Monday Memo

The film "The Vow" topped the weekend box office earning over $40 million dollars. "Safe House", "Journey 2: The Mysterious Island 3D", "Star Wars: Episode 1: Phantom Menace" and "Chronicle" round out the top five films of the week. Sad news out of the music industry. Singer Whitney Houston was found dead in a Beverly Hills Hotel room on Saturday. She was 48. She was scheduled to appear at a pre-Grammy party hosted by music mogul Clive Davis when news of her death broke. Davis broke the new to the crowd. The party went on as scheduled, with Davis saying Houston would have wanted the party to go on. Tribute was paid to the singer by Jennifer Hudson, who performed Houston's signature song "I Will Always Love You". Whitney Elizabeth Houston was born on August 9, 1963,  in Neward NJ to John and Cissy Houston, the youngest of three. She began singing in the Newark Bapist Church choir, and later began modeling. Her girl next door looks got her on the cover of Seventeen magazine. She was discovered by music mogul Clive Davis and signed to Arista Records. Her first album, "Whitney Houston" went on to sell millions, and Houston's videos received regular play on MTV. She recorded later albums "Whitney", "I'm Your Baby Tonight", and soundtracks for the films "The Bodygard", in which she co-starred with Kevin Costner, "Waiting To Exhale" and "The Preacher's Wife". She married singer Bobby Brown and the two had a tamlious marriage that produced a daughter, Bobbi Kristina. Rumored drug and marital problems pleagued the singer until she and Brown divorced in 2007 and she went into rehab. She released an album in 2009, "I Look To You" and appeared to be headed for a comeback. She has gone on to influence a whole new generation of singers including Mariah Carey, Jessica Simpson and others. She will be missed and her legacy will live on. The 54th Annual Grammy Awards aired last night. Rapper LL Cool J hosted, opening the show with a prayer honoring Whitney Houston. Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band then went on the give a rousing performance. Alicia Keys and Bonnie Riatt paid tribute to the late Etta James, singing her hit "Saturday Kind Of Love". British sensation Adele was a big winner, winning "Best Pop Vocal" and "Record Of The Year", among others. Chris Brown won "Best R&B Album", while Jay Z and Kanye West walked away with "Best Rap Performance". Chris Brown, Rihanna, Cold Play, Foo Fighters, Lil Wayne and others rocked the stage at last night's ceromony. Adele made her first public appearance since having throat surgery. All in all, it was another meorable show that won't be forgotten. On the tube: "House" on Fox, "How I Met Your Mother" on CBS, "The Bachelor" on ABC and "The Voice" on NBC. Happy Monday!