The 2012 Grammy Awards got underway with the Recording Academy trying to focus on music's biggest night after the death of one of its biggest names: Whitney Houston.

The singer died on the eve of the Grammys at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, where she was preparing to attend a pre-Grammy party. Her death cast a huge shadow over the event.

As the pre-telecast awards ceremony began, co-host Dave Koz acknowledged the tragedy. "The great legacy of Miss Whitney Houston. She's in our hearts and our minds," Koz noted.

A tribute to Houston featuring Jennifer Hudson and Chaka Khan will take place during the main event and ceremony.

Before the death of one of pop music's most important figures, the Grammy buzz focused on whether Adele, 2011's top-selling artist and set to make her first public performance on the show since vocal cord surgery, would be the queen of the Grammy's.

Although Kanye West leads all nominees with seven, while Bruno Mars and the Foo Fighters tied Adele with six, she was favored to sweep all of her categories. However, as showtime neared, the focus remained on Houston's death.

Grammy show producer Ken Ehrlich was quick to announce Hudson's tribute. "It's too fresh in everyone's memory to do more at this time," he said late Saturday.

"But we would be remiss if we didn't recognize Whitney's remarkable contribution to music fans in general and in particular her close ties with the Grammy telecast and her Grammy wins and nominations over the years," Ehrlich added.

More Houston tributes from nominees and presenters are expected during the three-and-a-half hour Staples Center show, which also features great music artists such as the Foo Fighters, Bruno Mars, Nicki Minaj, Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney, Taylor Swift, Chris Brown and Rihanna.