Many of Winehouse's maternal uncles were professional jazz musicians. Amy's paternal grandmother, Cynthia, was a singer and dated the English jazz saxophonist. She and Amy's parents influenced Amy's interest in jazz.
Growing up, Winehouse was part of a rap group she formed with her best friend, Juliette Ashby. Number Thirteen: She's Pulled Some Crazy Stunts. One story alleges what while the singer was in Barbados in 2010, a monkey followed her. About Product Alerts. Alerts let us notify you when products that match criteria you provide come in stock — such as artist or title. You can filter your alerts by specific things like format, price, and grade or leave a broad filter for things in an entire category.
Her father, Mitch, often sang songs to her, and whenever she got chastised at school, she would sing ' before going up to the headmistress to be told off. Winehouse's parents separated when she was nine, and she lived with her mother and stayed with her father and his girlfriend in, Essex, on weekends. In 1992, her grandmother Cynthia suggested that Amy attend the, where she went on Saturdays to further her vocal education and to learn to tap dance.
She attended the school for four years and founded a short-lived rap group called Sweet 'n' Sour, with Juliette Ashby, her childhood friend, before seeking full-time training at. Winehouse was allegedly expelled at 14 for 'not applying herself' and also for piercing her nose. Has denied this—'She changed schools at 15.I've heard it said she was expelled; she wasn't. I'd never have expelled Amy' —as has Mitch Winehouse. She also appeared in an episode of, 1997, with other children from the Sylvia Young School and later attended the,; the in,; Osidge JMI School and then.
Musical career Early career. After toying around with her brother Alex's guitar, Winehouse bought her own when she was 14 and began writing music a year later. Soon after, she began working for a living, including, at one time, as an entertainment journalist for the, in addition to singing with local group the Bolsha Band. In July 2000, she became the featured female vocalist with the; her influences were to include and, the latter of whom she was already listening to at home.
Amy's best friend, soul singer, sent her demo tape to an person. Winehouse signed to 's 19 Management in 2002 and was paid £250 a week against future earnings.
While being developed by the management company, she was kept as a recording industry secret although she was a regular jazz standards singer at the Cobden Club. Her future A&R representative at, Darcus Beese, heard of her by accident when the manager of The Lewinson Brothers showed him some productions of his clients, which featured Winehouse as key vocalist. When he asked who the singer was, the manager told him he was not allowed to say. Having decided that he wanted to sign her, it took several months of asking around for Beese to eventually discover who the singer was. However, Winehouse had already recorded a number of songs and signed a publishing deal with EMI by this time.
Incidentally, she formed a working relationship with producer through these record publishers. Beese introduced Winehouse to his boss, Nick Gatfield, and the Island head shared his enthusiasm in signing the young artist. Winehouse was signed to Island, as rival interest in Winehouse had started to build to include representatives of EMI and Virgin starting to make moves. Beese told that he felt the reason behind the excitement, over an artist who was an atypical pop star for the time, was due to a backlash against reality TV music shows, which included audiences starved for fresh, genuine young talent. 2003–2005: Debut album Frank.
The album entered the upper levels of the UK album chart in 2004 when it was nominated for in the categories of 'British Female Solo Artist' and 'British Urban Act.' It went on to achieve sales. Later in 2004, she and Remi won the for Best Contemporary Song, for their first single together, '.' The album was also shortlisted for the. In the same year, she performed at the, the and the (7 July 2004, at the Club Soda). After the release of the album, Winehouse commented that she was 'only 80 percent behind the album' because Island Records had over-ruled her preferences for the songs and mixes to be included.
Further singles from the album were ',' '/' and '/'.' 2006–2007: international success, Back to Black and touring.
In contrast to her jazz-influenced former album, Winehouse's focus shifted to the of the 1950s and 1960s. Winehouse hired New York singer 's longtime band, the, to back her up in the studio and on tour. Mitch Winehouse relates in Amy, My Daughter how fascinating watching her process was: her perfectionism in the studio and how she would put what she had sung on a CD and play it in his taxi outside to know how most people would hear her music. In May 2006, Winehouse's demo tracks such as ' and ' appeared on 's New York radio show on. These were some of the first new songs played on the radio after the release of 'Pumps' and both were slated to appear on her second album. The 11-track album, completed in five months, was produced entirely by Salaam Remi and Ronson, with the production credits being split between them.
Ronson said in a 2010 interview that he liked working with Winehouse because she was blunt when she did not like his work. She in turn thought that when they first met, he was a sound engineer and that she was expecting an older man with a beard. Promotion of Back to Black soon began and, in early October 2006 Winehouse's official website was relaunched with a new layout and clips of previously unreleased songs. Was released in the UK on 30 October 2006. It went to number one on the for two weeks in January 2007, dropping then climbing back for several weeks in February.
In the US, it entered at number seven on the. It was the best-selling album in the UK of 2007, selling 1.85 million copies over the course of the year. The album spawned a number of hit singles. The first single released from the album was the Ronson-produced 'Rehab.' The song reached the top ten in the UK and the US. Time magazine named 'Rehab' the Best Song of 2007. Writer Josh Tyrangiel praised Winehouse for her confidence, saying, 'What she is mouthy, funny, sultry, and quite possibly crazy' and 'It's impossible not to be seduced by her originality.
Combine it with production by Mark Ronson that references four decades worth of soul music without once ripping it off, and you've got the best song of 2007.' The album's second single and lead single in the US, 'You Know I'm No Good,' was released in January 2007 with a featuring rap vocals. It ultimately reached number 18 on the UK singles chart. The title track, ',' was released in the UK in April 2007 and peaked at number 25, but was more successful across. ',' ' were also released as singles, but failed to achieve the same level of success.
A deluxe edition of Back to Black was also released on 5 November 2007 in the UK. The bonus disc features, rare, and live tracks, as well as 'Valerie.' Winehouse's debut DVD was released the same day in the UK and 13 November in the US. It includes a live set recorded at London's and a 50-minute documentary charting the singer's career over the previous four years. Was released in the United States on 20 November 2007 to positive reviews.
The album debuted at number 61 on the Billboard 200 chart. In addition to her own album, she collaborated with other artists on singles.
Winehouse was a vocalist on the song ' on Ronson's solo album. The song peaked at number two in the UK, upon its October single release. 'Valerie' was nominated for a 2008 for 'Best British Single.' Her work with ex-, ',' was released on 17 December 2007.
It served as the fourth single from Buena's debut album,. Winehouse was also in talks of working with for her album,. Winehouse toured in conjunction with the Back to Black album's release, performing headliners in September and November 2006, including a charity concert at the in, North London.
On 31 December 2006, Winehouse appeared on 's live on the BBC and performed a cover of 's ' along with and Holland's Rhythm and Blues Orchestra. She also performed ' 'Monkey Man'. She began a run of another fourteen gigs beginning in February 2007. At his request, Hollywood star introduced Winehouse before her performance of 'Rehab' at the in Universal City, California. She had made awards organizers nervous when she went on a jaunt in the hours before the show. During the summer of 2007, she performed at various festivals, including the and in England, festival in Chicago, Belgium's and in.
The rest of her tour, however, did not go as well. In November 2007 the opening night of a 17-date tour was marred by booing and walkouts at the in Birmingham. A critic for the said it was 'one of the saddest nights of my life.I saw a supremely talented artist reduced to tears, stumbling around the stage and, unforgivably, swearing at the audience.' Other concerts ended similarly, with, for example, fans at her performance in London saying that she 'looked highly intoxicated throughout,' until she announced on 27 November 2007, that her performances and public appearances were cancelled for the remainder of the year, citing her doctor's advice to take a complete rest. A statement issued by concert promoter blamed 'the rigours involved in touring and the intense emotional strain that Amy has been under in recent weeks' for the decision. Mitch Winehouse wrote about her nervousness before public performances in his 2012 book, Amy, My Daughter.
2008: Continued success and acclaim. In February 2008, Winehouse also won in the following categories:, for the single 'Rehab,'.
Additionally, Back to Black was nominated for. Ronson's work with her won the category. The singer also earned a Grammy as, earning her an entry in the 2009 edition of the for Most Grammy Awards won by a British Female Act. She ended her acceptance speech for Record of the Year with, 'This is for London because Camden town ain't burning down,' in reference to the fire. Winehouse was forced to perform 'You Know I'm No Good' and 'Rehab' for the awards ceremony via satellite, as her visa approval had not been processed in time.
In Paris, she performed what was described as a 'well-executed 40-minute' set at the opening of a boutique in early March. By 12 March, the album had sold a total of 2,467,575 copies—318,350 copies had been sold in the previous 10 weeks—putting the album on the for the first time.
On 7 April, Back to Black was in the top position of the pan-European charts for the sixth consecutive and thirteenth aggregate week. Amy Winehouse – The Girl Done Good: A Documentary Review, a 78-minute DVD, was released on 14 April 2008. The documentary features interviews with those who knew her at a young age, people who helped her achieve success, jazz music experts, and music and pop-culture specialists. Although her father, manager and various members of her touring team reportedly tried to dissuade her, Winehouse performed at the festival in Portugal in May 2008. Although the set was plagued by a late arrival and problems with her voice, the crowd warmed to her. In addition to her own material she performed two covers. Winehouse performed at 's 90th Birthday Party concert at London's on 27 June, and the next day at the Glastonbury Festival.
On 12 July, at the in she performed a well-received 50-minute set which was followed the next day by a 14-song set at. Winehouse and Ronson contributed a cover of 's ' to the tribute album released 9 November 2010. Winehouse and drummer of had agreed to form a group but her problems obtaining a visa delayed their working together: had already created some material with Winehouse as part of the project. According to, pressed her for new material in 2008, and Winehouse as of 2 September had not been near a recording studio. In late October Winehouse's spokesman was quoted as saying that Winehouse had not been given a deadline to complete her third album, for which she was learning to play drums. In May 2009 Winehouse returned to performing at a jazz festival in Saint Lucia amid torrential downpours and technical difficulties. During her set it was reported she was unsteady on her feet and had trouble remembering lyrics.
She apologised to the crowd for being 'bored' and ended the set in the middle of a song. To a cheering crowd on 23 August at the V festival, Winehouse sang with on their songs 'You're Wondering Now' and '.'
During her stay in, she also worked on new music with. Claimed that a new album would be due in 2010 with Island co-president Darcus Beese saying, 'I've heard a couple of song demos that have absolutely floored me.' In July 2010, Winehouse was quoted as saying her next album would be released no later than January 2011, saying 'It's going to be very much the same as my second album, where there's a lot of jukebox stuff and songs that are. Just jukebox, really.' Ronson said the same month however that he had not started to record the album.
She performed 'Valerie' with Ronson at a movie premiere but forgot some of the song's lyrics. In October Winehouse performed a four-song set to promote her fashion line.
In December 2010, she played a 40-minute concert at a 's party in Moscow, the tycoon hand picking the songs. On 18 June 2011, Winehouse started her twelve-leg 2011 European tour in. Local media described her performance as a scandal and disaster, and she was booed off the stage due to her apparently being too drunk to perform. It was reported that she was unable to remember the city she was in, the lyrics of her songs or—when trying to introduce them—the names of the members of her band. The local press also claimed that Winehouse was forced to perform by her bodyguards, who did not allow her to leave the stage when she tried to do so. She then pulled out of performances in Istanbul and Athens which had been scheduled for the following week.
On 21 June, it was announced that she had cancelled all shows of her tour and would be given 'as long as it takes' to sort herself out. Winehouse died on 23 July 2011. On the week of 26 July 2011, Frank, Back to Black and the Back to Black re-entered the Billboard 200 at number 57, number 9 and number 152 respectively, with the album climbing to number 4 the following week.
Back to Black also topped the Billboard Digital Albums chart on the same week and was the second best-seller at iTunes. 'Rehab' re-entered and topped the Billboard chart as well, selling up to 38,000 more. As of August 2011, 'Back to Black' was the best-selling album in the UK in the twenty-first century. Winehouse's last recording was a duet with American singer for his latest album, released on 20 September 2011. Their single from the album, 'Body and Soul,' was released on 14 September 2011 on MTV and VH1 to commemorate what would have been her 28th birthday. Her father, Mitch Winehouse, launched the Amy Winehouse Foundation with the goal of raising awareness and support for organisations that help vulnerable, young adults with problems such as addiction. Proceeds from 'Body and Soul' benefit the Amy Winehouse Foundation.
The song received the for at the on 12 February 2012. Winehouse's father picked up the award at the awards ceremony with his wife Janis, saying, 'We shouldn't be here.
Our darling daughter should be here. These are the cards that we're dealt.' When interviewed by on on 29 September 2011, Bennett stated that in hindsight, he believed that Winehouse: was in trouble at that time because she had a couple of engagements that she didn't keep up. But what people didn't realise at that time, that she really knew, and in fact I didn't even know it when we were making the record, and now looking at the whole thing; she knew that she was in a lot of trouble; that she wasn't going to live.
And it wasn't drugs. It was alcohol toward the end. It was such a sad thing because.
She was the only singer that really sang what I call the 'right way' because she was a great jazz-pop singer. She was really a great jazz singer.
A true jazz singer. And I regret that because that's the 'right way' to sing. Winehouse's greatest love was 1960s. Her stylist, Alex Foden, borrowed her 'instantly recognisable' hairdo (a ) and she borrowed her makeup from. Her imitation was so successful, as reports: '—who, it could be argued, all but invented Winehouse's style in the first place when she took the stage at the Brooklyn Fox Theater with her fellow Ronettes more than 40 years ago—was so taken aback at a picture of Winehouse in the New York Post that she exclaimed, 'I don't know her, I never met her, and when I saw that pic, I thought, 'That's me!' But then I found out, no, it's Amy!
I didn't have on my glasses.' Style reporter, Guy Trebay, discussed the multiplicity of influences on Winehouse's style after her death. Trebay noted, 'her stylish husband, Blake Fielder-Civil, may have influenced her look.' Additionally, Trebay observed: She was a 5-foot-3 almanac of visual reference, most famously to Ronnie Spector of the Ronettes, but also to the white British soul singer, less famous for her sound than her beehive; to the punk god.; to the fierce chicks.
(see: and runways, 2007 and 2008). To a lineage of bad girls, extending from Cleopatra to 's Lulu and including, to irresistible man traps that always seemed to come to the same unfortunate end.
Mitch Winehouse later revealed that the influence for the bold red lipstick, thick eyebrows and heavy eyeliner came from Latinas she saw in Miami, on her trip there to work with Salaam Remi on Back to Black. This same look, however, was repeatedly denigrated by the British press. At the same time that the nominated Winehouse in the categories of 'Best Solo Artist' and 'Best Music DVD' in 2008, they awarded her 'Worst Dressed Performer.'
Winehouse was also ranked number two on 's 48th annual 'Ten Worst Dressed Women' list, behind. Other ventures. Winehouse joined a campaign to stop a block of flats being built beside the, a famous London music venue.
Campaign supporters feared the residential development would end the spot's lucrative sideline as a film and photo location, on which it relies to survive. As part of a breast cancer awareness campaign, Winehouse appeared in a revealing photograph for the April 2008 issue of Easy Livingmagazine. Winehouse had an estimated £10m fortune, tying her for tenth place in the 2008 listing of the wealth of musicians under age 30. The following year her fortune had dropped to an estimated £5m. Her finances are run by Mitch and Janis Winehouse. It was reported she earned about £1m singing at two private parties during. As well as another £1m to perform at a Moscow Art Gallery for Russian oligarch.
Winehouse loaned a vintage dress used in her video for 'Tears Dry on Their Own' as well as a DVD to the, a new museum dedicated to the history of British pop music. The museum, located in, opened on 9 March 2009. Winehouse collaborated on a 17 piece fashion collection with the Fred Perry label. It was released for sale in October 2010. According to Fred Perry's marketing director 'We had three major design meetings where she was closely involved in product style selection and the application of fabric, colour and styling details,' and gave 'crucial input on proportion, colour and fit.' The collection consists of 'vintage-inspired looks including, a dress, a, a longline sweater and a pink-and-black checkerboard-printed collared shirt.' At the behest of her family, three forthcoming collections up to and including autumn/winter 2012 that she had designed prior to her death will be released.
By 2008, her continued drug problems threatened her career. As Nick Gatfield, the president of, toyed with the idea of releasing Winehouse 'to deal with her problems,' he said, 'It's a reflection of her status in the U.S. that when you flick through the TV coverage of the Grammys it's her image they use.' Post-Grammys, some questioned whether Winehouse should have been honoured with the awards given her recent personal and drug problems, including, who introduced Winehouse at the ceremony and who herself battled substance-abuse problems while winning a Grammy for Best New Artist in 1975. (Winehouse was prevented from travelling to and performing at the Grammy Awards ceremony in the US due to failing a drug test. ) In a newspaper commentary, the executive director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, said that the alleged drug habits of Winehouse and other celebrities sent a bad message 'to others who are vulnerable to addiction' and undermine the efforts of other celebrities trying to raise awareness of problems in Africa, now that more cocaine used in Europe passes through that continent.
Winehouse's spokesperson noted that 'Amy has never given a quote about drugs or flaunted it in any way. She's had some problems and is trying to get better. Should get its own house in order.' In January 2008, her record label stated it believed the extensive media coverage she had received increased record sales. In an April 2008 poll conducted by, Winehouse was named the second greatest 'ultimate heroine' by the UK population at large, topping the voting for that category of those polled under 25 years old. Psychologist Donna Dawson commented that the results demonstrated that women like Winehouse who had 'a certain sense of vulnerability or have had to fight against some adversity in their lives' received recognition. In July 2008, 's head, Jeff Zycinski, stated that the BBC, and media in general, were complicit in undermining celebrities, including Winehouse.
He said that public interest in the singer's lifestyle did not make her lifestyle newsworthy. Rod McKenzie, editor of the BBC Radio One programme, replied: 'If you play Amy Winehouse's music to a certain demographic, those same people want to know what's happening in her private life.
If you don't cover it, you're insulting young licence fee payers.' In, British singer and songwriter was quoted to have said – 'I know Amy Winehouse very well.
And she is very different to what people portray her as being. Yes, she does get out of her mind on drugs sometimes, but she is also a very clever, intelligent, witty, funny person who can hold it together. You just don't see that side.' Awards and nominations. The 's Garry Mulholland called Winehouse 'the pre-eminent vocal talent of her generation'. According to 's Cyril Cordor, she was one of the UK's premier singers during the 2000s; 'fans and critics alike embraced her rugged charm, brash sense of humor, and distinctively soulful and jazzy vocals'. In, Caroline Sullivan later wrote that 'her idolisation of Dinah Washington and the Ronettes distinguished her from almost all newly minted pop singers of the early 2000s; her exceptionally-susceptible-to-heartbreak voice did the rest'.
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Throughout her life Winehouse donated her money, music and time to many charities, particularly those concerned with children. She was once named 'the most charitable act'. While this side of her personality was never well known to the general public, throughout both the arts community and the charity community she was known for her generosity.
Among the charities she supported are, Children of the Andes, City at Peace, UK charity telethon, London's for sick children, Healthlink Worldwide, Hear the World, the, LIFEbeat, Lifeline and Rape Crisis PMB, Little Dreams Foundation, Lotus Outreach,. A wax sculpture of Winehouse went on display at the London on 23 July 2008. The singer did not attend the unveiling, although her parents did. A sculpture by Marco Perego, titled The Only Good Rock Star Is a Dead Rock Star, that depicts Winehouse lying in a pool of blood with an apple and a bullet hole in her head after being shot by American novelist and poet (in a recreation of the accidental killing of his wife ), was scheduled to go on display in New York's Half Gallery on 14 November 2008 with a sale price of US$100,000. Perego said of the sculpture: 'Rock stars are the sacrificial animals of society.'
Winehouse's spokesperson stated: 'It's a funny kind of tribute. The artist seems in thrall to a tabloid persona that is not the real Amy. People often use her image to sell their work.' On 14 September 2014 (which would have been Winehouse's 31st birthday), which was created by sculptor Scott Eaton, at in, north London.
Fans and relatives gathered for the unveiling in Camden's Stable Market, where it will be a permanent memorial to her. London-based Eaton, who sculpted the piece after being introduced to Winehouse's father Mitch, said the statue was meant to capture her 'attitude and strength, but also give subtle hints of insecurity.' Her father Mitch said of the statue: 'Now Amy will oversee the comings and goings of her home town forever. Amy was in love with Camden and it is the place her fans from all over the world associate her with.' The next generation. British singer has credited Winehouse's success in making her and fellow British singer journey to the United States 'a bit smoother.'
Credited Winehouse with paving the way for her rise to the top of the charts, explaining that Winehouse made it easier for unconventional women to have mainstream pop success., and said 'Amy Winehouse was produced by people who wanted to create a marketing coup. The positive side is that it reacquainted an audience with this music and played an introductory role for others. This reinvigorated the genre by overcoming the vintage aspect.' After the release of, record companies sought out female artists with a similar sound and fearless and experimental female musicians in general. Adele and Duffy were the second wave of artists with a sound similar to Winehouse's.
A third wave of female musicians that has emerged since the album was released are led by,. In March 2011, the New York Daily News ran an article attributing the continuing wave of British female artists that have been successful in the United States to Winehouse and her absence. Magazine music editor Charles Aaron was quoted as saying 'Amy Winehouse was the moment for all these women,' 'They can all be traced back to her in terms of attitude, musical styles or fashion.'
According to Keith Caulfield, chart manager for Billboard, 'Because of Amy, or the lack thereof, the marketplace was able to get singers like Adele, Estelle and Duffy,' 'Now those ladies have brought on the new ones, like, and.' Amy Winehouse Foundation. After the singer's death by alcohol intoxication in July 2011, the was set up by Winehouse's family and launched on 14 September 2011 (which would have been Winehouse's 28th birthday). Its aim is to help young people and it works with other charitable organisations to provide frontline support. Its central office is in North London, but it also has an office in New York (operating under the name 'The Amy Winehouse Foundation US'). Both and are patrons for the charity, and ambassadors include. In October 2015 became a patron.
Amy's brother Alex works full-time for the foundation, having given up his career as an online music journalist. Fielder-Civil (born August 1978), a former video production assistant, had dropped out of and, aged 16, moved to London from his native. In a June 2007 interview, Winehouse admitted she could sometimes be violent toward him after she had been drinking, saying: 'If he says one thing I don't like, then I'll chin him.' In August 2007, they were photographed, bloodied and bruised, in the streets of London after an alleged fight, although she contended her injuries were self-inflicted. Winehouse married Fielder-Civil on 18 May 2007, in.
Winehouse's parents and in-laws publicly reported their numerous concerns, the latter citing fears that the two might commit suicide. Fielder-Civil's father encouraged fans to boycott Winehouse's music, and Mitch Winehouse said this would not help. Fielder-Civil was quoted in a British tabloid as saying he introduced Winehouse to and heroin. During a visit with Mitch Winehouse at the prison in July 2008, Fielder-Civil reportedly said that he and Winehouse would cut themselves to ease the pain of.
From 21 July 2008 to 25 February 2009, Fielder-Civil was imprisoned following his guilty plea on charges of trying to and of grievous bodily harm with intent. The incident, in July 2007, involved his assault of a pub landlord that broke the victim's cheek. According to the prosecution, the landlord accepted £200,000 as part of a deal to 'effectively throw the court case and not turn up,' and he testified that the money belonged to Winehouse, but she pulled out of a meeting with the men involved in the plot, to attend an awards ceremony.
Mitch Winehouse, as manager of his daughter's money, has denied the payoff came from her. When Winehouse was spotted with aspiring actor on holiday in, in early January 2009, she said she was 'in love again, and I don't need drugs.' She commented that her 'whole marriage was based on doing drugs' and that 'for the time being I've just forgotten I'm even married.' On 12 January, Winehouse's spokesman confirmed that 'papers have been received' for what Fielder-Civil's solicitor has said are divorce proceedings based on a claim of adultery.
In March, Winehouse was quoted in a magazine as saying, 'I still love Blake and I want him to move into my new house with me—that was my plan all along. I won't let him divorce me. He's the male version of me and we're perfect for each other.' Nonetheless, an uncontested divorce was granted on 16 July 2009 and became final on 28 August 2009. Fielder-Civil received no money in the settlement. After Winehouse's death, said that he and Winehouse had been lovers at one point.
Speaking to the Daily Mail about it he said 'This is difficult for me to admit. But, yes, it's true. Amy and I were lovers. I loved her then and, well, I still do today.
But towards the end, as only lovers can, she became quite mean and cruel to me. She didn't suffer foolsand believe me, she had a mean right hook.' However, in July 2008, when Rolling Stone reporter Claire Hoffman asked Winehouse about her relationship with Doherty, Winehouse replied: 'We're just good friends', and added: 'I asked Pete to do a concept EP, and he made this face, he looked at me like I'd pooed on the floor. He wouldn't do it. We're just really close'.
Substance abuse and mental illness. Winehouse's battles with were the subject of much media attention. In 2005, she went through a period of drinking, heavy drug use, and weight loss. People who saw her during the end of that year and early 2006 reported a rebound that coincided with the writing of Back to Black.
Her family believes that the mid-2006 death of her grandmother, who was a stabilising influence, set her off into addiction. In August 2007, Winehouse cancelled a number of shows in the UK and Europe, citing exhaustion and ill health. She was hospitalised during this period for what was reported as an of heroin, cocaine, and alcohol. In various interviews, she admitted to having problems with, depression,. Winehouse told a magazine that the drugs were to blame for her hospitalisation and that 'I really thought that it was over for me then.' Soon afterward, Winehouse's father commented that when he had made public statements regarding her problems he was using the media because it seemed the only way to get through to her.
In an interview with on British television, Winehouse said she was and not alcoholic, adding that that sounded like 'an alcoholic in denial.' A US reporter writes that Winehouse was a 'victim of mental illness in a society that doesn't understand or respond to mental illness with great effectiveness.' In December 2007, Winehouse's spokesman reported that the singer was in a physician-supervised programme and was channelling her difficulties by writing a lot of music. The British tabloid posted a video of a woman, alleged to be Winehouse, apparently smoking crack cocaine and speaking of having taken ecstasy. Winehouse's father moved in with her, and, her record label, announced the abandonment of plans for an American promotion campaign on her behalf.
In late January 2008, Winehouse reportedly entered a rehabilitation facility for a two-week treatment program. On 23 January 2008, the video was passed on to the, who questioned her on 5 February.
No charges were brought. On 26 March 2008, Winehouse's spokesman said she was 'doing well.' Her record company reportedly believed that her recovery remained fragile. By late April 2008, her erratic behaviour, including an allegation of assault, caused fear that her drug rehabilitation efforts had been unsuccessful, leading to efforts by Winehouse's father and manager to seek assistance in having her. Her dishevelled appearance during and after a scheduled club night in September sparked new rumours of a relapse.
Photographers were quoted as saying she appeared to have cuts on her legs and arms. According to her physician, Winehouse quit illegal substances in 2008. In an October 2010 interview, speaking of her decision to quit drugs, Winehouse said, 'I literally woke up one day and was like, 'I don't want to do this any more'.'
Drinking alcohol emerged as a problem with Winehouse abstaining for a few weeks then lapsing. The physician said that Winehouse was treated with for and anxiety, and underwent psychological and psychiatric evaluations in 2010, but refused psychological therapy. Violence and legal difficulties. On 26 April 2008, Winehouse was after she admitted to police she slapped a 38-year-old man in the face, a ' offence, her first of two. She voluntarily turned herself in and was held overnight.
Police said, at her arrival she was 'in no fit state' to be interviewed. Ten days later, Winehouse was arrested on suspicion of possessing drugs after a video of her apparently smoking crack cocaine was passed to the police in January, but was released on bail a few hours later because they could not confirm, from the video, what she was smoking. The Crown Prosecution Service considered charging her, but cleared her when it could not establish that the substance in the video was a controlled drug. Some members of reacted negatively.
Two London residents were subsequently charged with to supply cocaine and ecstasy to Winehouse. One of the pair was sentenced to two years in prison on 13 December 2008, while the other received a two-year community order. On 5 March 2009, Winehouse was arrested and charged with common assault following a claim by Sharene Flash that Winehouse hit her in the eye at the September 2008 Prince's Trust charity ball. Winehouse's spokesperson announced the cancellation of the singer's US appearance in light of the new legal issue, and Winehouse appeared in court on 17 March to enter her plea of not guilty. On 23 July, her trial began with prosecutor Lyall Thompson charging that Winehouse acted with 'deliberate and unjustifiable violence' while appearing to be under the influence of alcohol or another substance. She testified that she did not punch Flash, but tried to push her away because she was scared of her; she cited her worry that Flash would sell her story to a tabloid, Flash's height advantage, and Flash's 'rude' behaviour.
On 24 July, District Judge ruled that Winehouse was not guilty, citing the facts that all but two of the witnesses were intoxicated at the time of the incident and that medical evidence did not show 'the sort of injury that often occurs when there is a forceful punch to the eye.' With the taking photographs of her wherever they could, Winehouse obtained an against a leading paparazzi agency, Big Pictures, under the; the resultant court order issued by the in 2009 banned them from following her. Photographers were also banned from following her within 100 metres of her London home and photographing Winehouse in her home or the homes of her friends and relatives. According to a newspaper report, sources close to the singer said legal action was taken out of concern for the safety of Winehouse and those close to her. Respiratory and other health problems. On 23 June 2008, Winehouse's publicist corrected earlier misstatements by Mitch Winehouse that his daughter had early stage, instead claiming she had signs of what could lead to early-stage emphysema.
Mitch Winehouse had also stated that his daughter's and that she had an. He said that these problems had been caused by her crack cocaine. The singer's father also reported that doctors had warned Winehouse that, if she continued smoking, she would have to wear an and would eventually die.
In a radio interview, Mitch Winehouse said the singer was responding 'fabulously' to treatment, which included being covered with. British Lung Foundation spokesman Keith Prowse noted this type of condition could be managed with treatment.
Prowse also said the condition was not normal for a person her age but 'heavy smoking and inhaling other substances like drugs can age the lungs prematurely.' Edelman of the explained that if she stopped smoking, her lung functions would decline at the rate of a normal person, but continued smoking would lead to a more rapid decline in lung function. Winehouse was released from the 24 hours after returning from a temporary leave to perform at 's 90th birthday and at a concert in Glastonbury, and continued receiving treatment as an. In July 2008, Winehouse stated that she had been diagnosed with 'some areas of emphysema' and said she was getting herself together by 'eating loads of healthy food, sleeping loads, playing my guitar, making music and writing letters to my husband every day.' She also kept a vertical in her flat.
Winehouse began precautionary testing on her lungs and chest on 25 October 2008 at the London Clinic for what was reported as a chest infection. Winehouse was in and out of the facility and was granted permission to set her own schedule regarding home leave. She returned to the hospital on 23 November 2008 for a reported reaction to her medication. Winehouse's bodyguard said that he had arrived at her residence three days before her death and felt she had been somewhat intoxicated. He observed moderate drinking over the next few days. He observed her 'laughing, listening to music and watching TV at 2 a.m. The day of her death'.
According to the bodyguard, at 10 a.m. He observed her lying on her bed and tried unsuccessfully to rouse her.
This did not raise much suspicion because she usually slept late after a night out. According to the bodyguard, shortly after 3 pm, he checked on her again and observed her lying in the same position as before, leading to a further check, in which he concluded that she was not breathing and had no pulse. He said he subsequently called emergency services. On 23 July 2011, two ambulances were called to Winehouse's home in, London. Winehouse was pronounced dead at the scene. Shortly afterwards, the confirmed that she had died.
After her death was announced, media and camera crews appeared, as crowds gathered near Winehouse's residence to pay their respects. Investigators entered the flat as police cordoned off the street outside; they recovered one small and two large bottles of vodka from her room. After her death, the singer broke her second Guinness World Record: for the most songs by a woman to simultaneously appear on the UK singles chart, with eight.
Winehouse's record label, released a statement that read in part: 'We are deeply saddened at the sudden loss of such a gifted musician, artist and performer.' Many musical artists have since paid tribute to Winehouse including, and the punk rock band, who wrote a song in her tribute titled 'Amy'. In her 2012 album, singer released 'This Is the Girl,' written as a homage to Winehouse. Dedicated his UK number one album to Winehouse, stating: 'I'm always thinking of you and inspired by you.' There was a large amount of media attention devoted to the once again. Three years earlier, she had expressed a fear of dying at that age. Family and friends attended Winehouse's funeral on 26 July 2011 at in north London.
Her mother and father, Janis and Mitch Winehouse, close friend, producer Mark Ronson, and her boyfriend Reg Traviss were among those in attendance at the private service led by Rabbi Frank Hellner. Her father delivered the eulogy, saying 'Goodnight, my angel, sleep tight. Mummy and Daddy love you ever so much.' Carole King's ' closed the service with mourners singing along. She was later at. The family planned to sit a two-day.
Winehouse's parents set up The Amy Winehouse Foundation to prevent harm from drug misuse among young people, and Amy Winehouse's brother Alex is an employee. Winehouse did not leave a will; her estate is inherited by her parents.
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