Wyclef Jean (right) with DJ David Christian on Saturday night, Feb. 11, at The Pool at Harrah's in Atlantic City.
With the sudden passing of Whitney Houston on Saturday, Feb. 11, the day before the Grammy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles, Calif., Atlantic City Weekly remembers the New Jersey native and encourages fans to leave their memories of her on our Facebook page or tweet @acweekly
Wyclef Jean, who was at The Pool at Harrah's on Saturday night, where he performed with DJ David Christian, spoke with Atlantic City Weekly columnist David J. Spatz about Houston's death, only hours after the news broke.
"It's one of the saddest days for me and my entire family," Wyclef told Spatz. "I got a chance to be with Whitney a few times in the studio, outside the studio — and I always hold her in a very special place in my heart and I think for us entertainers the hardest thing is to lose one of us, and then we still have to go out on stage and give it our all, you know?
"That's one of the things I learned from Whitney Houston. It really hit me hard because I know what she sounds like I know what her comedy voice sounds like, I know what it [sounds like] when she's singing in the studio. And whenever I [saw] her she always just so warm.
"We're at a Pool party [tonight] and I don't want to like have anybody feel blue, but defintley for the respect that I have for Whitney, I'm going to definitely do a moment a silence at the very beginning [of my set] and then I'll probably play a special Whitney record before starting the show.
PICTURED: Whitney Houston at the former Sands in Atlantic City, Sept. 8, 1994.
New Jersey Gov. Chris Chistie issued a statement about the tragic loss.
“Whitney Houston was a true New Jersey treasure. Her terribly premature death is an awful loss for her family and the incredible New Jersey musical family. Her soaring talent put her in the pantheon of great New Jersey musical talents like Frank Sinatra, Count Basie and Bruce Springsteen. Our prayers are with her family.”
Click on next page for video of Wyclef Jean talking about Whitney Houston at The Pool at Harrah's.
“The people in Atlantic City are very sharp, and for me, as a musician, it’s a very lively place for me, it’s very creative for me, When I perform in Atlantic City, it’s different from other places. It’s like all walks of life come to see me, and it’s very cool.”
Plus Atlantic City Restaurant Week preview, Drew Toonz and bandleader Vince Giordano on 'Boardwalk Empire' soundtrack winning a Grammy.
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