AceShowbiz -

Came out of her home Thursday, March 27 for the first time since her husband's sudden death last week to pay tribute to his memory, Corinne Bailey Rae was seen laying flowers at the foot of a huge memorial cross near her home in Otley, West Yorkshire. She, on top of that, has also issued a statement expressing her gratitude to people who have extended their sympathy in the wake of the difficult time.

In a statement she released through her manager, the British soul singer said that she "and her family have been touched by the huge amount of love and support that's flooded in from all over the world, and that is really helping all of us cope at this terrible time." The statement said further, "Corinne is also very grateful for the privacy she is being given and the respect that has been paid to herself and Jason."

Corinne's musician hubby Jason Rae was found dead Saturday, March 22 in a London flat. His body, according to West Yorkshire police, was discovered in an apartment in the Hyde Park area of Leeds in northern England. He was 31.

An autopsy was performed later that night, but the results were inconclusive. An inquest into the death, begun on Thursday, March 27, came to the preliminary conclusion that Jason had died from a suspected drugs overdose.

A spokesperson for the West Yorkshire Police has confirmed there was no set time-frame for probe. In the meantime, the police are waiting for the results of toxicology tests before making a final determination on cause of death.

Jason was a saxophonist with band The Haggis Horns, who describe themselves on their Myspace page as "an eight-piece live funk extravaganza" who combine funk, soul, hip-hop and afrobeat with jazz virtuosity. The group had performed with Corinne, as well as other artists including Amy Winehouse, Mark Ronson and Nightmares on Wax.