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Whitney Houston’s vocal coach said her voice was ‘gone’

Whitney Houston’s former vocal coach revealed her voice was “gone” when she sought his help.

Gary Catona, who began working with Houston in 2005, described the singer’s voice as “completely hoarse” and that it took years of sessions to get only a part of the iconic singer’s sound back in a 20/20 interview set to air tonight, ABC News reported.

“It appeared to be so damaged that when I first began working with her, I was not sure what I could do,” Catona said.

Years of drug use and smoking seemed to have taken a toll on Houston’s ability to belt out her signature notes.

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“She’d say, ‘I know I’ve done things that have hurt me … and I have to change it,'” Catona said. “She used to say to me, ‘People have standards that they expect you to live up to. I mean, I can’t. … I have a problem with that, myself, trying to live up to what I once was.'”

Catona said he saw signs that the singer was giving in to her vices.

“She knew in her heart of hearts that this special gift that she had was being undermined by her own activities,” he told ABC. “I left her house with my keyboard, and I had forgotten something, and I walked back in and she had a cigarette in her hand. And she saw me. She said, ‘Oh Gary,’ and she hugged me, and threw the cigarette over my shoulder as she was hugging me.”

Catona said that by 2009, he was only able to get Houston to 75 to 80 percent of her original ability. He and Houston parted ways that year, when she released her comeback album, “I Look to You.”

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Houston was found dead in a bathtub at the Beverly Hilton hotel last Saturday.

The cause of death is yet to be determined pending toxicology tests but preliminary results revealed sedatives were found in the star’s system. Prescription pill bottles of Xanax, Lorazepam, Valium and others were also said to be found by detectives.

Houston’s “Bodyguard” co-star Kevin Costner will headline the star-studded lineup who will bid the diva farewell at her funeral tomorrow at the Newark church where she first performed.

Attendance at the funeral is by invitation only. Among those invited are Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Elton John, Oprah Winfrey and Bill Cosby, according to published reports.

Aretha Franklin will pay her final respects to her beloved goddaughter by singing at the service.

She’ll be joined by the Rev. Al Sharpton, the Rev. Jesse Jackson, Bishop T.D. Jakes, producer Antonio “L.A.” Reid, singer Brandy and Brandy’s brother Ray J, Houston’s on-and-off boyfriend, who was with her in her final days.

Family friend Marvin Winans, a Grammy winner and minister, will deliver the eulogy.

“We’re going to celebrate her life to the standard which she deserves,” said the Rev. Joe Carter, New Hope’s pastor. “This is a church, and we’re going to have some church. This is a celebration.”

Fans hoping for a glimpse of the stars or the funeral procession will have to settle for a seat in front of their TV screens.

With AP