By the time a replay of her 1994 performance was complete, the audience's applause gave way to an emotional standing ovation.
A day earlier, Houston was pronounced dead in her fourth floor room at a Beverly Hills, California, hotel. The world may wait as many as eight weeks -- when results from toxicology and other tests should be in -- to learn what happened, with Assistant Chief Ed Winter of the Los Angeles County Coroner's office saying little Sunday besides "foul play is not suspected."
Headlines in recent years about Houston have tended to focus more on her battles with drug addiction and her relationship with her ex-husband, "New Edition" performer Bobby Brown, than her musical accomplishments.
Yet recollections of her enormous talent took center stage Sunday night in Los Angeles, as did the six-time Grammy winner's membership in the music world's "family."
LL Cool J, host of the 54th annual Grammy Awards, spoke right away to Houston's personal and professional legacy, soon after taking the stage following an opening performance by Bruce Springsteen.
"Tonight, we ask ourselves: How do we speak to this time? To this day? There is no way around this. We've had a death in our family," he said.
The rapper and actor then offered his prayer, thanking God "for sharing our sister Whitney with us."
"And although she's gone too soon, we remain truly blessed to have been touched by her beautiful spirit and to have her lasting legacy of music to cherish and share forever," he said.
During the show, stars of past and present -- from Bruno Mars to Stevie Wonder -- celebrated the late singer.
The sentiments voiced Sunday night echoed those that have been offered ever since news broke of Houston's death from close friends, musical icons and everyday fans who never met the iconic performer but were moved by her music.
Then, after a memorial honoring other stars from Amy Winehouse to Clarence Clemons who also died this past year -- and nearly three hours after LL Cool J promised the Grammys "will remember you the best way we know how: with a song" -- Jennifer Hudson appeared under a bright, solitary spotlight.
Wearing a black sleeveless dress and anchored firmly in the middle of the stage, the Oscar and two-time Grammy winner offered her own rendition of "I Will Always Love You." Twice during the song, the crowd burst into applause.
Hudson offered one small embellishment, changing a lyric to sing: "Whitney, we will always love you."
