Sure, she was a wreck for years, but people have come back from worse places, so I always hoped Amy Winehouse would pull herself together. Like MichaelK of Dlisted said, “I thought Amy Winehouse would outlive us all and make a million more albums and throw spit bombs at a million more bitchy fans. You know, like Keef Richards or Courtney Love.” Unfortunately, it wasn’t to be, and the talented and troubled singer has joined music’s sad 27 Club.
Young and healthy Amy Winehouse, before the effects of addiction.
The first report I saw was a tweet from Sky News. In these days of hoaxes and hackings, one report does not a celebrity death confirm, so I tweeted asking if anyone had seen independent confirmation. I was flooded by tweets saying this newspaper reported it, that newspaper reported it, etc. But if a thousand websites all refer to one report, you have just that: ONE report. Eventually — and unfortunately — the police confirmed that “a 27-year-old woman” had died at Amy’s flat and I had to believe. So disappointing. I will always treasure her music, her beehive, her awesome eyeliner and her “Blake incarcerated” Grammy speech.
UPDATED TO ADD: Here’s another nice photo of Amy from 2003.
sometimes gentle people with pain and talent cannot be saved
but I am so thankful that some have
addiction kills
so sad
so lovely
so possible
“sometimes gentle people with pain and talent cannot be saved” — well put.
I first saw it on Dlisted.com and Michael K cited Skey News as well. Like you, I started looking everywhere for confirmation. I only saw that Wikipedia had updated her status. I always hoped that she would beat the addiction and bounce back! I hope that Lindsey and Courtney wake up. Sads.
Oh God, I never believe anything on Wikipedia…though I admit I looked there too and then thought “Why am I looking here?”
Courtney must be made of the same strong stuff that Keith Richards is. She just keeps going, and going, and going.
Yeah, I feel the same about Wikipedia! I tell my students to steer clear from that site! That was the top hit that came up on my Google search this morning.
One of the weirdest things I found on Wikipedia is mentioned here: http://wendybrandes.com/blog/2007/11/thursday-book-club-caroline-mathilde/
You know, it upset me then and it upsets me now that Rehab became such a hit song. It might have been tongue-in-cheek but the world supporting that song, didn’t exactly help her in any way.
I did feel like it might have inspired her to live up to the lyrics, sadly…but I still think it’s a great song.
I feel like it had great production, beautiful vocals, etc, but when the world is pushing and pulling at someone who is slowly deconstructing, I can’t get behind that boat, no matter how good it might be.
But didn’t she write the lyrics? I feel like you can’t stop an artist from writing about her own life, even if the art represents her self-destruction. That would eliminate a lot of art!
You can’t stop it, but that doesn’t mean you have to jump on board cheering for it either. Not when the person’s an absolute wreck and can’t even get it together enough to perform in concert.
Think we were all hopping this was an aweful rumor. It’s most sad, for she was far too talented and young to leave us so soon! R.I.P.
Devastated .. Cool Camden babe .. RIP xx
What a sweet video. I’ve never seen someone so happy to win a Grammy.
So sad. I remember when Jimi, Janis and Jim died. So much talent!
Extremely sad.
Yes it is so sad. I’ve listened to her album a hundred times.
So sad. She seemed so vunerable and young. Such a loss of an amazing talent too. Perhaps now she can be at peace.
Rest In Peace dear Amy, you will be missed so much xxx
Amy is the reason this natural blonde dyed her hair jet black, beautiful and talented woman. I hope she’s finally found peace. x
Sweet vidio. Her reaction was priceless. I hope she has found solace now! RIP!
So terribly sad, along with the tragedy in Norway. Yesterday was just a crazy day.
Madeleine said it so well.
And poor Amy… I didn’t think she would be satisfied until she finally went too far.
she was an icon, although many still don’t realize it.
Amy was one of my all time faves. Back to Black is literally ALWAYS on in my apt. I am so sad she was not able to get the helo she needed. Between the Norway massacre and Amy’s death, yesterday was a sad, sad, day.
It was definitely shocking news. She was so talented and I always hoped she’d get back on her feet. RIP.
It’s such a waste… In your 20s life can be really confusing. I’m sure if she’d gotten through the next few years she would have looked back and thought: ‘Pffff, that was stupid.’ But it was not to be. So sad.
Yes, terribly sad news. I somehow always thought she might pick herself up – so tragic that she couldn’t. Such a talent and such a waste.
This news hit me hard as well. I found myself yesterday thinking about the nature of celebrity and whether it could be said somehow that she was a victim of her own notoreity, a side-effect of fame.
It really is heartbreaking news. My husband runs a club in LA and it seems the DJ community is particularly hard hit. Last night’s DJ did a whole tribute to Amy Winehouse.
Such a beautiful person with amazing talents. 🙁
So sad. That is all I can say. But do say it from ‘me heeeart’.
She was an amazing talent and will be missed. Addictions can be deadly and difficult to overcome and treat. So sad that she is gone.
So sad isn’t it? So much talent, but overcome by addiction.
xo L.
I’m so saddened by her death. She was such an original and so talented, and I always hoped she’d come back from the edge. You probably saw it already, but there was a great piece about her in the Times by Guy Trebay. There’s a huge creative hole in music now that she’s gone.
Amy Winehouse’s death is yet more proof that drug addiction only leads to one thing: death. This is what happens when you “won’t go to rehab”. Such a waste and a shame that no one could help her before it was too late.