Grammy Awards 2012: British songstress Adele wins 6 awards as stars pay tribute to Whitney Houston

Adele emerged as the top winner at Sunday's Grammy Awards, winning six trophies including the prestigious trifecta of record, song and album of the year.

The British songstress, who also made a triumphant comeback from vocal cord surgery on the Grammy stage, sobbed as she won the night's final award, album of the year, for "21." It was last year's top-selling album with more than six million copies sold and remains lodged at the No. 1 spot on this year's charts
.
For more: Grammy Awards 2012: Adele wins 6 awards as stars pay tribute to Whitney Houston - Celebrity Circuit - CBS News

Pop Music: Whitney Houston: a brilliant and tragic life

Whitney Houston, who was found dead in a Beverly Hills hotel room on Saturday, rose from a gospel church choir in New Jersey to become one of the best-selling and most-admired female singers of all time.

With hits like "I Will Always Love You" - the theme song of what was her film acting debut in "The Bodyguard" opposite Kevin Costner in 1992 - and "The Greatest Love of All," Houston won six Grammys and more than 400 other awards in a 25-year career.

Her soaring voice influenced singers ranging from Beyonce and Alicia Keys to Mariah Carey and Celine Dion - and inspired thousands of copy-cat performers on TV talent shows.

For more: Whitney Houston: a brilliant and tragic life - South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com