Whitney Houston Dead: Clive Davis Says He is 'Personally Devastated by the Loss'

Whitney Houston died at the Beverly Hilton hotel on Saturday, the same place where she was to attend an annual pre-Grammy gala put on by mentor Clive Davis who said he is "devastated" at the singer's death.

"I am personally devastated by the loss of someone who has meant so much to me," Davis said, as reported by The Associated Press. "She was full of life, looking forward for tonight. She loved music and she loved this night that celebrated music."

Davis described Whitney Houston, 48, as a "beautiful person" and said she "had a talent beyond compare."

"She graced this stage ... so many times," he added. "So simply put: Whitney would have wanted the music to go on."

The AP said Davis dedicated the evening to the singer who has died of unknown causes on Saturday in her hotel room, and asked for a moment of silence.

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There speculations that the party would have been cancelled because of Houston's death. However, Grammy President and CEO Neil Portnow told The AP that "cancelling the party was never an option."

"The legacy she left will be here forever," he said and announced that Jennifer Hudson would perform a tribute to Houston at Sunday's Grammys.

Beverly Hills Police Lt. Mark Rosen told the media that he can "confirm that Whitney Houston was pronounced dead at 3:55 p.m. at the Beverly Hilton Hotel." He added that her body was identified by friends and others close to the singer and that her next of kin has been notified.

Rosen said that authorities got a call at 3:43 p.m. from hotel security and Beverly Hills Fire and police responded minutes later.

"It's unclear who notified hotel staff because she has quite an entourage here at the hotel," he said. "We attempted to resuscitate her, to no avail."

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