. >> that was produced by michael walden. he reported recorded many early hits in her studio. >> we were good together we understand high energy. whitney is a very sensitive fireball. and she's diva. very cool. very confident. diva. and gorgeous. stunning. >> she was just so big hearted and high-spirited. >> he was speaking at today's tech summit. about music and technology. but the musician is remembering quiet times, hanging out with whitney. >> the thing i love her is she was a sweetheart. a beautiful, bright spirit. >> tony bennett shared in the loss. >> it's terrible. she was just a god given gift of being a magnificent singer, a great artist. >> and she'll be remembered by the voice but personal problems detoured her career. and yet, music journalist says we'ring forriving. >> they love the tabloid stuff and love when artists rise, then fall. and i think in whitney's case she was a sweetheart of americans and i think that people still look kindly on her. >> the great whitney houston is someone that needs to be treasured

let's bring in michael walden. this is all coming on the eve of whitney houston's funeral.s is all on the eve of whitney houston's funeral in newark, new jersey. which is going to be this weekend. it's going to be quite an emotional affair. many of the people, some of the biggest names in showbiz will be there performing. they gathered today. a viewing today. joining me now from the church where this funeral's going to take place, reverend defori, she's known whitney houston since she was 14 years old. when you listen to all the reporting don has done this week, you hear all these conflicting reports about who she was, what was going on with her. what are your thoughts? >> my first thought is that don has done an excellent job. he's been balanced. he's been serious. he's been fair. and i just want to commend him. thank don on behalf of those who knew whitney for so long. every life leaves lessons behind, but there is a protocal that we accept and that is until the celebration of life, which will happen tomorrow, we try to not only celebrate the good, but also to cover the f

. >> houston recorded both songs in a san rafael studio with producer nurato michael walden.nd after hearing them, they knew whitney houston would be someone special. >> all of a sudden, the track comes on. and it is "how will i know" which is playing right now. and we're hearing her vocal for the first time. and it is just searing out of the phone. it is just obviously an unusual moment. >> a young girl with a big sound and a larger-than-life voice. meryl says houston brought to life a song that was originally written for janet jackson. >> it turned out she was working on her "control" album, the wonderful album that she did, a whole different direction. so they passed on it. and clive davis got a hold of it and thought it was perfect for his new protege whitney houston. >> perfect indeed. and the song will go on houston's first album, and it sold more than 9 million copies, making it a multiplatinum record. >> they say their memories of whitney will live on and feel her inspiration. >> i feel her presence and it doesn't feel like she is gone away or gone very far. >> and he

. >> the bay area record prirs michael walden said he knew that voice had star power.alden produced seven number one hits with houston in san rafael. houston was all heart. >> she is a leo, a heart person. a lioness and very warm and very generous in spirit and wanted to say hi to everybody and be around the real people and keep it real. >> shannon wrote houston's hit how will i know with boy meet girl partner for janet jackson, but she passed. >> it was sent to clive davis who was head of arista at the time. clive loved it and wanted it for his new young artist that no one had heard of named whitney houston. >> had hearing it on the television blew her away. >> they were secretive on the phone and said i think you have to hear this and it was a recording of how will i know done by whitney. we just thought oh, my god. this is a hit and this is a star. >> how will i other than went to number one, giving boy meets girl a boost. they wrote want to dance with somebody especially for houston. another smash hit. >> she something special. she sings from her heart. with a lot

record producer michael walden said he knew that soulful voice had star power the minute he heard it. walden produced seven number one hits with whitney houston at his studio in san rafael. he has another song he recorded with her that has yet to be released. he says the singer was all heart. >> whitney is a heart person. a lioness and very warm and generous in spirit and wanted to say hi to everybody and be around the real people and keep it real. >> shannon rubicon also worked with houston. she wrote her hit "how will i know" and "a boy meets girl." they created it for janet jackson but she passed. it was one of houston's first hits in 1985. >> china's vice president in washington today to meet with president obama. he arrived in the u.s. yesterday and will meet with the president and the vice president joe biden at the white house. the talks expected to cover a broad range of bi lateral, regional and global issues. the chinese vice president on track to become the country's president next year. >> a big week for apple. the company stock hit a milestone yesterday. for more on that a

for fun in her career to meet and collaborate with some of the best minds in the business like michael waldenoduced this hit for her and so many others. listen. ♪ oh i want to dance with somebody ♪ ♪ i want to feel the heat with somebody ♪ >> i want to welcome narda right now. what a great song. did you sing that for us the other night? you sang for us -- >> i may have when we were on. i think i sang "how will i know" for you. i think i sang "how will i know" for you. >> tell us how that came about, "how will i know"? how did it go. ♪ there's a boy i can ♪ he's the one i dream of >> i'm so struck by her power. she had so much power to be so beautiful at 19 years old, thin and gorgeous. i was like, wow. >> you know what's interesting is one of her voice coaches said it's rarely you can get a singer who has a great tonality to his or her voice and a singer that's athletic with a muscular voice. whitney houston was the rarity that had both. she had a great tone and could do about anything vocally. >> that's it. she had both. she could do very sensitive like her aunt dionne, a very sensitive crea

fortune to meet and collaborate with some of the best minds in the music business, like musician michael waldenoduced this hit for her and so many others. listen. ♪ i want to dance with somebody i want to feel the heat with somebody ♪ >> i want to welcome right now. what a great song. did you sing that for us the other night? >> i think i sang "how will i know" for you. >> yes, yes. tell us how that came about, "how will i know" and when she sang it, you did a little melody. how did it go? ♪ there's a boy i know he's the one i dream of ♪ i was a little struck by her power. ♪ takes me to she had so much power at 19 years old, thin and gorgeous. >> what's interesting is that one of her voice coaches said, you know, it's very rarely you can get a singer who has a great tone, great tonality to his or her voice, and whitney houston was the rarity that had a great tone and she could just do about anything vocally. >> that's it. she had both. she could do very sensitive, like her aunt, a very sensitive creature. like a cat, stroking a cat. very tender. at the same time, unbelievable power. this is wha

. >> something, michael walden, comp pores, songwriter spoke of her, his people rips of her, talked abouts incredible talent of being able to bring so many different riffs, different levels of her singing voice and it may happen in the span of three or four hours. just as you say, the rest of the team is working overnight i the next morning, marrying it all together and how she would come in and hear it and she could identify, that's hit. that was nailed in that moment. >> and she had that thing we call magic, you come in, david foster said it the other night, he was on, you give her something to sing, hey, whitney goes like this, she bring it is back to you, you go, wow. >> kind of exceeded expectations? >> way over. something you never would have thought of that she turn it had into whitney and you just say, okay. and you can't take credit for t. >> even were you sometimes just awe-struck by her? >> that was the hard thing. i remember one session and she went in and she was the first singer that i worked with that could sing from beginning to end without stopping, give you all the verse