WHITNEY HOUSTON Dead at 48

Whitney Houston died this afternoon ... a rep for the singer told the Associated Press.

Our sources tell us a member of Whitney's entourage found her in her room at the Beverly Hilton hotel ... and called hotel security -- who then dialed 911. When paramedics arrived Houston was found unresponsive. 

We're told police arrived to the scene within minutes and fire was already there on an unrelated call. According to our sources, paramedics performed CPR but it did not work and she was pronounced dead at 3:55 PM. 

Our sources say there were no obvious signs of foul play, but BH PD detectives have begun a full investigation. We're told she was ID'ed by family and friends.

The singer famously battled drug addiction for years.

Houston was seen out in Hollywood Thursday night for a Grammy party ... and she did not look well (below). She even briefly took the mic and performed a song while she was there -- what would become her last performance.


Houston won two Emmy Awards, six Grammy Awards, 30 Billboard Music Awards, 22 American Music Awards during her record-breaking career. Her album "Whitney" was the first female album to ever debut at #1 on the Billboard Charts. She has sold 200 million albums worldwide.

Houston holds an Honorary Doctorate in Humanities from Grambling State University in Louisiana.

Houston had one child, Bobbi Kristina, with husband Bobby Brown. Houston and Brown were married from 1992-2007.

We spotted Whitney out just last weekend with on-again/off-again beau Ray-J


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