We'll Miss You, Whitney.

Social media was all abuzz last night with the news of the death of Whitney Houston; she was just 48. Houston is said to have been found with her face underwater in her bathtub at the Beverly Hills Hotel; her cause of death has yet to be determined. She is survived by daughter, Bobbi Kristina, and her adopted son, Nicholas Gordon. Houston touched many lives with her angelic voice and her striking beauty. In her career, she was the recipient of 2 Emmy Awards, 6 Grammy Awards, 22 American Music Awards, and 30 Billboard Music Awards. Her album Whitney was the first female album to ever debut at #1 on the Billboard Charts; to date, she has sold over 200 million albums world wide. She was one of not just America's, but the world's sweethearts, one who managed to transcend race and genre boundaries with her talent. What saddens me the most is that her amazing career and legacy were overshadowed by her long and highly-publicized bout with drugs and alcohol. For years, she was the subject of ridicule and jokes. Stories of a disheveled and discombobulated Whitney, forgetting the words to her classic songs and missing important events circulated widely, and her erratic behavior on the reality show Being Bobby Brown was undeniable. The Queen of Pop took a sad and dramatic tumble off of her pedestal in the media. (The media giveth, and they also taketh away. I blame Bobby.)

I have always been a Whitney Houston fan; Whitney was one of the first cd's I ever bought with my own money. I belted Whitney tunes at the top of my lungs; I even sang her songs in my sleep (true story ... let's call that a confession). I was fortunate enough to see the talented Ms. Houston at the peak of her career in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand, for the 1994 leg of The Bodyguard World Tour. It was every bit as breathtaking as you can imagine; even today, it ranks in the Top 5 concerts that I have ever attended. She was a diva by definition, a class act, an iconic songstress, and an exemplary performer -- raw talent at its purest and finest. The studio artists of today would be well-served to take notes from her (although all of the notes in the world cannot equate to the purity of her voice). THAT is the Whitney Houston that I will always remember.

In tragedies such as this, it is important to remember that celebrities such as Whitney Houston are people, too. Everyone has problems; however, not everyone's problems are highly-publicized, enabling others to pass judgment. In her memory, let us celebrate the legacy that she left behind, and for once, let the awesomeness of her achievements overshadow her shortcomings.

And so I leave you with a little tidbit of Ms. Whitney herself. Although I'd love to be able to simply post my favorite Whitney Houston song; with her discography and long list of noteworthy tunes, it is a task that is truly impossible. Instead, I'll give you one of my favorite pictures of the beautiful Ms. Houston herself. R.I.P., Whitney. I salute you.

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