Jerritt Clark/Getty ImagesThe show is going on for Bobby Brown.
Amid rumors that Whitney Houston's family does not want him at her funeral Saturday in New Jersey, New Edition's agent has announced that Brown is rejoining their 30th anniversary tour tonight in Maryland and will be performing with his longtime group Saturday night in Connecticut.
The performance schedule (or the geography involved) does not, however, rule out an appearance by Brown at Houston's funeral, which sources told us he planned to attend in support of daughter Bobbi Kristina—but so far Brown has seemed most comfortable paying tribute to his late ex-wife from the stage.
Before flying to Los Angeles on Sunday to be with his distraught daughter, Brown performed Saturday night, just hours after he was informed of Houston's sudden death at 48.
After professing his love for Houston onstage, Brown told the crowd, "The hardest thing for me to do is to come on this stage. Just say a prayer for my daughter, say a prayer for her mother and, if you find the time, please say a prayer for me because I am going to need it."
Jeff Allen, the group's agent, said in a statement that Brown will be onstage tonight at Showplace Arena in Upper Marlboro, Md., and continue on Friday at the Coliseum in Greensboro, N.C.;,Saturday at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Conn., and Sunday at the Newark PAC in New Jersey.
Houston, who was born in Newark and grew up in East Orange, is being laid to rest at Fairview Cemetery in Westfield, where her father, John Russell Houston Jr., is also buried.
A private funeral is scheduled for 12 p.m. ET on Saturday. In addition to Houston's immediate and extended family, the guest list includes Clive Davis, Ray J, Brandy, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Chaka Khan, Dianne Warren, CeCe Winans (brother Marvin Winans is conducting the service), Darlene Love, L.A. Reid and Kevin Costner.