The Grammys got under way on Sunday, with the Recording Academy trying to focus on music’s biggest night after of the death of one of music’s biggest names — Whitney Houston.

Houston 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, noting the “great legacy of Miss Whitney Houston. She’s in our hearts and our minds.”

A tribute to Houston featuring Jennifer Hudson was to take place during the main ceremony later Sunday.