Singer and actress Whitney Houston, a winner of six Grammy Awards including record of the year for "I Will Always Love You" and album of the year for "The Bodyguard," has died at age 48, a spokeswoman for the singer said.

"Unfortunately it is true," said spokeswoman Jill Fritzo.

No other details were immediately available. Celebrity website TMZ.com said Houston was found dead at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles, but that could not be immediately confirmed.

Houston, inspired by soul singers in her New Jersey family, including mother Cissy Houston and cousins Dionne Warwick and the late Dee Dee Warwick, as well as her godmother Aretha Franklin, became one of the most celebrated female singers of all time, taking multiple Emmy, Grammy and Billboard Music awards.

Her popularity soared in the 1980s and 1990s with consecutive No. 1 hits including the smash single "I Will Always Love You," from the soundtrack of the feature film "The Bodyguard," in which she starred.

Whitney Houston's performance on the Merv Griffen show (April 29, 1985)

Whitney Houston "I have nothing" (South Africa, 1994)

Whitney Houston "I will always love you"

Whitney Houston at 2011 Grammy Awards.

Whitney Houston in 2009.

Singer Whitney Houston smiles at the taping of "25 Strong: The BET Silver anniversary celebration" at the Shrine auditorium in Los Angeles on October 26, 2005.The special featured performances by leading artists and celebrated 25 years of African-American programming from the BET cable channel.

Singer Bobby Brown (L), pictured in a file photo with wife Whitney Houston on March 25, 2001 at the Vanity Fair magazine post-Academy Awards party in Los Angeles, was rushed to a New Jersey hospital August 8 after he suffered a heat-related seizure, according to the New York Post. Houston called 911 from the couple's Mendham, New Jersey home and accompanied her husband to the hospital in an ambulance. Brown was admitted to the hospital and released 90 minutes later.

Whitney Houston poses with her Grammy after she was named Best Pop Vocal Performer-Female at the 30th annual Grammy Awards at New York's Radio City Music Hall March 2, 1988.

Singer Whitney Houston, performs on stage during Michael Jackson's "30th Anniversary Celebration, The Solo Years" concert, September 7, 2001 in New York's Madison Square Garden.

Whitney Houston (R) and Mariah Carey sing the nominated song "When You Believe," at the 71st Annual Academy Awards March 21.

Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston arrive at the premiere of movie "The Bodyguard" in Los Angeles, California November 23, 1992.

Whitney Houston belting it out for the National Anthem during the Super Bowl 1991.

Singer Whitney Houston performs the song "Try It On My Own" during the "VH1 Divas Duets" concert at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, May 22, 2003. The show benefits the nonprofit VH1 Save the Music Foundation.

Whitney Houston and Bobbi Kristina Brown