Whitney Houston’s funeral tomorrow will be a star-studded send-off to the pop diva.
Alicia Keys, Stevie Wonder and Whitney’s godmother, Aretha Franklin, will perform at New Hope Baptist Church at the noon ceremony. And speakers will include Houston’s cousin Dionne Warwick, filmmaker Tyler Perry, her “Bodyguard” co-star Kevin Costner, and mentor Clive Davis, according to the Newark Star-Ledger.
The 48-year-old singer, who died in the bathtub at the Beverly Hilton on Saturday, will be eulogized by Rev. Marvin Winans of Detroit, the newspaper reported.
Among the throng of invited guests will be Oprah Winfrey, Chaka Khan, Whitney’s boyfriend Ray J and his sister Brandy.
“There’s going to be a grand celebration of life and a strong musical presence,” the Newark church’s pastor Joe Carter told “Extra” last night. “And so however, whoever, I’m not exactly sure what the end result will be, just that we’ll honor and remember Whitney Houston in a grand fashion as the way she lived,”
When asked how Houston’s family is holding up, Rev. Carter said,
“Bobbi Kristina, Cissy, the brothers and the entire family, they are grieving and it’s been tough. But I’ll tell you that Cissy Houston has shown remarkable strength, and she’s going to need our prayers and support to help her get through this — not just this weekend but in the days, weeks and months and years to come.”
Flags will fly at half-staff during the funeral throughout New Jersey at the request of Gov. Chris Christie. And Newark police, who expect to beef up security around the community church, are encouraging fans to stay home and watch the funeral broadcast on television or live streaming on the Web.