In Memoriam
Amy Winehouse
September 14, 1983 – July 23, 2011 · aged 27
Soul · R&B · Jazz
Amy Jade Winehouse possessed a voice that sounded like it had been lifted straight from a smoky 1960s jazz club, yet she was fiercely, unapologetically modern. Born in London in 1983, she revitalized British soul with her 2006 masterpiece 'Back to Black.' Merging classic girl-group R&B with startlingly raw, autobiographical lyrics about heartbreak and addiction, she became a global phenomenon, winning five Grammy Awards in a single night. Her towering beehive hairdo and heavy eyeliner made her a modern pop icon. However, beneath the massive success, Winehouse fought a highly public, agonizing battle with substance abuse and eating disorders, relentlessly hounded by the tabloid press. On July 23, 2011, she tragically died of alcohol poisoning at the age of 27, joining the infamous '27 Club.' She left behind a small but monumental body of work that permanently shifted the pop landscape and paved the way for artists like Adele.
Milestones
Rehab, Back to Black, Valerie
Chart legacy
Also remembered in 2011
- Clarence Clemons (1942–2011)
- Gary Moore (1952–2011)
- Gil Scott-Heron (1949–2011)
- Nate Dogg (1969–2011)