Melinda Ledbetter

Whitney Houston

Aug 08, 1963 - Feb 10, 2012

Beverly Hills, CA

"I Will Always Love You," singer and "The Bodyguard" actress Whitney Houston met her tragic end 13 years back. Born in 1963 in Newark, New Jersey, Whitney Houston died in 2012 in Beverly Hills, California, at the age of 48. She was an American actress and singer who was one of the best-selling musical performers of the 1980s and 1990s. Her fantastic vocal ability and dynamic, emotive power became the benchmark of excellence on which all other pop singers were judged in her lifetime. Indeed, it was her talent that earned her the apt nickname "the Voice." The six-time Grammy winner had an incomparable singing ability when she burst onto the scene, having been discovered by Clive Davis when she was 19. Her debut album sold 12 million copies in the United States, and she became one of the best-selling artists ever. In 1992, Whitney Houston made her motion-picture debut in "The Bodyguard." The film featured her rendition of Dolly Parton's "I Will Always Love You," which stayed at number one for obvious reasons for 14 weeks. The soundtrack of the film dominated the Grammys and won awards for "Album of the Year," "Best Female Pop Vocal Performance," and "Record of the Year." In February 2012, the 48-year-old singer was found unconscious and underwater in the bathtub in her room. She left behind her daughter, Bobbi Kristina Brown, who eerily shared a similar fate three years after her mother's passing when she was also found unconscious in a bathtub at the age of 22. In 2020, Whitney Houston was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. She is respected as one of the greatest singers of all time. However, Houston will always be remembered as one of the saddest stories that the music industry has to offer.

Anne Edwards

Aug 19, 1927 - Jan 19, 2024

Beverly Hills, CA

Anne Edwards, the acclaimed American author, passed away in Beverly Hills, California, on January 20th, 2024, at the age of 96. Renowned for her captivating biographies, she delved into the lives of Hollywood stars like Judy Garland and Katharine Hepburn, as well as royalty such as Queen Mary and Princess Diana. Born in Port Chester, New York, Anne's family relocated to the West during the Great Depression, where her uncle, Dave Chasen, ran the famous Chasen's restaurant. After attending UCLA and SMU, she embarked on a career in Hollywood, initially as a writer at MGM. Anne's literary journey took her across continents, residing in Europe before returning to Beverly Hills in the 1970s. She left a remarkable legacy, penning best-selling novels like ""The Survivors"" and ""Haunted Summer,"" which inspired a film adaptation. A prolific writer, Anne authored numerous biographies, novels, children's books, and memoirs, leaving an indelible mark on literature. Her contributions extended beyond writing, as she served as President of the Authors Guild and contributed to the Writer's Guild of America. Anne's dedication to storytelling lives on in her surviving family, including her daughter Catherine Edwards Sadler, son Michael Edwards, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Her work continues to inspire and captivate readers around the world.