WHITNEY HOUSTON DIES AT 48

My heart is heavy to write this but Whitney Houston, my singing legend has passed. I have spent many years now being observant of Whitney's mishaps, problems, and appearances that were sometimes scary to her fans but we were always hoping that one day it would all end. We hoped that we would get our girlfriend in our head, our friend, our make-up believe sister. Unfortunately we never got to see that. I pray for her soul, and her family and most of all her daughter.

Whitney Houston was found in the bathtub of a Beverly Hills hotel yesterday ... with her face underwater ... people close to Whitney tell TMZ.
Story below:

According to our sources, her stylist, hairdresser and two bodyguards were among the people in the room at the time. We're told they became worried about Whitney because she had been in the bathroom for over an hour and it was time to start getting ready for the Clive Davis party.

Our sources say they began to knock on the door and there was no answer. We're told the hairdresser, who is female, went in to check on Whitney. She immediately screamed and, according to our sources, one of the bodyguards came running in and pulled her out of the tub.

We're told Whitney's face was below the water and her legs were up ... like she had slid down the back of the tub.

According to our sources, her body was very cold and the bodyguard attempted CPR. That's when hotel security was called.

Paramedics arrived shortly thereafter, but Whitney was pronounced dead at 3:55 PM.

Whitney Houston's daughter Bobbi Kristina got into an angry shouting match with police officers outside the hotel room where her mother was found dead ... TMZ has learned.

According to law enforcement sources ... Bobbi Kristina showed up on the 4th floor of the Beverly Hilton several hours after Whitney's death. We're told when officers informed her no one was allowed to see the body -- BK screamed, cursed and demanded to see her mother.

Ultimately, she was not allowed into the room and left. We're told Whitney's cousin Dionne Warwick also showed up later. She too was turned away by officers.

As we reported earlier ... other family members and friends -- who were in the room when authorities arrived -- identified Whitney's body.

Dionne Warwick and Cissy Houston spoke with Whitney Houston by phone just before she died and say Whitney seemed fine ... TMZ has learned.

Whitney's mother, Cissy Houston, spoke with her daughter 25-30 minutes before she died and nothing seemed unusual ... sources tell TMZ. We're told they talked about attending the Clive Davis pre-Grammy party.

Dionne Warwick, Whitney's cousin, called as well ... several hours before Whitney died ... to make sure they were sitting at the same table at Clive's party. And again ... there were no signs of trouble.

The people in touch with Dionne say she is inconsolable adding, "She is an absolute mess."

As for Cissy, we're told she is "hysterical."


TMZ.com