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Much of this week's media speculation about Whitney has failed to acknowledge her outstanding performance at the Michael Jackson tribute concert a week ago. The following New York Newsday report relating to false stories of Whitney's demise acknowledges just how good she was vocally that night: No Truth to Rumor Of Houston's Death By Glenn Gamboa STAFF WRITER Whitney Houston is not dead. Despite rumors of her demise that roared around the country yesterday, stoked apparently by erroneous radio reports, the singer-actress is alive and well and spending time with her family in New Jersey. "Whitney thanks everyone for their concern," Arista Records spokeswoman Laura Swanson said. "We're not sure how this all started, but she is very much alive." Houston, whose string of No. 1 hits includes the record-setting "I Will Always Love You" and "Saving All My Love For You," recently signed a reported $100 million deal to stay with Arista Records. "Considering all we have to deal with now, it's crazy that we have to deal with this," said Swanson, who works in Arista's New York headquarters. Speculation about Houston's health began on Saturday, after her Friday night appearance at Michael Jackson's tribute concert at Madison Square Garden. Though she sounded excellent, delivering an exciting version of "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" to open the show, she was extremely skinny, so thin that many in the crowd worried about her health. When she dropped out of the opening number on Monday, the speculation about her health grew. By yesterday afternoon, several radio stations were reporting rumors of her death, which were then relayed across the Internet and by word of mouth. "People who should know better were calling me asking if it was true," said one Los Angeles music industry executive, who asked not to be named. "This rumor was suddenly popping up everywhere though. Obviously, someone has too much time on their hands."
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