Whitney Houston: Details of Death Emerge and Autopsy is Performed (Updated)

Singer Whitney Houston was reportedly found unconscious in bathtub at her hotel. She “would have wanted the music to go on,” producer Clive Davis tells shocked attendees as his Grammy party

The morning after Clive Davis' Grammy party turned into a celebratory tribute, details surrounding the death of Whitney Houston began to emerge.

The singer was found unconscious and submerged in the bathtub of her room at the Beverly Hilton by her hairdresser Saturday afternoon, according to TMZ. She called security, paramedics were summoned and a bodyguard attempted to resuscitate her via CPR, but Houston was declared dead at 3:55 p.m.

Read more: Whitney Houston Dead at 48 

An autopsy was performed Sunday but police weren't talking about the investigation and said there would be no updates until Monday. Results of the autopsy won't be known until toxicology tests are analyzed, which typically takes 4-6 weeks.  

The singer's death, coming on the eve of Sunday night's Grammy Awards (CBS, 8 p.m.), threw organizers and those in town for the event into a state of shocked disarray.

Even as planners worked to incorporate a tribute to Houston into Sunday night's events, Recording Academy CEO Neil Portnow said “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."

Davis' Saturday night party, a must-attend for every star in the music industry, was set to honor Richard Branson. Instead on the red carpet music stars were asked about the shocking death of Whitney, 48, just hours earlier on the fourth floor of that same hotel.

Davis, who discovered Houston and became a mentor to her, was said to be “devastated."  But in opening remarks at the party, he issued a call to celebrate her life.

"Whitney was a beautiful person and a talent beyond compare," Davis said. "She graced this stage with her regal presence and gave so many memorable performances here over the years. Simply put, Whitney would have wanted the music to go on and her family asked that we carry on."

Performances and tributes from artists such as Sean Combs, Tony Bennett, The Kinks, Wiz Khalifa and R&B singer Alicia Keys turned the mood into  celebration of her life.

Bennett kicked off the evening with a subdued performance of "How Do You Keep The Music Playing," and gave a speech that recalled the tragic deaths of Michael Jackson and Amy Winehouse who, like Houston, had suffered from drug abuse during their lives. 

"She always, she always hit you with that beautiful smile, she always hit you with that incredible energy, she gave you that hug, that grandma hug that just shook your body," Combs told the Daily Telegraph.

The 54th Grammy awards celebrate the best in American music, and the highlight of the show on Sunday was expected to be a performance by Adele, the first time she returns to performing since she had throat surgery.

Paul McCartney is also set to perform, and another anticipated moment is meant to be a reunion of the Beach Boys.

But Grammy organizers were scrambling on Saturday to incorporate the demise of Houston, one of the most successful pop singers of all time, and a winner of six Grammys.

In her career, Houston sold over 170 million albums and singles worldwide, with many hit singles. Her lead single, “I Will Always Love You,” became the best-selling album by a female artist in music history.

She was the only artist to chart seven consecutive No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 hits: "Saving All My Love for You," "How Will I Know," "Greatest Love of All," "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)," "Didn't We Almost Have It All," "So Emotional” and "Where Do Broken Hearts Go".

A spokesman for the Grammy awards did not return calls about changes to the telecast, which airs on Sunday.

In what appears to have been her last public appearance, Houston attended the Kelly Price & Friends for the love of R& B event at Tru Hollywood on Thursday night.

She arrived with her daughter Bobbi Kristina and walked the red carpet. She took the stage to sing a brief duet of "Jesus Loves Me" before returning to her table. She left with her entourage after the performances. 

Mikey Glazer contributed to this report.

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