The Apollo Theater announced that Chaka Khan will perform a tribute to Whitney Houston at its Spring Gala next month. One of Houston's hits from The Bodyguard was a cover of Chaka Khan's "I'm Every Woman" (written by Nick Ashford and Valerie Simpson). Houston and Khan, who were friends, performed it at the 1999 VH1 Divas concert:
After Houston's tragic death hours before a pre-Grammys party, Khan had criticized Houston's mentor, music mogul Clive Davis, for continuing with the party: "I thought that was complete insanity. And knowing Whitney, I don't believe she would've said, the show must go on. She's the kind of woman who would've said, 'Stop everything, I'm not going to be there.'" She also questioned the decision to have Houston, who had troubles with drug addiction, in Los Angeles for a week before the performance. Houston's cause of death was declared an accidental drowning, but a coroner's report said "cocaine and metabolites were identified and were contributory to the death. Marijuana, Alprazolam (Xanax), Cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril) and Diphenhydramine (Benadryl) were identified but did not contribute to the death."
Here's Houston's version of "I'm Every Woman" from 1992:
And Khan's original:
Also being honored at the Spring Gala are Lionel Ritchie and the late Etta James; both will be inducted into the Apollo Hall of Fame.
