J-Hud, Halle Berry, LL, More Film Whitney Houston TV Tribute

Singer Jennifer Hudson performs at a taping of We Will Always Love You: A GRAMMY Salute To Whitney Houston on October 11, 2012 at the Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE in Los Angeles, California. The show airs November 16, 2012

Jennifer Hudson, Britney Spears, LL Cool J, Halle Berry, Taraji P. Henson, Usher, CeCe Winans and Yolanda Adams were among the celebs who filmed a musical tribute to Whitney Houston scheduled to air next month on CBS.

Rocking a pompadour and glittery jacket reminiscent of Houston’s stage costumes from the 1980s, Hudson sang a medley of Houston’s hits Thursday at LA’s Nokia Theatre for “We Will Always Love You: A Grammy Salute to Whitney Houston,” which will air as an hour-long special on CBS Nov. 13.

Jennfer Hudson
“She has been a huge part of my life musically,” Hudson said. “She’s just been like this outline, this blueprint for myself.”

Spears said she’s always been “a huge fan” of Houston’s.

“I think she’s amazing,” Spears said. “And I think that her voice is better than God. I just, I love her.”

Houston died at 48 the night before the Grammy Awards in February from accidental drowning complicated by drug use and heart disease. LL Cool J honored her at the awards ceremony in February but said Thursday that the singer’s musical contributions merit more.
“The time that we spent remembering Whitney at the Grammys wasn’t really enough for her career,” he said. “Even though it was wonderful, and I got to say the prayer, and I got to address her death, her career was larger than just a few segments. You need a whole show to celebrate a career like Whitney Houston’s.”

The tribute is set to air as T.D. Jakes, a minister and producer of Houston’s final film, “Sparkle,” said Houston’s early death can serve as a sad cautionary tale.

“Our message and our heart’s cry to young people is to really govern the choices that they make, and that those choices have consequences, long term consequences,” he said. “It is not enough to be talented. We must also be wise.”

Halle Berry
Taraji P. Henson
LL Cool J
Clive Davis
Yolanda Adams (L) and CeCe Winans

Comments