Tribute to The Soul Singer Everybody Loved

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 On a Day Like This: July 23, 2011 

Singer Amy Winehouse passes away age 27 


A Jazz Genius

Amy Jade Winehouse, born in London, September 14, 1983, in a Jewish family, fond of jazz & soul music, marked the 21st century with her incredible, authentic and distinctive jazz voice, transfusing her poignant lyrics. While her father introduced Amy to music, it was her grandmother, Cynthia, a cabaret singer, who sparked her love for jazz. After she passed away, in 2006, Amy tattooed an effigy  of her in memoriam, in the form of old-school pin-up girl. 

A Girl Loved by All      

In her devastatingly short life, Amy Winehouse was loved by all.

Her unique talent, amplified by the originality of her lyrics, left no heart untouched. Her songs and voice carried a universal sentiment appreciated by all.  As noted by Bott: In "Back to Black she made every note-every word- a deeply personal one". 





Her frail figure, her girlish attitude before the public, effortlessly attracted  love and admiration. It was apparent: For a genius of her times, she was disproportionately humble. Or self-destructive.



Unparalleled Music Talent

Her sonorous voice, reminiscent only of the jazz & rhythm-and-blues legends, such as Sarah Vaugham, Dinah Washington and Billie Holiday, was the background of our daily lives from 2006 onwards. Mere bliss. “Back to Black” would play and people silently thanked God for creating a miracle of their times. Catherine Bott recalls: “Benett was right: Winehouse had one of those voices that’s instantly recognisable”. 




A genius who revitalized jazz and soul, Amy, on her critically acclaimed debut Album, Frank (2003)-named after Frank Sinatra-proved herself to be a shrewd, caustic lyricist gifted with smoky, evocative vocals.  “Frank” was nominated for the Mercury Music Prize, as well as two BRIT awards for Best Female Solo Artist and Best Urban Act. The debut single of this album, “Stronger than Me”, earned the artist an Ivor Novello award. “Frank” hit double platinum status.  



Her music blossomed into an eclectic mix of jazz, pop, soul and R & B. Winehouse won five Grammy Awards connected to her 2006 album “Back to Black” and earned acclaim for songs like the title track, “Rehab” and “Love is a Losing Game”.  Her singles “Rehab”, “Back to Black”, “You Know I’m no Good”, except for profoundly confessional, were also the ones that established her unique soul-jazz tunes into mainstream music and mass consciousness.



Allegedly, from 2006 onwards, “Rehab” was playing everywhere. The massive track took Winehouse’s voice into the realms of mainstream pop/R & B. What an incredible display of powerful vocals and soulful expression.

A Losing Game

Her short life was brimming with genuine creation, authenticity and admiration. As testified by Catherine Bott, the week before Amy Winehouse died, Tony Bennet broadcast on the radio what a joy it had been to record with her, acclaiming her as one of the finest jazz singers he’d ever heard. He said he looked forward to future collaborations-but it wasn’t to be.

Later on, her life was forcibly placed under the spotlight. Her already meandering love and family life was plagued by paparazzi.

On July 23rd, in her Camden Square apartment, Amy’s  irreplaceable voice silenced.  She was a one-of-a-kind artist, having left everyone bereft and devastated.  Her unique, vulnerable, sultry tones, her heartfelt ballads reverberate to this day.




Article by: Marina Siskou 

All photos are accessed from Pinterest                                                                  

With information from: 

Biography. (2017). Amy Winehouse. https://www.biography.com/musician/amy-winehouse.

Marain, A. (2021). 10 Things You Didn’t Know About Amy Winehouse. Vogue. https://www.vogue.fr/fashion-culture/article/10-things-you-didnt-know-about-amy-winehouse.

Pentreath, R. (2019). “Why was Amy Winehouse’s Voice so Unique? We Ask a Professional Singer”. https://www.classicfm.com/discover-music/amy-winehouse-voice-so-unique-analysis/.

 


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