Aretha Franklin, Clive Davis, Stevie Wonder, Alicia Keys, Dionne Warwick, Donnie McClurkin, Kim Burrell, Rickey Minor, Marvin Winans and Cece Winans.
- Also attending as guests are Elton John, Beyonce, rapper Jay-Z, Oprah Winfrey and Bill Cosby.
HER DEATH
- Houston was found underwater and unconscious by a member of her staff in her Beverly Hills hotel room on the eve of Sunday's Grammy Awards. It was the same day she was scheduled to attend a pre-Grammy gala given by her mentor, record producer Clive Davis. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
- An autopsy has been performed, but a cause of death is pending completion of an official investigation and toxicology tests, which could take weeks to complete.
- The Los Angeles County Coroner has said there were no visible signs of trauma or foul play. Prescription drugs were found in her room, but officials have not specified the type or amount found in her room.
- Beverly Hills Police have said "we are not conducting a homicide investigation."
LIFE AND CAREER
- Houston won six Grammys, 30 Billboard awards and 22 American Music Awards in her career. Her best-known songs include "Saving All my Love for You," "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" and "My Love Is Your Love."
- She released seven studio albums, the most recent in 2009, and is said to have sold more than 170 million records.
- Houston's movies included "The Bodyguard" in 1992 with Kevin Costner, "The Preacher's Wife" with Denzel Washington, and "Waiting to Exhale."
- Houston started out singing in her church gospel choir in New Jersey at age 11 and released her first album in 1985 after being discovered by record producer Clive Davis.
- Houston married singer Bobby Brown in 1992. Their turbulent marriage ended in 2007.
- In a 2002 TV interview, Houston admitted using marijuana, cocaine, alcohol and prescription drugs.
- She launched a comeback tour in 2009 and in April 2010 she called media reports she was using drugs again "ridiculous." In May 2011, Houston enrolled in a drug and alcohol rehabilitation program.
- Houston had begun acting again. She stars in the film "Sparkle," which is set to be released later this year.
(Reporting By Piya Sinha-Roy; Editing by Bob Tourtellotte)
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