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Clive Davis saluted Whitney Houston with a tribute at his annual pre-Grammy Awards party on Saturday night in the same hotel where the singer was found dead in her bath tub a year ago.

Davis' annual bash was overshadowed by Houston's death at the Beverly Hilton hotel in California last year, when her body was found in her suite's bathroom just hours before she was due to attend the event downstairs.

The 2013 party took place in the same venue and included a special dedication to Houston.

Davis played a rarely seen video of the late star singing All the Man That I Need at a concert for American troops and told the crowd, "I felt her energy, I felt her love... and I want to remind you why she was so special... she was the greatest contemporary singer of our lifetime."

Houston's brother Gary was at the party with his wife Pat Houston, who was the singer's longtime manager.

Other guests included Jennifer Hudson, who was drafted in to sing a last-minute tribute to Houston at last year's Grammy Awards, as well as Joni Mitchell, Katy Perry and her rumoured boyfriend John Mayer, Miley Cyrus, Johnny Depp and Alice Cooper, Dave Grohl and Sting.

Usher, Sean 'Diddy' Combs and will.i.am were also there, while the evening saw performances by rocker Patti Smith, R&B singer Miguel, The Lumineers and DJ Skrillex, whose ex-girlfriend Ellie Goulding was among those present at the bash.

Music mogul Antonio 'L.A.' Reid was honoured at the bash for his career achievements and was feted by singer Kenneth 'Babyface' Edmonds and Usher, who sang and told anecdotes about the mentor.

The event ended with a tribute to Gladys Knight, featuring a duet between the soul star and Hudson.