Wonderwall

Jennifer Hudson "Sobbing" Rehearsing "I Will Always Love You" Tribute to Whitney Houston

USMagazine, Sunday, February 12, 2012, 3:39pm (PST)

Jennifer Hudson is trying to stay strong for Sunday evening's Grammy Awards -- but it isn't easy.

The huge-voiced singer was tapped last minute to perform a "respectful musical tribute" to the late Whitney Houston after news of her death in Beverly Hills shocked the world late Saturday.

PHOTOS: Whitney's life in pictures

Hudson dutifully showed up for rehearsals in L.A. on Sunday morning to sing Houston's trademark ballad "I Will Always Love You." Understandably, Hudson "began sobbing hysterically," a backstage source tells Us Weekly. "She had to restart [the song] several times before making it through."

VIDEO: Inside Whitney's sad decline

Production staffers were similarly teary-eyed during the run. The entire morning, indeed, was challenging, with last-minute script and song changes made. Chaka Khan -- for whom Houston once sang backup, and whose hit "I'm Every Woman" Houston covered -- is also rumored to perform with Hudson.

PHOTOS: A look back at the Grammys 2011

"All stars have been accommodating," the source said. "No one has batted an eye or been a diva...People are trying to be upbeat."

PHOTOS: Jennifer Hudson's incredible slimdown

Ken Erhlich, Grammy Executive Producer, explained to the Los Angeles Times how they decided to go with the small tribute. "It's too fresh in everyone's memory to do more at this time, but we would be remiss if we didn't recognize Whitney's remarkable contribution to music fans in general, and, in particular, her close ties with the Grammy telecast and her Grammy wins and nominations over the years.

Get more Us! Follow us on Twitter, Friend us on Facebook, Subscribe to Us Weekly

Wonderwall Video

Celebs Gone Social for June 19, 2013
Celebs Gone Social for June 17, 2013
Celebs Gone Social for June 14, 2013
Celebs Gone Social for June 12, 2013
Celebs Gone Social for June 10, 2013
Celebs Gone Social for June 7, 2013
Celebs Gone Social for June 5, 2013
Celebs Gone Social for June 3, 2013
Celebs Gone Social for May 31, 2013
Celebs Gone Social for May 29, 2013
Celebs Gone Social for May 24, 2013
Celebs Gone Social for May 22, 2013
Celebs Gone Social for May 20, 2013
Celebs Gone Social for May 17, 2013
Celebs Gone Social for May 15, 2013
Celebs Gone Social for May 13, 2013
Celebs Gone Social for May 10, 2013
Celebs Gone Social for May 8, 2013
Celebs Gone Social for May 6, 2013
Celebs Gone Social for May 3, 2013
Celebs Gone Social for May 1, 2013
Celebs Gone Social for April 29, 2013
Celebs Gone Social for April 26, 2013
Celebs Gone Social for April 24, 2013
Celebs Gone Social for April 22, 2013
Celebs Gone Social for April 19, 2013
Celebs Gone Social for April 17, 2013
Celebs Gone Social for April 15, 2013
Celebs Gone Social for April 12, 2013
Celebs Gone Social for April 10, 2013
Celebs Gone Social for April 8, 2013
Celebs Gone Social for April 5, 2013
Celebs Gone Social for April 3, 2013
Celebs Gone Social for April 1, 2013
Celebs Gone Social for March 29, 2013
Celebs Gone Social for March 27, 2013
Celebs Gone Social for March 25, 2013
Celebs Gone Social for March 22, 2013
Celebs Gone Social for March 20, 2013
Celebs Gone Social for March 18, 2013
Celebs Gone Social for March 15, 2013
Celebs Gone Social for March 13, 2013
Celebs Gone Social for March 11, 2013
Celebs Gone Social for March 8, 2013
Celebs Gone Social for March 6, 2013
Celebs Gone Social for March 4, 2013
Celebs Gone Social for March 1, 2013
Celebs Gone Social for Feb. 27, 2013
Celebs Gone Social for Feb. 25, 2013
Celebs Gone Social for Feb. 22, 2013
Celebs Gone Social for Feb. 20, 2013
Celebs Gone Social for Feb. 15, 2013
Celebs Gone Social for Feb. 13, 2013
Celebs Gone Social for Feb. 11, 2013
Celebs Gone Social for Feb. 8, 2013
Celebs Gone Social for Feb. 6, 2013
Celebs Gone Social for Feb. 4, 2013
Celebs Gone Social for Feb. 1, 2013
Celebs Gone Social for Jan. 30, 2013
Celebs Gone Social for Jan. 28, 2013
Celebs Gone Social for Jan. 25, 2013
Celebs Gone Social for Jan. 23, 2013
Celebs Gone Social for Jan. 18, 2013
Celebs Gone Social for Jan. 21, 2013
Celebs Gone Social for Jan. 16, 2013
Celebs Gone Social for Jan. 14, 2013
Celebs Gone Social for Jan. 11, 2013
Celebs Gone Social for Jan. 9, 2013
Celebs Gone Social for Jan. 7, 2013
Celebs Gone Social for Jan. 4, 2013
Celebs Gone Social for Jan. 2, 2013
Celebs Gone Social for Dec. 28, 2012
Celebs Gone Social for Dec. 26, 2012
Celebs Gone Social for Dec. 21, 2012
Celebs Gone Social for Dec. 19, 2012
Celebs Gone Social for Dec. 17, 2012
CGS: Best TMI Tweets of 2012
CGS: Best Bikini TwitPics of 2012
Celebs Gone Social for Dec. 14, 2012
Celebs Gone Social for Dec. 12, 2012
Celebs Gone Social for Dec. 10, 2012
Celebs Gone Social for Dec. 7, 2012
Celebs Gone Social for Dec. 5, 2012
Celebs Gone Social for Dec. 3, 2012
Celebs Gone Social for Nov. 30, 2012
Celebs Gone Social for Nov. 28, 2012
Celebs Gone Social for Nov. 26, 2012
Celebs Gone Social for Nov. 21, 2012
Celebs Gone Social for Nov. 19, 2012
Celebs Gone Social for Nov. 16, 2012
Celebs Gone Social for Nov. 14, 2012
Celebs Gone Social for Nov. 12, 2012
Celebs Gone Social for Nov. 9, 2012
Celebs Gone Social for Nov. 7, 2012
Celebs Gone Social for Nov. 5, 2012
Celebs Gone Social for Nov. 2, 2012
Celebs Gone Social for Oct. 31, 2012
Celebs Gone Social for Oct. 29, 2012
Celebs Gone Social for Oct. 26, 2012
Celebs Gone Social for Oct. 24, 2012
Celebs Gone Social for Oct. 22, 2012
Celebs Gone Social for Oct. 19, 2012
Celebs Gone Social for Oct. 17, 2012
Celebs Gone Social for Oct. 15, 2012
Celebs Gone Social for Oct. 12, 2012
Celebs Gone Social for Oct. 10, 2012
Celebs Gone Social for Oct. 8, 2012
Celebs Gone Social for Oct. 5, 2012
Celebs Gone Social for Oct. 1, 2012

Celebs Gone Social for June 17, 2013

Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne put on a united front as they step out for an awards show in Los Angeles on today's Celebs Gone Social hosted by Wonderwall Editor Chris Gardner.