By Jenn McBride

LOS ANGELES (CBS) — Between emotional tributes honoring the late Whitney Houston and fiery performances by some of music’s biggest stars, all eyes were on Adele at the 54th Annual Grammy Awards.

The British queen of soul returned to the spotlight Sunday night for the first time since undergoing throat surgery last year to repair a hemorrhaged vocal cord.

Adele, who picked “Rolling In The Deep” for her comeback performance, is most certainly rolling in Grammy gold after claiming all six of the awards for which she was nominated.

“My life changed when I wrote this song, and I felt it before anyone even heard it,” 23-year-old Adele told the crowd after winning Best Pop Solo Performance for “Someone Like You.”

Ironically, she took home the same number of awards Houston earned during her illustrious career in just one night. With her two previous awards from 2009, including Best New Artist, Adele is now an eight-time Grammy winner.

However, just hours after Houston’s Feb. 11 death at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, her 2000 compilation album topped iTunes charts, bumping Adele’s “21” to second place.

Oscar-winning actress and Grammy-winning singer Jennifer Hudson paid homage to Houston with an acapella rendition of “I Will Always Love You”, which she finished with, “Whitney, we love — we love you.”

“It’s like there’s a hole in the heart of music now, and I don’t know if it can ever be filled,” Lady Antebellum’s Hillary Scott said after the group accepted the award for Best Country Album.

Despite the ceremony’s often somber mood, performances by Glen Campbell and The Beach Boys brought the audience to its feet.

The Foo Fighters, who recorded their seventh album, “Wasting Light”, in frontman Dave Grohl’s garage, also had a great evening with four wins.

New talent was yet another highlight as The Civil Wars took to the Grammy stage for the first time to perform the title track of their debut album, “Barton Hollow”.

One of the most critically acclaimed new artists of 2011, the duo, comprised of John Paul White and Joy Williams, received awards for Best Country Duo/Group Performance and Best Folk Album.

“We made a pact that we would only make music that pleased us,” White said backstage. “We’ve made music the other way around before.”

“It’s completely surreal,” a pregnant Williams said of their wins. “And to be welcomed, too, in the realms of both country and folk.”

With the recent deaths of Houston, Etta James and Amy Winehouse – who posthumously won Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for her “Body and Soul” duet with Tony Bennett – the 54th Annual Grammy Awards offered several nods to artists who, sadly, are now beyond this earthly realm.

“We shouldn’t be here. Our darling daughter should be here. These are the cards that we’re dealt,” Winehouse’s father, Mitch, said when Bennett called him onstage.

Adele (Photo Credit: Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Adele, who captured the world’s heart with an album about a broken romance, emerged as the top winner at Sunday’s Grammy Awards, winning six trophies including the prestigious trifecta of record, song and album of the year.

The singer, who also made a triumphant comeback from vocal cord surgery on the Grammy stage, sobbed as she won the night’s final award, album of the year, for 21. It was last year’s top-selling album with more than six million copies sold and remains lodged at the No. 1 spot on this year’s charts.

Her victories tied her with Beyonce as the most wins by a woman in one evening.

“Mom, gold is good!” Adele shouted as she took the album of the year trophy.

The celebration of Adele, a big-voiced, soulful singer, came on a night where the Grammys marked the loss of one of music’s great female voices — and one of its most prized talents overall. Whitney Houston died the night before the Grammys, casting a shadow over music’s biggest night.

But while her death lent a somber overtone to the evening’s show, it did not overwhelm it, perhaps best proved by the show’s closing number, a rollicking jam session featuring Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, and Dave Grohl among others.

Foo Fighers (Photo Credit: Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

The night’s other big winners were Grohl’s Foo Fighters, who won five Grammys. They noted that they made their album Wasting Light in a garage.

“To me this award means a lot because it shows that the human element of making music is what’s most important. Singing into a microphone, learning to play an instrument and learning to do your craft, that’s the most important thing for people to do,” Grohl said as the band accepted their best rock performance trophy for “Walk.” ”It’s not about being perfect. It’s not about sounding absolutely correct. It’s not about what goes on in a computer. It’s about what goes on in here (your heart) and what goes on here (your head). … Long live rock ‘n’ roll!”

Among the evening’s performances was a dance-heavy number by Chris Brown, and performances by McCartney and Springsteen, who kicked off the show by performing his new song “We Take Care of Our Own,” a rousing song that references the troubles of the nation.

But the evening’s most moving moment came as Jennifer Hudson — who has called Houston an inspiration and one of her biggest idols — emerged to sing one of Houston’s signature songs, “I Will Always Love You.” Dressed in black, with only the accompaniment of a piano, Hudson appeared to fight back tears as she sang the song, ending with the line, “Whitney, we will always love you.”

(Photo Credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

The show started off on a somber note, as host LL Cool J appeared in black, and told the audience: “There is no way around this. We’ve had a death in our family.”

He then led the audience in prayer to “our fallen sister.”

“Heavenly father, we thank you for sharing our sister Whitney with us,” he said, as celebrities like Lady Gaga and Miranda Lambert bowed their heads in prayer. “Though she is gone too soon, we remain truly blessed to have been touched by her beautiful spirit.”

He then introduced a clip of a glowing Houston singing “I Will Always Love You.” In his performance of “Runaway Baby,” Bruno Mars also mentioned the death: “Tonight we’re celebrating. Tonight we’re celebrating the beautiful Miss Whitney Houston.”

And Stevie Wonder said: “To Whitney up in heaven, we all love you.”

The show, as usual, was heavy on performances more than awards. Among those was Chris Brown, who was performing on the stage for the first time since he dropped out of 2009′s broadcast; his attack on Rihanna the night before led to both of their absences, an assault charge for Brown and a career low.

But 2011 marked an amazing comeback for Brown and he was rewarded with two planned performances during the show, the first time he and Rihanna performed at the same event since the attack (she sang solo and with Coldplay during the ceremony).

Brown also won best R&B album: “First and foremost, I gotta thank God, and thank the Grammys for letting me get on this stage and do my thing,” he said “All my fans, I love you. We got one. Thank you.”

Justin Vernon, whose band Bon Iver beat Nicki Minaj, The Band Perry, J. Cole and Skrillex for best new artist, accepted the award with admittedly mixed emotions.

“It’s really hard to accept this award. Well, there’s so much talent out here, like on this stage. There’s a lot of talent that’s not here tonight. It’s also hard to accept because when I started to make songs I did it for the inherent reward of making songs, so I’m a little bit uncomfortable up here,” he said. “But with that discomfort I do have a sense of gratitude. I want to say thank you to all the nominees, all the non-nominees that have never been here and never will be here.”

The Grammys did their best to keep a tone that balanced the many moods of the night: The Foo Fighters performed in a tent outside the Staples Center, where the awards were being held, amid a throng of bouncing fans; but moments earlier, Alicia Keys and Bonnie Raitt paid tribute to Etta James, the legend who died last month.

There was also a tribute to the recently reunited Beach Boys that featured Maroon 5, Foster the People and Mike Love, Al Jardine and Brian Wilson, the three remaining members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band, all pitch-perfect as they brought the groups California rock sound and harmonies back to life.

Glen Campbell, who announced his retirement last year after disclosing he had Alzheimer’s disease, also performed with The Band Perry and Blake Shelton, singing his classic hit, “Rhinestone Cowboy.”

The Foos and Brown also returned for another dance-themed performance, a first for the Grammys. It also featured deadmau5, David Guetta and Lil Wayne.

And with Lady Gaga not performing, Minaj stepped in to give the night’s most bizarre/headscratching performance. The rapper-singer’s number included a clip that referenced “The Exorcist” and a stage show that had her levitating on stage amid a church-like background, with hooded choir members and religious imagery.

(© Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

(Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

Winners Announced During Broadcast:

Album Of The Year: 21 – Adele

Record Of The Year: “Rolling In The Deep” – Adele

Best New Artist: Bon Iver

Best Country Album: Own The Night – Lady Antebellum

Song Of The Year: “Rolling In The Deep” – Adele

Best R&B Album: F.A.M.E. – Chris Brown

Best Rock Performance: “Walk” – Foo Fighters

Best Rap Performance: “Otis” – Jay-Z/Kanye West

Best Pop Solo Performance: “Someone Like You” – Adele

Winners Announced Before Broadcast:

Best Pop Performance By Duo/Group: “Body and Soul” – Tony Bennett/Amy Winehouse

Best Pop Instrumental Album: The Road From Memphis – Booker T. Jones

Best Pop Vocal Album: 21 – Adele

Best Dance Recording: Scary Monsters And Nice Sprites – Skrillex

Best Dance/Electronic Album: Scary Monsters And Nice Sprites – Skrillex

Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album: Duets II – Tony Bennett

Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance: “White Limo” – Foo Fighters

Best Rock Song: “Walk” – Foo Fighters

Best Rock Album: Wasting Light – Foo Fighters

Best Alternative Music Album: Bon Iver – Bon Iver

Best R&B Performance: “Is This Love” – Corinne Bailey Rae

Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance: “Fool For You” – Melanie Fiona/Cee-Lo

Best R&B Song: “Fool For You” – Melanie Fiona/Cee-Lo

Best Rap/Sung Collaboration: “All Of The Lights” – Kanye West, Rihanna, Kid Cudi & Fergie

Best Rap Song: “All Of The Lights” – Kanye West, Rihanna, Kid Cudi & Fergie

Best Rap Album: My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy – Kanye West

Best Country Solo Performance: “Mean” – Taylor Swift

Best Country Duo/Group Performance: “Barton Hollow” – The Civil Wars

Best Country Song: “Mean” – Taylor Swift

Best New Age Album: What’s It All About - Pat Metheny

Best Improvised Jazz Solo: “500 Miles High” – Chick Corea

Best Jazz Vocal Album: The Mosaic Project – Terri Lyne Carrington

Best Jazz Instrumental Album: Forever – Corea, Clarke & White

Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album: The Good Feeling – Christian McBride Big Band

Best Gospel/Contemporary Christian Performance: “Jesus” – L’Andria Johnson

Best Gospel Song: “Hello Fear” – Kirk Franklin

Best Contemporary Christian Music Song: “Blessings” – Laura Story

Best Gospel Album: Hello Fear – Kirk Franklin

Best Contemporary Christian Music Album: And If Our God Is For Us… – Chris Tomlin

Best Latin Pop, Rock, Or Urban Album: Drama Y Luz – Maná

Best Regional Mexican Or Tejano Album: Bicentenario – Pepe Aguilar

Best Banda Or Norteño Album: Los Tigres Del Norte And Friends – Los Tigres Del Norte

Best Tropical Latin Album: The Last Mambo – Cachao

Best Americana Album: Ramble at the Ryman – Levon Helm

Best Bluegrass Album: Paper Airplane – Alison Krauss & Union Station

Best Blues Album: Revelator – Tedeschi Trucks Band

Best Folk Album: Barton Hollow – The Civil Wars

Best Regional Roots Music Album: Rebirth Of New Orleans – Rebirth Brass Band

Best Reggae Album: Revelation Pt. 1: The Root of Life – Stephen Marley

Best World Music Album: Tassili – Tinariwen

Best Children’s Album: All About Bullies… Big and Small – Various Artists

Best Spoken Word Album: If You Ask Me (And Of Course You Won’t) – Betty White

Best Comedy Album: Hilarious – Louis C.K.

Best Musical Theater Album: The Book Of Mormon

Best Compilation Soundtrack Album For Visual Media: Boardwalk Empire – Various Artists

Best Score Soundtrack Album For Visual Media: The King’s Speech – Alexandre Desplat

Best Song Written For Visual Media: “I See the Light” – Alan Menken & Glenn Slater

Best Instrumental Composition: “Life In Eleven” – Béla Fleck & Howard Levy

Best Instrumental Arrangement: “Rhapsody In Blue” – Gordon Goodwin

Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalists: “Who Can I Turn To (When Nobody Needs Me)” – Jorge Calandrelli

Best Recording Package: Scenes From The Suburbs – Caroline Robert, art director (Arcade Fire)

Best Boxed Or Special Limited Edition Package: The Promise: The Darkness On The Edge Of Town Story – Dave Bett & Michelle Holme, art directors (Bruce Springsteen)

Best Album Notes: Hear Me Howling!: Blues, Ballads & Beyond As Recorded By The San Francisco Bay By Chris Strachwitz In The 1960s – Adam Machado, album notes writer (Various Artists)

Best Historical Album: Band on the Run (Paul McCartney Archive Collection – Deluxe Edition) – Paul McCartney

Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical: Paper Airplane – Neal Cappellino & Mike Shipley, engineers; Brad Blackwood, mastering engineer (Alison Krauss & Union Station)

Producer of the Year, Non-Classical: Paul Epworth

Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical: “Cinema (Skrillex remix)” – Sonny Moore

Best Surround Sound Album: Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs (Super Deluxe Edition) – Elliot Scheiner, surround mix engineer; Bob Ludwig, surround mastering engineer; Bill Levenson & Elliot Scheiner, surround producers (Derek & The Dominos)

Best Engineered Album, Classical: Aldridge: Elmer Gantry – Byeong-Joon Hwang & John Newton, engineers; Jesse Lewis, mastering engineer (William Boggs, Keith Phares, Patricia Risley, Vale Rideout, Frank Kelley, Heather Buck, Florentine Opera Chorus & Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra)

Producer of the Year, Classical: Judith Sherman

Best Orchestral Performance: “Brahms: Symphony No. 4″ – Gustavo Dudamel

Best Opera Recording: “Adams: Doctor Atomic” – Alan Gilbert, conductor

Best Choral Performance: “Light & Gold” – Eric Whitacre

Best Small Ensemble Performance: Mackey: “Lonely Motel – Music From Slide” – Rinde Eckert & Steven Mackey; Eighth Blackbird

Best Classical Instrumental Solo: Schwantner: Concerto For Percussion & Orchestra – Giancarlo Guerrero, conductor

Best Classical Vocal Solo: “Diva Divo” – Joyce DiDonato

Best Classical Contemporary Composition: “Elmer Gantry” – Robert Aldridge & Herschel Garfein

Best Short Form Music Video: “Rolling In The Deep” – Adele

Best Long Form Music Video: Foo Fighters: Back And Forth – Foo Fighters

[Update a/o 3:30 p.m.] An autopsy has been conducted on Whitney Houston, but Beverly Hills police say that a hold has been placed on the findings.

LOS ANGELES (CBS) — Just hours before Sunday’s Grammy Awards, the music industry and fans are mourning the loss of Whitney Houston.

» PHOTOS: Whitney Houston 1963-2012

Houston’s body arrived at the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office in Boyle Heights 11 hours after she was declared dead at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.

The pop superstar was pronounced dead 3:55 p.m. Saturday in her fourth-floor room at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.

Kirk Hawkins, reporting for CBS2 and KCAL9, said paramedics performed CPR for 20 minutes prior to that after they were called by a member of Houston’s entourage.

Houston was found unresponsive in a bathtub in her fourth floor hotel room.

Houston’s family says they talked to her earlier Saturday and didn’t believe anything was unusual.

But during a rehearsal last week, some witnesses said she was sweating profusely while others said she was doing handstands by the pool at the hotel.

Coroner’s officials say they can’t talk discuss what they saw in her room.

“It didn’t appear that there was foul play and that’s all I can say about it,” said Los Angeles County Asst. Chief Coroner Ed Winter.
Houston has been treated at least twice for her addictions.

In a 2009 interview with Oprah Winfrey, she said she used cocaine for several years with her then-husband Bobbi Brown.

Toxicology tests will determine if legal or even illegal drugs played a role in her death. The results of those tests could take several weeks.

However, an autopsy is expected begin at some point Sunday.

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» Singer Whitney Houston Dead At 48

» PHOTOS: Grammy Fashion Hits And Misses

Electronic music producer Skrillex arrived in an all black, punk ensemble consisting of a leather motorcycle jacket and oversized glasses. Prescription? Probably not, but he clearly thinks they make him look cool. Good thing his songs are hits, because this outfit definitely is not.

(Getty Images/Larry Busacca)

Venezuelan band La Vida Boheme may not be well-known in the United States, but they certainly made an eye-catching appearance on the Grammy red carpet. The guys opted for all-white outfits covered in multi-colored spray paint. Not only is it all over their clothes, but the paint covers most of the band members’ faces as well.

(Getty Images/Joe Klamar)

Country singer and songwriter Alison Krauss is incredibly talented, but this dress definitely missed the mark. Although her hair and makeup look beautiful, the white crochet overlay on her dress is both unflattering and matronly. She also could’ve used a few more accessories to complete her outfit.

» PHOTOS: Stars Arrive At Grammy Awards 2012

(Getty Images/Larry Busacca)

Comedian Kathy Griffin looked nothing short of fantastic on the red carpet. Her cream one-shoulder gown is completely age-appropriate, yet still sexy. It flatters her tiny frame without being too revealing and the chunky gold accessories add just enough glam to her look. Major fashion win for Griffin.

(Getty Images/Larry Busacca)

Jersey Shore star Nicole ‘Snooki’ Polizzi rocked her typical “guidette” look with high hair and a barely there mini-dress. The zebra print on her black mini and the bow on her head not only clash, but also look a little ridiculous. It’s safe to say she will probably end up on many of the Grammy Awards worst-dressed lists.

(Getty Images/Larry Busacca)

Nominee Adele showed off a new do and slimmer figure in a striking black beaded gown. The songstress is donning her signature red lips and long lashes, which only compliment her beautiful features.

Houston died Saturday at the Beverly Hills Hotel. The cause of death hasn’t been determined.

Show Ken Ehrlich says Hudson will be featured in a “musical tribute.” He said it’s too fresh to do more now, but they had to note the Grammy-winner’s amazing accomplishments.

Prior to the news of Houston’s death, Hudson attended a pre-Grammy event where she discussed the impact Houston had on her career.

The Chicagoan talked about her love for Houston’s hit “I Will Always Love You” and said that she would “create duets with her because I wanted to sing with Whitney Houston.”

Houston actually presented Hudson with her first Grammy. Hudson said meeting her idol “almost overshadowed getting the Grammy.”

(© Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

Publicist Kristen Foster said Saturday that the singer had died, but the cause and the location of her death were unknown.

Reporting for CBS2 and KCAL9, Edward Lawrence said she was found on the 4th floor of the Beverly Hilton. He said paramedics tried to revive her but she was pronounced dead at 3:55 p.m.

Houston was set to attend Clive Davis’s annual pre-Grammy party.

Notable music producer Scott Bomar told CBS, “Whitney performing was always the apex of this party. It is surreal that she passed here earlier today. You can feel in the room that we have lost one of our own and an icon. It was all made more real when I got into an elevator with Dionne Warwick and many of her family…you realize how much of a loss this is not only to her fans but her family as well.”

Chaka Khan and Jennifer Hudson will reportedly sing a tribute to Houston at Sunday’s Grammys. Khan, of course, first sang one of Houston’s biggest smashes, “I’m Every Woman.”

At her peak, Houston the golden girl of the music industry. From the middle 1980s to the late 1990s, she was one of the world’s best-selling artists. She wowed audiences with effortless, powerful, and peerless vocals that were rooted in the black church but made palatable to the masses with a pop sheen.

Her success carried her beyond music to movies, where she starred in hits like “The Bodyguard” and “Waiting to Exhale.”

She had the he perfect voice, and the perfect image: a gorgeous singer who had sex appeal but was never overtly sexual, who maintained perfect poise.

She influenced a generation of younger singers, from Christina Aguilera to Mariah Carey, who when she first came out sounded so much like Houston that many thought it was Houston.

But by the end of her career, Houston became a stunning cautionary tale of the toll of drug use. Her album sales plummeted and the hits stopped coming; her once serene image was shattered by a wild demeanor and bizarre public appearances. She confessed to abusing cocaine, marijuana and pills, and her once pristine voice became raspy and hoarse, unable to hit the high notes as she had during her prime.

“The biggest devil is me. I’m either my best friend or my worst enemy,” Houston told ABC’s Diane Sawyer in an infamous 2002 interview with then-husband Brown by her side.

It was a tragic fall for a superstar who was one of the top-selling artists in pop music history, with more than 55 million records sold in the United States alone.

She seemed to be born into greatness. She was the daughter of gospel singer Cissy Houston, the cousin of 1960s pop diva Dionne Warwick and the goddaughter of Aretha Franklin.

Photo Gallery: Universal City, Ca Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston at the MTV awards. (Photo by Brenda Chase Online USA, Inc.)

Houston first started singing in the church as a child. In her teens, she sang backup for Chaka Khan, Jermaine Jackson and others, in addition to modeling. It was around that time when music mogul Clive Davis first heard Houston perform.

“The time that I first saw her singing in her mother’s act in a club … it was such a stunning impact,” Davis told “Good Morning America.”

“To hear this young girl breathe such fire into this song. I mean, it really sent the proverbial tingles up my spine,” he added.

Before long, the rest of the country would feel it, too. Houston made her album debut in 1985 with “Whitney Houston,” which sold millions and spawned hit after hit. “Saving All My Love for You” brought her her first Grammy, for best female pop vocal. “How Will I Know,” ”You Give Good Love” and “The Greatest Love of All” also became hit singles.

Another multiplatinum album, “Whitney,” came out in 1987 and included hits like “Where Do Broken Hearts Go” and “I Wanna Dance With Somebody.”

The New York Times wrote that Houston “possesses one of her generation’s most powerful gospel-trained voices, but she eschews many of the churchier mannerisms of her forerunners. She uses ornamental gospel phrasing only sparingly, and instead of projecting an earthy, tearful vulnerability, communicates cool self-assurance and strength, building pop ballads to majestic, sustained peaks of intensity.”

Her decision not to follow the more soulful inflections of singers like Franklin drew criticism by some who saw her as playing down her black roots to go pop and reach white audiences. The criticism would become a constant refrain through much of her career. She was even booed during the “Soul Train Awards” in 1989.

“Sometimes it gets down to that, you know?” she told Katie Couric in 1996. “You’re not black enough for them. I don’t know. You’re not R&B enough. You’re very pop. The white audience has taken you away from them.”

Some saw her 1992 marriage to former New Edition member and soul crooner Bobby Brown as an attempt to refute those critics. It seemed to be an odd union; she was seen as pop’s pure princess while he had a bad-boy image, and already had children of his own. (The couple had a daughter, Bobbi Kristina, in 1993.) Over the years, he would be arrested several times, on charges ranging from DUI to failure to pay child support.

But Houston said their true personalities were not as far apart as people may have believed.

“When you love, you love. I mean, do you stop loving somebody because you have different images? You know, Bobby and I basically come from the same place,” she told Rolling Stone in 1993. “You see somebody, and you deal with their image, that’s their image. It’s part of them, it’s not the whole picture. I am not always in a sequined gown. I am nobody’s angel. I can get down and dirty. I can get raunchy.”

It would take several years, however, for the public to see that side of Houston. Her moving 1991 rendition of “The Star Spangled Banner” at the Super Bowl, amid the first Gulf War, set a new standard and once again reaffirmed her as America’s sweetheart.

In 1992, she became a star in the acting world with “The Bodyguard.” Despite mixed reviews, the story of a singer (Houston) guarded by a former Secret Service agent (Kevin Costner) was an international success.

It also gave her perhaps her most memorable hit: a searing, stunning rendition of Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You,” which sat atop the charts for weeks. It was Grammy’s record of the year and best female pop vocal, and the “Bodyguard” soundtrack was named album of the year.

She returned to the big screen in 1995-96 with “Waiting to Exhale” and “The Preacher’s Wife.” Both spawned soundtrack albums, and another hit studio album, “My Love Is Your Love,” in 1998, brought her a Grammy for best female R&B vocal for the cut “It’s Not Right But It’s Okay.”

But during these career and personal highs, Houston was using drugs. In an interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2010, she said by the time “The Preacher’s Wife” was released, “(doing drugs) was an everyday thing. … I would do my work, but after I did my work, for a whole year or two, it was every day. … I wasn’t happy by that point in time. I was losing myself.”

In the interview, Houston blamed her rocky marriage to Brown, which included a charge of domestic abuse against Brown in 1993. They divorced in 2007.

Houston would go to rehab twice before she would declare herself drug-free to Winfrey in 2010. But in the interim, there were missed concert dates, a stop at an airport due to drugs, and public meltdowns.

She was so startlingly thin during a 2001 Michael Jackson tribute concert that rumors spread she had died the next day. Her crude behavior and jittery appearance on Brown’s reality show, “Being Bobby Brown,” was an example of her sad decline. Her Sawyer interview, where she declared “crack is whack,” was often parodied. She dropped out of the spotlight for a few years.

Houston staged what seemed to be a successful comeback with the 2009 album “I Look To You.” The album debuted on the top of the charts, and would eventually go platinum.

Things soon fell apart. A concert to promote the album on “Good Morning America” went awry as Houston’s voice sounded ragged and off-key. She blamed an interview with Winfrey for straining her voice.

A world tour launched overseas, however, only confirmed suspicions that Houston had lost her treasured gift, as she failed to hit notes and left many fans unimpressed; some walked out. Canceled concert dates raised speculation that she may have been abusing drugs, but she denied those claims and said she was in great shape, blaming illness for cancellations.

Simon Cowell was reportedly considering Houston to fill a judges seat on Fox’s second season of  “X Factor.”

Houston had recently finished filming a starring role in the remake of the 1976 film “Sparkle.” Saturday evening, a spokesperson for Sony Pictures said the movie’s August 17th release date remains firm.

Neil Portnow, president and CEO of the Recording Academy, said in a statement, “Six-time Grammy-winner Whitney Houston was one of the world’s greatest pop singers of all time who leaves behind a robust musical soundtrack spanning the past three decades. Her powerful voice graced many memorable and award-winning songs. A light has been dimmed in our music community today, and we extend our deepest condolences to her family, friends, fans and all who have been touched by her beautiful voice.”

In a later report for CBS2 and KCAL9, Edward Lawrence said scores of fans have gathered outside the Hilton. “Many are holding candles and many are singing her songs.”

He spoke to fan Melody Daff who said the singer’s death hit close to home. “I’m 48. She was 48.”

IMAGES: Whitney Houston’s Amazing Life And Tragic Death

(TM and © Copyright 2012 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

Photo Credit: Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images

The 54th Annual Grammy Awards, which airs Feb. 12 at 8 p.m. on CBS, will honor the best and brightest of the music industry. Share the art of music with your children by celebrating this year’s nominees.

The following is a list of child-appropriate nominees:

Bon Iver
www./boniver.org

This folk band has been nominated for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best New Artist for the record Hologene. Wisconsin’s favorite son, Bon Iver writes moving songs about redemption, something every child can learn from.

(credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

Mumford & Sons
www.mumfordandsons.com
London based Mumford & Sons, featuring music inspired by folk, country, rock and bluegrass, has received four nominations. The categories are Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Rock Performance and Best Rock Song for their second U.S. single, “The Cave,” from their debut album, Sigh No More. The band, comprised of four friends, is committed to making music that matters, which will certainly resonate with parents and kids alike.

Coldplay (Photo Credit: Alexander Klein/AFP/Getty Images)

Coldplay
www.coldplay.com
British alternative rock band Coldplay has been nominated for Best Pop/Duo/Group Performance for the song “Paradise.” The popular band has received numerous awards since coming onto the scene in 1996. Members are active supporters of social and political causes and perform at charity rock ‘n roll shows making them positive role models for children.

The Decemberists
decemberists.com
The band is nominated for Best Rock Performance for the track “Down By The Water” from their album The King is Dead.  The Decembrists is an indie rock band from Portland, Oregon. With lyrics focusing on important historical events, kids can learn while listening.

Adele (Photo Credit: Valerie Macon/AFP/Getty Images)

Adele
www.adele.tv
British singer Adele is particularly a parent favorite not only for her songs and lyrics but also for the fact that she is a positive role model for girls everywhere. With six nominations, Adele is the first female singer to receive a nod for the top album, 21, single from that album, “Rolling In The Deep”, and vie for artist of the year.

The Grammy Awards will broadcast at 8 p.m. from The Staples Center in downtown L.A. Kanye West led with seven nominations this year, but Adele, the Foo Fighters and Bruno Mars brought up close seconds with six each. Who among the nominees do you let your kids listen to?

Visit the GRAMMYs section at CBS Local.

Related: Staples Center Guide.

Susan Hartzler is a freelance writer living in L0s Angeles. She is covering Family & Pets. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.

Colbie Caillat

Photo Credit: ODD ANDERSEN/AFP/Getty Images

Colbie Caillat is a local artists, born in Malibu, CA, and winner of two Grammys in 2009. The first was for her featured performance on Taylor Swift’s Fearless. The second was for collaboration with Jason Mraz on her breakout anthem “Lucky”. Although she was born into the music industry, she first rose to fame as the number one unsigned artist on Myspace Music. Caillat will be performing a special engagement Valentine’s Day show in Thousand Oaks.

Chucho Valdes & The Afro Cuban Messengers

Chucho Valdes is the Cuban born Latin jazz heavyweight who is an accomplished pianist, composer, arranger and bandleader. His pedigree includes his father Bebo, director of the iconic Tropicana nightclub in Havana, Cuba. Valdes is perhaps known best as the founder of the late 70s group Irakere, which won him his first Grammy in 1978. He has gone on to win four more, including last year’s Best Latin Jazz Album with his new project The Afro-Cuban Messengers.

Los Lonely Boys

Los Lonely Boys are three Texas-based brothers who exploded onto the music scene in 2003 with their unique “Texican” rock and roll. The next year, the boys won the Grammy for Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal.  The group will be performing at Santa Monica College on February 25th.

Related: Best music clubs in LA.

Mingus Dynasty

Jazz great, Charles Mingus died in 1979, leaving behind more than 300 unheard compositions. His devoted wife Sue Mingus took on the monumental task of carrying on his legacy by creating and directing repertory ensembles to perform his work. Last year, Sue won the Grammy for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album with the most well known of the Mingus Bands, the Mingus Big Band. Sue will bring the first band she organized to play Charles’ unheard work, The 7-piece Mingus Dynasty to Royce Hall at UCLA for a one night only engagement.

Elvis Costello

Photo Credit: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images

The 1999 Grammy winner (for his collaboration with Burt Bacharach on 1998’s “I Still Have That Other Girl”) was first nominated in 1979 for Best New Artist, and has been nominated 13 times to date. His current project, Elvis Costello and the Imposters, sold out two shows last spring to the Revolver tours “Spectacular Spinning Songbook” at the historic Wiltern Theater at the intersection of Wilshire and Western.  For fans of the seminal performer who missed the shows, this springs one night only engagement at the Wiltern provides one last chance to catch the unique program where the set list is determined by a wheel of fortune.

Visit the GRAMMYs section at CBS Local.

Related: 2012 Grammy Nominees.

Kristen Lowman is a freelance writer living in Los Angeles. Her work can be found on Examiner.com.

LOS ANGELES (CBS) — Hundreds of Los Angeles area high school students Wednesday attended Grammy Camp, where they learned about the realities of the music business from Grammy-winning singers, songwriters, and producers.

The Grammy Foundation invited more than 700 kids to take part in intensive career workshops and one-on-one sessions with music industry professionals.

Jimmy Jam is a five-time Grammy winner who has worked with artists such as Janet Jackson and Mariah Carey.

“We’re not really trying to show them how to do specific things,” said Jam. “But we’re trying to make sure that if music is something they want to pursue, we inspire them to do that.”

Inspiration can be hard to come by for these students who often see their school music programs cut.

“I think arts in schools is one of the most important things,” said student Rebecca Michelson. “Building group dynamics, and getting people to be creative, knowing they can do something that they really love.”

Michelson said the Grammy program helps reaffirm that importance.

Producer and songwriter Evan Bogart, who has worked with Rihanna and Beyonce, told students the key to making it is to be themselves.

“I think a lot of people are doing stuff that they feel like other people want from them as opposed to being themselves,” said Bogart.

Grammy Camp “Basic Training” took place at USC’s Thornton School of Music. It was sponsored by Ford Motor Company Fund and the Starkey Hearing Foundation.

The Grammys are this Sunday on CBS. But there’s still time to pick your favorites on Pick-A-Side.

Who had the best album last year? What was the best song? Who was the best new artist? Grammys nominees and also-rans square off on Pick-A-Side. And you pick the winner.

And the Grammy goes to… Decide who should win the Grammy for all the top categories. Select a category below and get started…

The announcement comes on the heels of The Roots’ 7th Grammy nomination for Best Traditional R&B Performance for “Surrender” with Betty Wright.

With an audience packed full of musicians and talent from every area of the entertainment industry, The Roots Jam Session is a night where unique mash-ups and groundbreaking music is created. Past performers and attendees include Jay-Z, Norah Jones, Cee-Lo, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Slash, Black Eyed Peas, Fall Out Boy, Mos Def, Beyoncè, Queen Latifah, Bill Maher, Snoop Dog, Matisyahu, Anita Baker, Queens of the Stone Age, K’naan, Corinne Bailey Rae, John Mayer, Chelsea Handler, Travis Barker and Prince.

In addition to the performances, The Roots Jam Session is annually interwoven with themes of social awareness, partnering with top organizations dedicated to creating global change. The goal is to entertain but also to utilize the power of its high-profile attendees to make an impact and educate audiences outside of the Jam.

The Roots Jam Session has previously partnered with organizations from Save Darfur to Green Music Group. This year’s cause partner is United Roots, an organization that engages and empowers marginalized youth in a variety of socially innovative ways from arts and media training, career and workforce development, community engagement and wellness services by creating a safe and sustainable environment for youth to heal and grow.

Talent for the Jam will be announced in the upcoming days.

The Grammys are this Sunday on CBS. But there’s still time to pick your favorites on Pick-A-Side.

Who had the best album last year? What was the best song? Who was the best new artist? Grammys nominees and also-rans square off on Pick-A-Side. And you pick the winner.

And the Grammy goes to… Decide who should win the Grammy for all the top categories. Select a category below and get started…

Visit the GRAMMYs section at CBS Local.

The iconic 1960′s band is slated to perform with Foster the People and Maroon 5.

Also new to the performers list are the Civil Wars, Diana Krall, funk artist Maceo Parker and Joe Walsh. They join an already heavy-duty roster that includes Adele, Jason Aldean, Kelly Clarkson, Tony Bennett, Carrie Underwood, Chris Brown, Glen Campbell with the Band Perry and Blake Shelton, Coldplay, Rihanna, deadmau5, Foo Fighters, David Guetta, Alicia Keys, Bonnie Raitt, Lil Wayne, Bruno Mars, Paul McCartney, Nicki Minaj, Katy Perry, Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band and Taylor Swift.

Presenters will include Common, actor Taraji P. Henson, Reba McEntire, Diana Ross, Marc Anthony, Dierks Bentley, Jack Black, Drake, Fergie, Lady Antebellum, Miranda Lambert, Gwyneth Paltrow, Ryan Seacrest and Ringo Starr.

LL Cool J will host the Grammys, which air live Sunday on CBS.

Visit the GRAMMYs section at CBS Local.

The Grammys are this Sunday on CBS. But there’s still time to pick your favorites on Pick-A-Side.

Who had the best album last year? What was the best song? Who was the best new artist? Grammys nominees and also-rans square off on Pick-A-Side. And you pick the winner.

And the Grammy goes to… Decide who should win the Grammy for all the top categories. Select a category below and get started…

Visit the GRAMMYs section at CBS Local.

The pulse of Downtown LA is pretty fast paced and a good dose of Java usually helps keep in stride. Illy Espressamente sits in the lobby of the JW Marriott Hotel. With it’s sleek design of red, silver and white and authentic Italian style, Illy Espressamente offers light gastropub fare with emphasis on coffee and tea. Whether you get your caffeine on the fly or sip it leisurely in the cafe or outer hotel lobby to people watch, this is one place you don’t want to skip.

Related: Best coffee Boutiques in Los Angeles

(credit: bowlluckystrike.com)

This isn’t your parents’ bowling alley. Plush seating, cozy dining areas, posh VIP, surround sound, DJ’s and electronic art shows are just a few elements in the Lucky Strike Lanes & Lounge experience. And with items like grilled burgers, chicken pot pie and short ribs so tasty you might forget you’re there to bowl.

Relaxed, stylish setting, private dining and patio seating are only part of the charm for this authentic brand of true Mexican dining. The menu hosts an array of bold flavors and unique creations like empanadas de jaiba and chile ancho relleno that will keep you coming back for more. And if that’s not enough to get you in, there’s always their daily happy hour.

Move over Downtown Standard Hotel, Ion has arrived. Hip, swanky and the right amount of pretentious cool has transformed the fourth floor of The Marriott Hotel into one of LA’s coolest rooftop bars. Ion is the ultimate break from reality with its own unique skyline view and heated pool. Signature cocktails and appetizer menu are offered year round.

(credit: lawrysonline.com)

Looking for a little carnivorous indulgence before your team goes into battle? Then Lawry’s Carvery is where to head before a big game. Eight to 12 ounce prime rib platters, hand carved roast beef, turkey, chicken and of course prime rib sandwiches are all made to order and served hot and juicy, just the way they should be. But Lawry’s Carvery knows the players aren’t the only ones trying to beat the clock. All to-go orders are packed special so you can still eat it as hot as it would be if you ate it in the restaurant.

Related: Best sandwiches in Los Angeles

Kristine G. Bottone is a freelance writer living in Los Angeles. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.

He thinks he’s figured it out this year. For the first time, the Grammy show will put the spotlight on the genre with a segment featuring Grammy nominees Deadmau5, the Foo Fighters, Chris Brown, David Guetta and Lil Wayne, all performing in a tent space amid 1,000 fans.

“We decided to go all out this year,” Ehrlich said of the performance taking place outside the Staples Center, where Sunday’s ceremony will be held. “All we’re going to try and do next week is to try and put the home audience in the middle of it. … It is more than just sitting there and watching it.”

Dance music did not receive its own category until 2003 with the best dance recording/dance field, and the music had not been featured with its own segment in the show.

“I don’t know that I figured out a way to do it that felt right until now,” Ehrlich said in an interview Monday. “My feeling about dance is it’s such an immersive experience for the participant, that to put it on stage … where the audience is not a part of it … I don’t know, honestly, until we came up with the idea of doing it this way, I don’t know if it ever would have worked.”

Ehrlich calls the performance the “most ambitious number that we’ve ever done outside the Staples Center.” It will feature at least four cameras from audience level as Deadmau5 (pronounced dead mouse) and the Foo Fighters perform his remixed version of the band’s song “Rope,” which netted him one of his Grammy nominations, and as Brown and Lil Wayne perform with Guetta.

Ehrlich said the performance reflects the popularity of dance music over the past few years.

“As much as a recorded medium that it is, and the fact that it’s selling a lot of CDs and downloads, it’s really a live experience,” he said. “It is more than just sitting there and watching it.”

Other performers on the show include Adele, Bruce Springsteen, Chris Brown, Paul McCartney and Taylor Swift for what Ehrlich boasted would be a “pretty amazing show.”

“What I try and do when we’re building this show is to think about the audience first. … What can I do that’s going to keep an audience for 3 1/2 hours watching the Grammy Awards?” he said. “I do try and look for how broad I can make it and still assume that people are going to tune in and stay with it.”

(© Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

Photo Credit: Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images

East of the 405

Amoeba Music opens its doors to music lovers of all genres. The store stocks sounds from the top 40 to the best in underground rock and hip-hop, soul, electronica, new and classic jazz and world music.  Recently, the boutique highlighted 14-time Grammy-winner Chet Atkins Chet Picks On the Grammys.

Related: Best Jazz Clubs In Los Angeles

Debuting at the height of New Wave music in 1985 when Cyndi Lauper was crowned Best New Artist, Record Surplus is one of the largest sellers of used vinyl records and CDs on the West Coast.  Loyal customers swear by Record Surplus’ affordable prices, rare finds and “laid back vibe.” The extensive collection is restocked daily and covers rock, soul, jazz, big band, classical, opera, blues, oldies, rap, reggae, new age, gospel, country, folk, world music and 12-inch singles.

Beach Town

Touting itself as the “best kept secret record store” for hunters near Santa Monica and Venice Beach, Angel City Bookstore & Records has one of the largest collection of new and used vinyl LPs, classic rock, blues, jazz, country, soul, funk, pop, Elvis, Sinatra, movie soundtracks, Broadway shows and comedy. You might even be able to locate Grammy-nominees from the 1^st Annual Grammy Awards in 1959 when Van Cliburn, Tchaikovksy: Concerto No. 1 In B-Flat Minor, Op. 23 and Ella Fitzgerald, Ella Fitzgerald Sings The Irving Berlin Songbook topped the charts and ran away with Album of the Year.

Photo Credit: Thinkstock.com

Off the 101

CD Trader began as a hole-in-the-wall independent music and video store in 1995 and has been servicing music lovers for the last 10 years. CD Trader features classic rock Grammy-nominees and winners including Bob Dylan, the Beatles, the Byrds and the Doors.

Related: An Intimate Evening with Brian McKnight

Freakbeat Records store is filled with new and used vinyl from all musical genres. The shop features hundreds of collectible records lining the walls and ceiling beams and vinyl box sets from The Doors, Bob Dylan and the Grateful Dead. Freakbeat Records’ $0.99 room is a Mecca for bargain hunters and restocked daily.

Worth the 20 minute drive

If you are looking for it, Penny Lane Records will help you find it. The record shop is known for its database of one-of-a-kinds and scouring the earth for the rare vinyl on your wish list. Penny Lane Records will let you know if a title is currently in print, locate it and will usually have it for you within one to five days.

Visit the GRAMMYs section at CBS Local.

Jennifer Geisman is a freelance writer and faithful beauty junkie living in Los Angeles. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.

Price: $12.95 adults; $11.95 students 18 years and older with valid ID and seniors; $10.95 youth (6-17 years) and military personnel; Children 5 years and under and members free

Tickets can be purchased at the Box Office or on Ticketmaster.com

(Photo by Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images)

Located in a tall and narrow structure facing Figueroa Street at LA Live in downtown Los Angeles, the Grammy Museum celebrates the legacies of all forms of music, the artists who have elevated each genre to the spotlight, and the history of the Grammy Awards.

As visitors enter the museum’s lobby, they are directed to an elevator that takes them to the fourth floor and into a colorful room equipped with large television screens displaying moments recorded during past Grammy Awards celebrations. Guests get a glimpse of the evolution of the Grammy Awards through glass boxes housing different versions of the statuettes–from its first version back in 1958 to the one music artists receive today.

(credit: Dena Burroughs)

The fourth floor opens up into a gallery filled with interactive presentations, artifacts, photographs, and films. The Crossroads table, for example, allows visitors to explore any genre of music and read about its history, the artists that best represent it, and other music genres that may be related to their choice. It is also on this floor that the special exhibit “Andrea Bocelli: The Story of a Voice” stands. This lovely display of Bocelli’s performing outfits, Braille machines, interviews, and photos is now in its final days, remaining at the museum until February 12.

A set of stairs leads to the third floor, which houses a permanent exhibit of the Latin Grammy Awards. The display includes a video of various performances recorded during awards ceremonies, multiple photographs, one of Celia Cruz’s shiniest dresses, and interactive congas and timbales set up with everything needed for guests to imagine themselves as a Latin music performer for a few minutes. It is also here that “the dress” that Jennifer Lopez wore to the 42nd Grammy Awards in 2000, that green-turquoise flowery gown with a V-neck that plunged to her belly button and gave her much media attention, is displayed.

The third floor also gives guests an opportunity to experience the advancements in technology since Edison’s 1877 phonograph. In a small room, choose one of four songs and hear it transform from what it would have sounded like on a phonograph to what it sounds like today, thanks to surround systems.

(credit: Dena Burroughs)

Until March 25, the second floor exhibits “George Harrison: Living in the Material World.” Through multiple photographs the gallery allows guests to see the famous Beatle in his young years and to appreciate the musical accomplishments of his life time. Framed on the wall are several songs in his handwriting and large and beautiful pictures taken during his years in India.

The journey through the Grammy Museum can comfortably last a couple of hours and could be extended much longer by watching every film, using every interactive aid, and reading every document available. It provides for a stimulating and thought provoking tour that will help us appreciate the power of music and how much it is involved in our daily living.

Visit the GRAMMYs section at CBS Local.

Related:  Kid Friendly Museums in Los Angeles

Dena Burroughs is a freelance writer living in Azusa, CA. She is a CSULA graduate with specialties in Creative Writing and Communications. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.

Katy Perry (Photo Credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

The Live on Letterman concert series brings you electrifying performances from today’s hottest musical acts. Check out Katy Perry, Wilco, Taylor Swift, My Morning Jacket and other 2012 Grammy nominees, straight from the Ed Sullivan Theater to your computer.

Watch GRAMMY artist performances from CBS Radio studios.

Visit the GRAMMYs section at CBS Local.

Check Out Live On Letterman for additional exciting performances.

Mumford & Sons (Photo Credit: Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images)

These 2012 Grammy-nominated artists recently performed in our studios at CBS Radio. See (and hear) what all the buzz is about…

Watch GRAMMY artist performances from Live On Letterman.

Visit the GRAMMYs section at CBS Local.

Visit the GRAMMYs section at CBS Local.