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Anyone who keeps in touch with current events could tell you either one of the two stories of Amy Winehouse’s life. She was a retro-styled singer who was admired by critics and fans, who wrote her own songs about her own life. In a time when a vast majority of female singers got a record contract because they either starred in a TV show or was related to the right people, she marked a trend towards a refreshingly old-fashioned type of recording artist. Unfortunately, there was also the other side to her fame, which kept her as “the bad example” in countless media reports. Every other week there was a new story about how many bars she had gone to, what kind of drugs she was said to have taken, how unhealthy she looked, her ongoing medical problems, canceled tours, and a follow-up album that would never seem to get completed due to her addictions. A stint in rehab along with a scheduled world tour seemed to signal a return to the proper spotlight for Winehouse, but a botched Serbian concert where she was reportedly booed offstage for erratic behavior led to a cancellation of the entire tour.
By now, the world knows of Amy Winehouse’s death. While the major media outlets will speculate over the unimportant minor details of her death and focus on the macabre coincidence that is “the 27 club” (stars who died at the peak of their fame, at the age of 27), some readers will make crude, cruel comments in a vain attempt to seem funny or relevant. Regardless of her talent and fame, she is yet another person whose life, full of potential and important to those who loved her, was tragically cut short for no reason at all.
The following clips are a look back at her career, which due to her tragically short career, seems incomplete.
Her debut album, Frank made an impact in her native Britain, where it went platinum and swept the UK awards scene. “Stronger Than Me” was its lead single.
Her next album, Back to Black was a No.1 hit in the UK, but lead to international success. American critics and the major media considered “You Know I’m No Good” as one of the best songs of 2007.
Her cover of the Zutons “Valerie” appeared on one of producer Mark Ronson’s albums, and quickly became a staple for female singers on TV shows such as The X Factor and Glee.
“Rehab” was her most well known song, an international hit that also won three Grammy awards.
Her cover of Sam Cooke’s Cupid appeared on a benefit album for Artists Project Earth.
Another cover, of Leslie Gore’s “It’s My Party”, would become the last of her works released during her lifetime.
