Celine speaks about Rene

Photo: The Canadian Press

Celine Dion, speaking for the first time since Rene Angelil died, said her husband kept her grounded and protected her from the gritty business details of her superstar career.

The singer paid tribute at a Wednesday night memorial at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.

People gathered to celebrate the life of her late husband and manager credited with striking the deals that have defined her status as one of the most popular voices in the world, from saying "yes" to her defining hit from the "Titanic" when critics doubted the movie to her glitzy Las Vegas Strip residency.

The 73-year-old died in January after a long battle with throat cancer in the suburban Las Vegas home that he shared with Dion and their three children.