Legendary pop singer Whitney Houston has died at the age of 48. Saturday night, Houston was scheduled to appear at a Pre-Grammy party at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. It was hosted by Clive Davis, the music producer who discovered her. Instead, she was found dead in the bathtub of her room on the fourth floor.
Houston first hit the scene in the 80's. She went on to become one of the top-selling artists in pop music history with more than 55 million records sold in the U.S. alone. Her talent even expanded to the big screen in movies like "The Bodyguard," which featured her hit re-make, "I Will Always Love You."
But Houston's professional successes were tempered by personal turmoil, like her tumultuous marriage to singer Bobby Brown. The pair divorced in 2007 and shares a daughter, Bobbi Kristina.
Houston also had an ongoing battle with drugs. She admitted to abusing cocaine and pills. Her voice showed the trouble, turning raspy and low. She went to rehab and declared herself drug-free in 2010. However, there were missed concert dates and public meltdowns.
Meanwhile, in the Central Valley, Whitney Houston fans rushed to music stores to scoop up albums. Rasputin Records had a tough time keeping cds on its shelves as people dashed through the doors to have something to remember the late artist by.
"I'm still in shock, but I knew I had to run down here and get some music," said Josie Grygar.
Josie Grygar says listening to Houston's vocal tracks will take her back to the 80's.
"That was a fun time for me. I was young and we were always dancing," said Grygar.
Ann Arlund also bought some albums.
"To me it's soothing, her voice. I've always loved her music," said Arlund.
Years ago, Ken McCoy snapped a picture of Houston at the Soul Train Music Awards.
"She waved at me, we had a little moment and I take that to heart," said Ken McCoy, an entertainment photographer.
McCoy is saddened to see such a phenomenal talent go.
“Whitney was a princess in the music business no matter how it goes down, so I'm devastated. I think we should all simply forget the negativity and pray for her family," said McCoy.
Fresno's African American Museum plans to pay tribute to Houston.
"We have to honor our icons because who will honor them, who will know what they have done if we don't," said Julia Dudley-Najieb, President of the African American Museum.
The museum is not wasting any time.
"Probably within the next week or so we'll be able to have something to present to the community about her life and about the person Whitney Houston," said Dudley-Najieb.
It's too bad she's gone, but at least we all have something to remember Whitney Houston by.
"She left a lot of good music, she has to know that," said Grygar.
A worker at Rasputin says they should be getting a new shipment of Houston's albums in sometime next week.