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Last week we learned the sad news that musical icon, Etta James, had passed away, losing her 2 year struggle with leukemia. The world mourned the loss of this legendary singer, and yesterday her close friends and family gathered together to honor the great woman. Read on for more details about how they paid tribute to her.

Soul/R&B legend Chaka Khan was honored in LA yesterday with the 2,440th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. As you may recall, Chaka recently opened for Prince during his 21 Nite Stand concert residency at The Forum in Inglewood, CA but yesterday the spotlight was squarely on her. Chaka was joined by her BFF and fellow Soul/R&B legend Stevie Wonder at yesterday’s Walk of Fame star unveiling. Check out some photos and videos from yesterday’s ceremony below.

Last Sunday, I posted a list of celebrity guests that was rumored for the final episodes of The Oprah Winfrey Show and last night, that list panned out completely. Altho more guests appeared on the Oprah Extravaganza than was reported, every person on that list was in attendance at the taping in Chicago, IL yesterday … and what an extravaganza it was. Oprah was paid tribute to by some of the world’s most famous people … so many celebs that the episode will be shown over 2 days (with the absolute final episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show featuring no guests at all … just Oprah and her audience). Check out below some photos and many deets below of Oprah‘s big night in Chicago last night.

Last night I attended my 7th show of Prince‘s 21 Night Stand concert residency here in LA (not counting the 2 intimate shows I saw at the Troubadour in West Hollywood, CA last Wednesday) and I can only tell you that the shows keep getting better and better and BETTER! One of my fave new musicians, Janelle Monáe, opened for Prince last night and as if that wasn’t enough to make the night extra special … Detroit’s own legendary Stevie Wonder came out to perform with Prince and the New Power Generation to celebrate his birthday! Last night was truly a Wonderful night ;D

Willow Smith, Seal, Stevie Wonder, 90210‘s Jessica Lowndes and Jersey Shore‘s Paul Pauly D Delvecchio were among the performers who provided the entertainment at The Holiday Tree Lighting at L.A. LIVE in downtown LA last night. The celebs were on hand for the official lighting of the 54 foot LED holiday tree (which is made up of over 10,000 lights) as well as the official opening of the new 70×80 outdoor ice skating rink located within Nokia Plaza. Here are a few photos and some deets about the event:

‘Tis the season for giant Christmas trees! When LA Live opened for business two years ago, it became the Southland’s unofficial version of New York’s Times Square—a go-to meeting place for friends and loved ones to enjoy the holiday season. And this Christmas at LA Live will prove to be even more spectacular than the last two! Hosted by Access Hollywood’s Billy Bush, the fun and festivities of the LA Live Holiday Celebration will kick off this Saturday with the tree lighting, a 54-foot LED tree with over 10,000 lights. The tree lighting ceremony will also include the grand opening of the Nokia Plaza’s outdoor ice arena, as well as special performances by Grammy award-winning singer Seal, Willow Smith, and an ice skating performance by 2010 Olympic Gold Medalist Evan Lysacek. The event will also kick off AEG’s Season of Giving Initiative, which will honor a different charity or non-profit organization each night at the ice skating rink. Because what’s a holiday season without giving?

I suppose it’s entirely unsurprising to learn that LA has a huge fake plastic tree smack dab in the “Times Square of Los Angeles” but, well, we do. David and I first saw the tree lit up (unofficially, I guess) when we went to LA Live last weekend to see Ok Go in concert … as fake as it is, it’s pretty impressive. Josh and I were at LA Live on Friday night and we saw lots of people skating in the outdoor ice rink … which is pretty unbelievable for SoCal. Say what you will about the artificiality of Tinsel Town, we do have a fun way of celebrating the holidays in new and fun ways.

[Photo credit: Bauer-Griffin, Wireimage; Source]

Last week Whitney Houston and music mogul Clive Davis were on hand at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in London, England to world premiere her new album I Look To You in front of an audience of press folks. Earlier this week Whit Whit appeared at the Lincoln Center in NYC to premiere her album in front of press and celeb friends. Last night, Whitney and Clive made their way to the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, CA for the third and final premiere event for her new album, due out in stores on September 1. Here are a few photos from last night’s star-studded event and a report from E! News‘s Marc Malkin:

Whitney Houston’s comeback album drops in just six weeks. And it was the superstar diva herself who best summed up the excitement for her return when she took center stage at last night’s VIP-only album listening party in Beverly Hills. “I’m back home,” she said. “I’m back home where I belong.” Among the VIP guests packed into a ballroom at the Beverly Hilton hotel to hear nine songs from I Look to You were Halle Berry, Stevie Wonder, Magic Johnson, Barry Manilow, Penny Marshall, model Beverly Johnson and a slew of music industry heavyweights … Sitting in a front row seat was Jane Fonda, who attended with her music producer boyfriend Richard Perry. “When they told me you were here tonight, I almost croaked,” Houston said to the Oscar winner after the two embraced. “I was like, ‘Jane Fonda is at my listening party? How cool am I?’” Sony music honcho and Houston’s mentor since he discovered her oh-so-many years ago Clive Davis hosted the evening. And Ms. Whitney looked fantastically fabulous last night (she kept it simple with a short black dress, killer heels and little makeup). The music was true Houston. Among the songs Davis introduced and played for the crowd were the Alicia Keys-written “Million Dollar Bill,” the up-tempo “Nothing But Love,” the ballad “I Didn’t Know My Own Strength,” the island song duet with Akon “Like I Never Left,” and the title track, one of two collaborations with R. Kelly. The album took about three and a half years. “For the years we were apart, I felt kind of lost,” Houston said to Davis, referring to her troubled past. “But I’m home where I truly belong, don’t ya think?” The audience went wild. Pointing to Bobbi Kristina, her daughter with ex-husband Bobby Brown, Houston smiled, “There’s my baby, my inspiration. Mama loves you so much.” Looking out to Berry, Houston cooed, “How’s the baby?” “Fantastic,” Berry said. And we have a feeling Houston’s fans will be saying the same and a whole lot more when I Look to You drops on Sept. 1.

I, too, was fortunate enough to attend last night’s listening party and let me tell you … I was floored. I’ll have all of my personal thoughts on the album in a post a little later on today. But let me assure you, Whitney Houston — the voice, the diva, the legend — is back. I Look To You is packed with amazingly strong songs … powerful ballads, hip upbeat dance tracks and quite a few candidates for hit singles. It was truly an honor to be among the first people to hear Whitney‘s new album in full … I can’t wait to tell you all about it later on today. After the jump, check out a few photos of Whitney posing with some of the celebrity friends who came out to the Beverly Hilton Hotel last night to share the night with Whitney and Clive …

On the eve of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day today, dignitaries, politicians, celebrities and everyday citizens convened on the mall in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC yesterday to participate in the We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration to celebrate not only tomorrow’s Inauguration of Barack Obama as our 44th President but to also honor the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. who, very famously, gave his I Have A Dream speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial back in August of 1963. Here are a few photos from yesterday’s We Are One concert event and some info about what went down:

Barack Obama and his family had a star-studded – and musical – introduction to Washington, D.C. On Sunday afternoon, the President-elect was feted on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial during the We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration. The two-hour event was broadcast live on an open signal on HBO, and it featured a mix of historical speeches, presented by stars like Tom Hanks, and classic anthems like U2′s surging Martin Luther King, Jr.-inspired “Pride (In the Name of Love).” Equally powerful, Beyoncé closed out the festivities with a stately, soaring version of “America the Beautiful.” The singer beckoned all the earlier performers on stage, leading a star-studded sing-along. Said Beyoncé as she concluded, “America, we are one.” Denzel Washington kicked the festivities off with an introduction, telling the crowd, “We are inspired by the man we’ve elected to be the 44th president.” Then, the actor ceded the stage to Bruce Springsteen and a full gospel choir in red robes. Accompanying himself on acoustic guitar, the troubadour performed “The Rising” – and delivered a message of unity. “Come on up for the rising,” he sang. “Come on up, lay your hands in mine.” As he performed, the cameras panned to the awe-inspiring sight of thousands of spectators huddled in the cold, packed around the Reflecting Pool and stretched all the way east to the Washington Monument. Much closer to the action, Obama and his family – including wife Michelle and their daughters Malia, 10, who snapped photos of the massive crowd, and Sasha, 7 – took in the festivities from a front-row perch, in a box just off the stage, next to Vice President-elect Joe Biden and his wife, Jill. Obama also took the stage to thank performers and audience members for sharing in the celebration. “Welcome to Washington, and welcome to this celebration of American renewal,” he said. “As I stand here tonight, what gives me the greatest hope . . . is you: Americans of every race and region and station who came here because you believe in what this country can be and because you want to help us get there.” Mary J. Blige got concert-goers dancing – even Obama, who grooved in his seat – during her soulful version of “Lean on Me.” And Jamie Foxx inspired plenty of laughter – including a chuckling Obama – with his pitch-perfect impression of the President-elect as he recited lines from Obama’s post-election victory speech in Chicago’s Grant Park. Sheryl Crow teamed up with jazz legend Herbie Hancock and will.i.am from the Black Eyed Peas for a spirited take on Bob Marley’s “One Love.” “Let’s get together and feel all right,” they sang while audience members frantically waved their hands in the air. Later, during his performance, Garth Brooks sang his Obama-inspired original composition, “We Shall Be Free,” which the country star melded into a medley of recognizable favorites like “American Pie” and “Shout.” And Usher took the stage with Shakira and Stevie Wonder for the soul luminary’s “Higher Ground.”

I was able to watch a small portion of yesterday’s celebration and it was quite a sight to see … the party was jumpin’ and it’s only the beginning. Our President-elect was deffo in fine spirits at yesterday’s event as he spoke to the assembled crowd about how hopeful he is for our country on the eve of such a monumental achievement:

Barack Obama said he’s “as hopeful as ever” about the future of the U.S. as thousands of Americans converged on Washington’s Lincoln Memorial for a free concert to celebrate his inauguration as the first black president. “Only a handful of generations have been asked to confront challenges as serious as the ones we face right now,” Obama said today. “Despite the enormity of the task that lies ahead, I stand here today as hopeful as ever that the United States of America will endure, that it will prevail, that the dream of our founders will live on in our time.” People gathered hours in advance for the event at the same site chosen by civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr. for his 1963 “I Have a Dream” speech. The concert featured songs by Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder, James Taylor, Sheryl Crow, U2 and Mary J. Blige; Martin Luther King III spoke, along with actors including Denzel Washington and Tom Hanks. Obama sang along as Garth Brooks performed “American Pie.” He and his wife, Michelle, rocked along to Blige and jumped to their feet as Wonder sang and played the keyboard. Interspersed in the event were clips of past presidents, including the inaugural addresses by John F. Kennedy and Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Obama and his wife followed incoming Vice President Joe Biden and his wife, Jill, down the steps of the memorial and waved to crowds that stretched down the National Mall to the Washington Monument before the concert. They took seats to the side of the stage with the Obama children, Sasha and Malia. “Change has come to America,” actor Jamie Foxx told the roaring crowd, quoting Obama and doing an impression of him that drew laughter from attendees and the president-elect himself. Biden spoke about 40 minutes into the program about the value of work, saying it was about dignity and respect. “I see a country built by men and women who believe in the dignity of work, who take pride in providing for their families,” Biden told the crowd. Obama, 47, for the second day chose to invoke the spirit of Abraham Lincoln, the president who led the U.S. through the Civil War and ended slavery. Obama arrived in Washington last night after a “whistlestop” train trip that began in Philadelphia; Lincoln arrived by railroad in 1861 for his own inauguration. Both were elected from their adopted home state of Illinois.

Click HERE to read the full text of Barack Obama‘s speech yesterday, in case you missed hearing it aloud. After the jump, watch Beyoncé‘s stirring performance of America the Beautiful, she really nailed the song and gave a performance that is not to be missed …