Aretha Franklin, Dolly Parton Remember Whitney Houston
Credit: M. Caulfield/WireImage; Paul Morigi/WireImage; Arnaldo Magnani/Getty Images
Both Aretha Franklin and Dolly Parton were enormous influences on the late Whitney Houston's legendary career.
Queen of Soul Franklin, 69, was godmother to the "How Will I Know" singer, born into a gospel/R&B singing family that included mom Cissy Houston and aunt Dionne Warwick.
PHOTOS: Whitney Houston's life in pictures
"I just can't talk about it now," Franklin told Us Weekly Saturday following news of Houston's death in L.A. at age 48. "It's so stunning and unbelievable. I couldn't believe what I was reading coming across the TV screen. My heart goes out to Cissy, her daughter Bobbi Kris, her family and Bobby." (Houston, whose cause of death has not yet been determined, leaves behind daughter Bobbi Kristina, 18, with ex-husband Bobby Brown.)
VIDEO: Inside Whitney's decline
Country singer-songwriter Parton, 66, meanwhile, penned and sung the original version of "I Will Always Love You," Houston's biggest of many smash hits that helped make The Bodyguard soundtracks one of the top-selling albums of all time.
"Mine is only one of the millions of hearts broken over the death of Whitney Houston," Parton said in a statement. "I will always be grateful and in awe of the wonderful performance she did on my song and I can truly say from the bottom of my heart, 'Whitney, I will always love you. You will be missed.'"
Tell Us What You Think
7i hope her daughter can get thru this without any problems with drugs as they are now talking about. i wish her all the best and her family and fans she will be missed alot but never forgotten
"Country singer-songwriter Parton, 66, meanwhile, penned and sung..." Ahem, the past tense of "sing" is "sang".
There is MORE to this story and it is coming out SLOWLY each day. This is the hardest thing since Michael Jackson. Cissy Houston is in a TON of Grief, but it would be nice if she could COME FORWARD and just let us ALL know how Whitney was on the telephone call just 30 minutes before she DIED.
my heart is so broken!
She Will Truly Be Missed
Whitney's passing was an accident, not intentional. She would never want to leave the daughter she was so close with, or any other member of her family. She will be missed with many tears shed on her behalf. I didn't know her personally, but I felt like I did.
Loved Whitney Houston, such a tragedy, it's just too bad all these wonderful words of adoration and praise come now at the time of her death, Beautiful voice gone forever except through recordings. Whitney, whatever your demons, we will always love you and her rendition of The Star Spangled Banner will forever be remembered......