Cherry: My Tribute to the Incredible Amy Winehouse

Amy Winehouse is one of the most legendary and talented songwriters of her time. She sadly passed at 27 years old and would have been 42 on Sept. 14 of this year. During her time in the music industry, Amy came out with the three albums, “Frank” (2003), “Back to Black” (2006), and “Lioness: Hidden Treasures” (2011). Some songs that were, and are still, the most popular are Rehab, You Know I’m No Good, Love is a Losing Game, and Stronger Than Me. 

Lioness was released after Amy died as a tribute to her. This article will be a tribute to Amy and her music, while talking about her growing up and legacy. Many artists have openly admitted to being very inspired by her, and many were heartbroken when she died. Those include Lady Gaga, Billie Eilish, and Adele. Oddly enough, I was only in first grade, but I have a good long-term memory and remember when she died. Don’t ask me how, I just do. 

Just A Girl from North London

Amy Jade Winehouse was born on Sept. 14, 1983, in North London, England. Growing up in England was a big part of who she was. She would call herself "Just a Jewish girl from North London.” She did not like the whole fame thing, and didn’t even understand why she was. As a child, Amy would listen to music all the time, as it was always on in the house. 

In an interview, she admitted to taking her brother’s CD player and whatever discs he had and playing them nonstop while he was at college. Her favorite artists whom she took much inspiration from were Frank Sinatra, Thelonius Monk, and Salt N Pepa. Amy and her best friend Juliette actually had a little tribute band called “Sweet N’ Sour.” One of the reasons Amy’s music was so emotional was because of her parents’ divorce at a young age. She did have a good relationship with her parents and Nan Cynthia, who sadly passed away when she got older, which made her even more emotional. Amy was always writing and singing, as her parents saw her talent already. Little did they know their daughter would lead one of the biggest musical legacies in the world.

The Value of Fame (it’s not that great)

Amy, being one of the greatest voices in the world, brought her to not-so-great places. As I previously stated, Amy did not understand why she was famous. She was just a genuine, humble human being, so being in the spotlight basically killed her. Every step she took, she was watched, and the paparazzi were everywhere. When she got with her ex-husband, Blake Fielder Civil, it all went downhill from there. 

It is really back-and-forth about how people feel, especially in regards to hard drug-related issues like addiction. Some blame Amy, and some blame Blake. There is an in-between with me, but I don’t think my opinion matters. As an avid Amy fan since I was ten, it is just sad what fame has led her to do, like drink more and take hard drugs. Amy did have many friends in the industry who cared very much about her. These include Nas, Salaam Remi, and Tyler James. She then decided to get help and go to a rehab in St. Lucia in 2008, and was clean after that. 

Her death was surprising, but also not because people knew she was struggling. Many say, and I agree with, that Amy seemed happy and very excited for the future with wanting to have children and date at the time. Her death was reportedly caused by accidental alcohol poisoning, but there is picture evidence that it wasn’t the case. The announcement of her death leaves me with tears in my eyes, a heavy heart, and an eerie feeling when I watch it. I would NOT recommend it. What I would recommend watching are the documentary “AMY” and the biopic “Back to Black,” which came out in 2024, and I saw it in theatres. There are many opinions on this one, but I really enjoyed it. I believe the audience will feel like they really know Amy at the end of these films.

My Amy Discovery 

When I was 10 years old, I recall seeing Amy in a magazine and thinking “wow, she looks cool.” I did more research, and from then on, I listened to her music and watched interviews. Seventh grade was the year I started avidly listening to her, and that hasn’t changed. Personally, my favorite Amy album is Frank but getting older a lot of my favorite songs come from her most popular, and album that put her on the map, Back to Black. With this, I will give you a list of my favorite Winehouse songs and hope you give them a listen, because if you don’t, you're MISSING OUT!

1. Wake Up Alone (Back to Black) 

2. Take the Box (Frank) 

3. In My Bed (Frank)

4. There is No Greater Love (Frank)

5. Tears Dry On Their Own (Back to Black) 

6. He Can Only Hold Her (Back to Black) 

7. Between The Cheats (Lioness) 

8. Procrastination (unreleased) 

9. Help Yourself (extra on Frank)

10. October Song (Frank)

I Will Never Forget Amy 

It makes me incredibly sad that more people don’t know about Amy Winehouse. Personally, she is one of the artists I will defend until the end because I have an incredibly strong connection with Amy as if I know her personally. I will forever love Amy and her music, and her legacy will forever live on.