Whitney Houston's Funeral: Kevin Costner's Remarkable Speech, Alicia Keys' & R. Kelly's Moving Songs

Whitney Houston was one of a kind...

Whitney Houston's 'Home Going Service'...

Alicia Keys, Donnie McClurkin, Tyler Perry, Bebe and Cece Winans, Clive Davis, Dionne Warwick, Stevie Wonder, R. Kelly and many more all shared their gift of song and words for their friend, family, our musical icon Whitney Houston.


This funeral or 'Home Going Service' as Whitney's family called it, is a representation of who Whitney Houston was outside of the fame. 


INSIDE WHITNEY'S OBITUARY (PHOTOS)


To have her funeral at New Hope Baptist Church in Newark is bringing everyone back to Whitney's foundation. All of the speakers at her funeral all knew a piece of Whitney, as a person and they spoke from the heart, sharing memories of someone who was gone too soon.

Whitney's godmother, Aretha Franklin was schedule to sing but reports came shortly before the funeral started that she was ill and wouldn't sing.

Stevie Wonder sung one of Whitney's favorite songs by him, "Ribbon in the Sky," where he changed the words to fit the memory of her, and he sung "Love's in Need of Love Today."


Cece Winans blew it away singing "Don't Cry For Me," The Winan's sung "Tomorrow." R. Kelly sung Whitney Houston's "I Look to You" from her last studio album and he had some of the people standing behind him in tears.

Clive spoke on Whitney's last moments during Grammy weekend and said Whitney told him she was getting in shape, swimming, quitting cigarettes and was going to work on getting her vocal chords in shape.

"Well Whitney, I'm gonna hold you to it...everyone in heaven, including God is waiting and I know you're gonna raise the roof like no one else has done before," Clive concluded.

A tearful Alicia Keys said Whitney was a very beautiful human being who would call for no reason at all, just to say hi. She called Whitney an angel and then led into singing a very emotional "Prelude to a Kiss" in tribute of Whitney.

Whitney Houston's program from yesterday's (Feb. 17) private family viewing

                             Whitney's invitation to Saturday's (Feb. 18) funeral

Kevin Costner gave a very touching, inspirational speech. He spoke of the private bond him and Whitney shared through the church. Kevin himself, like Whitney also grew up in a Baptist church. He shared some history between them and how Whitney came to get her role in their 1992 movie The Bodyguard.

He thought Whitney was perfect to play his co-star in the Bodyguard and thought she was perfect for what they were trying to do, despite what others thought and despite producers wanting a more experienced actress and perhaps a white actress.

Supposedly Whitney was on tour during that time but Kevin decided to postpone the production of the movie to wait for her. 


And Whitney wasn't just handed the part because she was a star, she had to do a screen test and work for it. Kevin said Whitney was scared that she wasn't good enough for the part. Kevin said he held her hand and was there for her every step of the way.

He talked about the greatest singer of our time and how people make their list. "It will have little meaning to me if her name is not on it"

Despite Whitney's success and worldwide fame, she still questioned if she was good enough and if people liked her, Kevin said.

His advice out there to all the young singers who inspire to be like Whitney, "young girls, guard your body."

"You weren't just good enough, you were great...you sang the whole damn song without a band, you made the picture what it was...you Whitney, I believe were the only person who could play Rachel Marron at that time," Kevin said.

"I was your pretend bodyguard not too long ago and now you're gone...so off you go Whitney, off you go..escorted by an army of angels to your heavenly father and when you sing before him don't you worry, you'll be good enough."

Aside from the funeral service, it was reported by the Star Ledger and other various media outlets that Bobby Brown, Whitney's ex-husband left the funeral just minutes into it starting.

Supposedly Bobby came with an entourage of people who were asked to leave and he left with them. Read more on that story HERE.


The service concluded with Rev. Winan's singing "Let the Church Say Amen." Whitney Houston is to be buried next to her fathers burial site in Westfield, New Jersey.


"We have more stars here than the Grammy's...that says something."


At the very end, everyone stood up as Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You" played and the casket was lifted up and taken out on the pall-bearer's shoulders.

So very sad as I tried to hold back my tears and watch.

What a service and celebration of Whitney Houston's life. May you now Rest in Peace Whitney!