Singer Whitney Houston dead at 48

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Grammy-winning singer Whitney Houston has died, says a report on ABCNews.com.

The 48-year-old singer, daughter of gospel legend Cissy Houston, had struggled in recent years to repair a once squeaky-clean image sullied by public battles with drugs and alcohol, erratic behavior, and botched performances, as well as by a rocky and sometimes violent marriage to R&B singer Bobby Brown. Publicist Kristen Foster confirmed Saturday evening that the former diva had passed away, but declined to give information as to the manner of death or where it took place.

As recently as Friday, media outlets claimed that Houston was being eyed for a spot on the judging panel of the reality TV show “X Factor.” Just today, the AP reported that the singer was set to take part in a pre-Grammy party organized by former Arista Records head Clive Davis.

In a 2002 interview with ABC’s Diane Sawyer, Houston said of her struggles with drugs and other demons, “The biggest devil is me. I’m either my best friend or my worst enemy.”

(image via Flickr Commons)