We look back on the life of Amy Winehouse, her remarkable musical abilities, and the impact she made in the entertainment industry on the anniversary of her death. The British singer and songwriter skyrocketed into fame thanks to her incredible talent and unique sound, which was unfortunately overshadowed by a tumultuous personal life.
Community Test Amy Winehouse was born on September 14, 1983, to Jewish parents Mitch and Janis Winehouse. She had one older sibling, Alex. She was a self-confessed daddy’s girl and had tattoos to prove it. On her left shoulder, she had a tattoo that said “She was always very self-willed,” and “Not badly behaved, but...different.” Even as a child, Amy had always been musically inclined. Together with her best friend, they formed a duo called “Sweet ‘n Sour,” patterned after the rap duo Salt-n-Pepa. She came from a family of jazz musicians, with many of Amy’s maternal uncles performing professionally. Her paternal grandmother is also a singer, which contributed to her influence in jazz growing up.
Community Test Amy’s first album, “Frank”, was recorded when she was 20 years old. It was a jazz and hip-hop inflected album, which garnered critical reviews in the UK. The album reached platinum, which resulted in her nomination for the Mercury Music Prize. She also won the Ivor Novello Award for Songwriting.
Community Test It was Amy Winehouse’s 2006 album, “Back to Black” that propelled her into fame worldwide, shooting up the US music charts on its debut. The album uniquely blended modern and classic R&B that was refreshing and had a wide audience appeal. It sold close to 10 million copies worldwide.
Amy Winehouse accepting Record Of The Year at the 50th Grammy Awards
Community Test Her talent and album have earned her recognition in various music awards around the world. Amy Winehouse received 8 nominations for the Grammy Awards and won 6 awards from 2008 to 2013, including Best New Artist, Best Pop Vocal Album (Back to Black), Record of the Year (Rehab), Song of the Year, and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. She also received two nominations for the World Music Awards in 2007 and won the Best-Selling Pop/Rock Female category in 2008.
Amy Winehouse had a voice that was sultry, husky, and sad, and it stood out from the rest of the singers at the time. It was reminiscent of the voices of Billie Holiday, Sara Vaughn, and Janis Jolin.
Community Test The success of her singing career was not enough to keep Amy’s demons at bay. She developed an addiction to drugs and alcohol, going in and out of rehab and treatment for years. She was known to perform while intoxicated and had a tumultuous relationship with her then-husband, Blake Fielder-Civil.
Community Test The family of Amy Winehouse established the Amy Winehouse Foundation in memory of her. It aims to aid vulnerable or disadvantaged youths and to educate them on the effects of drug and alcohol abuse, as well as providing support for those seeking help in their recovery. The royalties from the sales of “Lioness: Hidden Treasures”, a posthumous compilation album of Amy Winehouse’s unreleased singles and demos, was used to establish the foundation. Proceeds from the autobiography written by her father, Mitch Winehouse, also went into the foundation. Patrons of the Amy Winehouse foundation include Barbara Windsor, Jon Snow, Nas, Monte Lipman, and Mark Ronson.
Community Test Amy Winehouse was found dead at her Camden home in London by her bodyguard. The coroner’s inquest concluded that her death was caused by alcohol poisoning. Her death with mourned by artists and fans around the world. Tributes of bouquets were placed outside her home for days following her death. Artists paid tribute to Amy Winehouse, including U2, Bruno Mars, Rihanna, and George Michael. Lady Gaga said on Twitter that “Amy changed pop music forever, I remember knowing there was hope, and feeling not alone because of her. She lived jazz, she lived the blues.”
The documentary film “Amy” was released in 2015 at the Cannes Film Festival. A “tragic masterpiece,” the film covers her personal life, the start of her career, and her struggles with substance abuse. “I wish I could say ‘no regrets’ and no emotional debts, and as we kiss good-bye the sunsets. So we are history, the shadow covers me, the sky above...
Community Test Fellow British singer Adele credits Amy Winehouse for paving the way for “unconventional” women to find mainstream musical success, especially in the US. Adele said, “Amy paved the way for artists like me, and made people excited about British music again. I don’t think she ever realised just how brilliant she was, and how important she is.” With the success of her “Back to Black” album, record companies sought out artists who have similar sound and voice. Other artists who count Amy Winehouse as their influence for their music include Ellie Goulding, Jessi J, Lana Del Rey, Sam Smith, and Billie Eilish.
Community Test It was Amy Winehouse’s authenticity and style that endeared her to fellow artists. Lana Del Rey expressed her admiration saying, “I believed she was who she was, and in that way, she got it right.” Lady Gaga echoed the sentiments, believing that Amy had made the music scene “less banal” and made it easier for eccentric artists to breakthrough. Florence Welch of Florence and the Machine said upon witnessing Amy’s Glastonbury performance: “seeing her up there made me think, wow, there is a place for female singer-songwriters in this world.”