“Leading a rock'n'roll life has proved fatal to many artists, but few could be considered as much of a loss to music as Amy Winehouse,” Caroline Sullivan writes in an obituary for Winehouse published by The Guardian. -- Cece Burger, 8th grade
Born September 14, 1983, Amy Jade Winehouse was one of the most influential women in the music industry and paved the way for many popular artists such as Lana Del Rey, Adele, and Dua Lipa.
“Leading a rock'n'roll life has proved fatal to many artists, but few could be considered as much of a loss to music as Amy Winehouse,” Caroline Sullivan writes in an obituary for Winehouse published by The Guardian.
Completed November 13th, 2012, but re-released on major streaming platforms in 2021, Amy Winehouse At The BBC was the last album released under her name,The album consists of a collection of live performances she did from 2004 to 2006 with popular songs such as “Valerie,” “Rehab,” “Tears Dry On Their Own,” and “You Know I’m No Good.”
The album itself is beautiful, and really lets Winehouse’s powerful, unwavering voice shine brightly in a live performance. It really takes you back to what is commonly called the peak of Winehouse’s career.
Sadly, after her passing, Winehouse became almost unknown to the newer generations, even though the mark she left on the music world is nothing short of incredible. So who was Amy Winehouse?
Born in London, England, Winehouse was raised in a jazz-loving family by parents Mitch and Janis Winehouse. In an interview with People Magazine, the pair expressed how they always knew Winehouse was talented and “tried their best to support her.”
In her early teens, Winehouse joined the National Youth Jazz Orchestra, where she met lifelong best friend, Tyler James.
“ [Amy] was my sister, my mother, my soulmate… she was my world,” Tyler says in a 2021 interview with British news channel This Morning. Tyler had also been in the youth group and reminisces about the dynamic pair's first meeting. Tyler explains how, from their first meeting, he knew she was incredibly talented.
“[Winehouse] was this little Jewish girl who sang like she smoked 60 Marlboro Golds a day…and I was absolutely blown away, gobsmacked”
James was also a major contributor to Winehouse finding her fame. He was convinced Winehouse could be a star, and after months of begging the singer, he managed to pass a tape of hers to a friend in the music industry. The producer loved it, and soon Winehouse was signed with Island Records. Just a year later (2003), she released her first album, Frank, which was lovingly received globally, selling over 2 million copies.
The album launched her into stardom, and quickly, the fame became too much. “Amy hated being famous, she said, “Fame is like terminal cancer... She craved normality so much,” said James in the same interview.
Winehouse had struggled with addiction from the age of 17, and with the newfound stress of being a public figure, her alcohol and drug use became more frequent.
In 2006 she met actor Blake Fielder-Civil at The Good Mixer Pub in Camden, London. The two quickly fell for each other, Fielder calling their love “Almost therapeutic,” when in reality Winehouse’s health was deteriorating. The depression and anxiety she had been dealing with were worsened by the stress of Fielder-Civil's flaky love.
Their relationship was nothing less than rocky but it was obvious the love they shared was mutual and in 2007 they got married. Sadly the marriage would only last till 2009 after 2 years of cheating on both sides, multiple separations and enabling of drug use. Not only did Fielder- Civil admit to doing nothing to stop Winhouse’s growing addiction he also introduced her to Heroin, a drug that kills over 3,000 people a year.
Before all of this in 2006, Winhouse put out the last album she would be alive to release. Back To Black would go on to win Winhouse five Grammys and be the UK's second best selling album of the 21st century.
The album displays all themes of her and Fielder-Cilver's tumultuous relationship showing heartbreak, anger, love and regret. She also talks heavily about her addictions, but always in a light almost poking fun mood.
One of the most well known songs on the album “Rehab” describes the singer's experience being in and out of recovery hospitals. She writes about how it almost feels unnecessary, childish even. Winehouse ends the song with “I don't ever wanna drink again / I just, ooh, I just need a friend /I'm not gonna spend ten weeks/ Have everyone think I'm on the mend.”
The line feels serious in comparison to the rest of the lyrics, she admits and fixes the common misconception portrayed in the media that she was some helpless addict. It’s commonly believed that in the last years of Winhouse’s life she was incapable of saving herself and it’s hurtful stereotypes like this that tarnish her memory.
“After several trips to rehab and a few near-death experiences, Winehouse was clean from hard drugs in the final years of her life. Although she was also making strides in her recovery from alcoholism, it was an unfortunate relapse that ultimately took her life,” writes The Guardian.
On July 22, 2011 James and Winehouse got into an argument over her alcohol use. She would be clean for weeks then relapse on bad nights, James says when it got to be like that he would spend the night with his parents, so he didn’t feel like he was enabling the habit.
Winehouse’s organs were severely damaged from years of drinking, drug use and bulimia. Her condition was rough but she was on a path to recover. When James left that night he didn’t know that was the last time he would see Winehouse.
On July 23, 2011 Winehouse was pronounced dead by paramedics in her home in Camden with over five times the legal alcohol amount in her blood.
"I want people to please, please recognize how hard she had worked to come off drugs and just how close she was to [giving up alcohol] for good, how close she was to being healthy," James states in an Interview with People Magazine years after her passing.
On December 5th, 2011 her second to last album was released posthumously, the title being Lioness: Hidden Treasures. It was a collection of songs that she had been making even before her first album Frank. The album was a loving mix of acceptance and almost reminiscing on old times. The album would sell over a million copies , selling over 100,000 in just the first week. The world was already missing Winehouse.
“Leading a rock'n'roll life has proved fatal to many artists, but few could be considered as much of a loss to music as Amy Winehouse,” Caroline Sullivan writes in an obituary for Winehouse published by The Guardian.
Completed November 13th, 2012, but re-released on major streaming platforms in 2021, Amy Winehouse At The BBC was the last album released under her name,The album consists of a collection of live performances she did from 2004 to 2006 with popular songs such as “Valerie,” “Rehab,” “Tears Dry On Their Own,” and “You Know I’m No Good.”
The album itself is beautiful, and really lets Winehouse’s powerful, unwavering voice shine brightly in a live performance. It really takes you back to what is commonly called the peak of Winehouse’s career.
Sadly, after her passing, Winehouse became almost unknown to the newer generations, even though the mark she left on the music world is nothing short of incredible. So who was Amy Winehouse?
Born in London, England, Winehouse was raised in a jazz-loving family by parents Mitch and Janis Winehouse. In an interview with People Magazine, the pair expressed how they always knew Winehouse was talented and “tried their best to support her.”
In her early teens, Winehouse joined the National Youth Jazz Orchestra, where she met lifelong best friend, Tyler James.
“ [Amy] was my sister, my mother, my soulmate… she was my world,” Tyler says in a 2021 interview with British news channel This Morning. Tyler had also been in the youth group and reminisces about the dynamic pair's first meeting. Tyler explains how, from their first meeting, he knew she was incredibly talented.
“[Winehouse] was this little Jewish girl who sang like she smoked 60 Marlboro Golds a day…and I was absolutely blown away, gobsmacked”
James was also a major contributor to Winehouse finding her fame. He was convinced Winehouse could be a star, and after months of begging the singer, he managed to pass a tape of hers to a friend in the music industry. The producer loved it, and soon Winehouse was signed with Island Records. Just a year later (2003), she released her first album, Frank, which was lovingly received globally, selling over 2 million copies.
The album launched her into stardom, and quickly, the fame became too much. “Amy hated being famous, she said, “Fame is like terminal cancer... She craved normality so much,” said James in the same interview.
Winehouse had struggled with addiction from the age of 17, and with the newfound stress of being a public figure, her alcohol and drug use became more frequent.
In 2006 she met actor Blake Fielder-Civil at The Good Mixer Pub in Camden, London. The two quickly fell for each other, Fielder calling their love “Almost therapeutic,” when in reality Winehouse’s health was deteriorating. The depression and anxiety she had been dealing with were worsened by the stress of Fielder-Civil's flaky love.
Their relationship was nothing less than rocky but it was obvious the love they shared was mutual and in 2007 they got married. Sadly the marriage would only last till 2009 after 2 years of cheating on both sides, multiple separations and enabling of drug use. Not only did Fielder- Civil admit to doing nothing to stop Winhouse’s growing addiction he also introduced her to Heroin, a drug that kills over 3,000 people a year.
Before all of this in 2006, Winhouse put out the last album she would be alive to release. Back To Black would go on to win Winhouse five Grammys and be the UK's second best selling album of the 21st century.
The album displays all themes of her and Fielder-Cilver's tumultuous relationship showing heartbreak, anger, love and regret. She also talks heavily about her addictions, but always in a light almost poking fun mood.
One of the most well known songs on the album “Rehab” describes the singer's experience being in and out of recovery hospitals. She writes about how it almost feels unnecessary, childish even. Winehouse ends the song with “I don't ever wanna drink again / I just, ooh, I just need a friend /I'm not gonna spend ten weeks/ Have everyone think I'm on the mend.”
The line feels serious in comparison to the rest of the lyrics, she admits and fixes the common misconception portrayed in the media that she was some helpless addict. It’s commonly believed that in the last years of Winhouse’s life she was incapable of saving herself and it’s hurtful stereotypes like this that tarnish her memory.
“After several trips to rehab and a few near-death experiences, Winehouse was clean from hard drugs in the final years of her life. Although she was also making strides in her recovery from alcoholism, it was an unfortunate relapse that ultimately took her life,” writes The Guardian.
On July 22, 2011 James and Winehouse got into an argument over her alcohol use. She would be clean for weeks then relapse on bad nights, James says when it got to be like that he would spend the night with his parents, so he didn’t feel like he was enabling the habit.
Winehouse’s organs were severely damaged from years of drinking, drug use and bulimia. Her condition was rough but she was on a path to recover. When James left that night he didn’t know that was the last time he would see Winehouse.
On July 23, 2011 Winehouse was pronounced dead by paramedics in her home in Camden with over five times the legal alcohol amount in her blood.
"I want people to please, please recognize how hard she had worked to come off drugs and just how close she was to [giving up alcohol] for good, how close she was to being healthy," James states in an Interview with People Magazine years after her passing.
On December 5th, 2011 her second to last album was released posthumously, the title being Lioness: Hidden Treasures. It was a collection of songs that she had been making even before her first album Frank. The album was a loving mix of acceptance and almost reminiscing on old times. The album would sell over a million copies , selling over 100,000 in just the first week. The world was already missing Winehouse.
