Whitney Houston: 'Glee' Amber Riley performs 'I Will Always Love You'
Published Feb 15 2012, 09:25 GMT | By Daniel Sperling
Amber Riley's Glee cover of 'I Will Always Love You' by the late Whitney Houston has been unveiled.The 25-year-old's character Mercedes Jones performed the track in the Fox sitcom's Valentine's Day special, which aired in the US last night.
Riley's cover had been planned long before Houston passed away at the Beverly Hilton this weekend at the age of 48.
© Graham Wiltshire/Rex Features
As previously reported, the episode was tweaked to pay tribute to the 'One Moment In Time' star, with the show closing on a title card reading: "Whitney Houston 1963-2012. We will always love you."
After watching her Glee performance, Riley wrote on Twitter: "Ok I got through it, only minimal tears. I hope you are proud Ms. Houston. :) thanks guys for the kind words."
© MICHAEL MARIANT/AP/Press Association Images
Her co-star Chris Colfer (Kurt Hummel) also praised Riley's rendition on the social networking site, telling her: "'I Will Always Love You,' best part of my life. Ms. Houston is bragging about you in heaven."
Speaking about her adoration for Houston at this weekend's Grammy Awards, Riley explained: "Whitney's music meant so very much to me. I was very very choked-up when I heard about her passing.
"I'd grown up listening to her voice ringing out throughout our household. I'm so speechless, I can't believe that she passed."
Digital Spy readers recently named 'I Will Always Love You' as Houston's greatest ever song.
Watch Amber Riley perform Whitney Houston's 'I Will Always Love You' in Glee below:
She has a completely different voice to Jennifer Hudson. That's like listening to Jedward and telling Pavarotti that's how it's done!
February 19th 2012 at 12:52am
Amber has such a beautiful voice. The show has 3 really amazingly talented vocalists in her, Lea and Naya, and anyone who has heard them sing live couldn't deny that. I personally didn't rate Jennifer Hudson's version at the Grammys, but I do think she's an amazing singer. Maybe the moment just got too big for her, but she fell off the melody, and it was a little shouty for me. Leona Lewis has done the best cover of this I've heard in a long time. She hit that last chorus perfectly.
February 18th 2012 at 11:12pm
Always preferred Dolly's
February 16th 2012 at 8:40pm
It will always be dolly for me. She wrote it and sings it from her heart with more passion and heartfelt that Whitney did. Whitney's version was just easier to listen too.
February 16th 2012 at 6:29pm
Expecially considering it was written by Dolly..
February 16th 2012 at 6:18pm