Watch Whitney Houston’s Funeral

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sources Bet.com It’s so hard to say goodbye. As the world prepared to bid farewell to
Whitney Houston, fans of the late music icon tuned in to BET Network, Centric and BET.com for live coverage of the funeral service. The BET News special, Live: The Homegoing of Whitney Houston, featured in-depth coverage of the private funeral for the Grammy Award-winning songstress who died last Saturday in her Los Angeles hotel.


The service began at 12 p.m., and a number high profile friends attended to remember Houston's life. Among the guests who spoke about the fallen star were Dionne Warwick, Tyler Perry, Kevin Costner, Clive Davis, Bishop T.D. Jakes and Newark mayor Cory Booker. Also in attendance were Jennifer Hudson, Brandy, Ray J, Lela Rochon, Reverend Jesse Jackson, New Jersey governor Chris Christie, Al Sharpton and Michael Eric Dyson.


The homegoing service featured performances from several of Houston's closest friends, including Stevie Wonder, who rewrote Ribbon In The Sky in her honor, Alicia Keys, who shared her special nickname for Houston ("Meemaw") R. Kelly, who was clearly shaken during his song and gospel artist Kim Burrell. The Winans family, including Bebe, Cece, Carvin and Marvin (who gave the eulogy) sang "Tomorrow", a song Houston often sang early in her career. Aretha Franklin was supposed to sing, but was reported too sick to attend.


Houston’s ex-husband Bobby Brown attended, but he left before the service got underway. Sources report that he became upset when his nine-person entourage was asked to leave. Brown wanted them to sit with the family, and when they were denied space, he left, too. Brown later released a statement explaining his departure.