Source: amywinehouse.com
Yesterday a soulful voice was forever silenced. Amy Winehouse was found in her flat in London, dead at the age of 27 of unknown causes. Although it would be easy to speculate what she died of considering her very public, drug-related train wrecks, at this point it would be only speculation, since no cause of death has been determined.
Amy Winehouse was a blending of a postmodern, edgy, tattoo-covered female singer, and a vintage, beehive-wearing Motown artist. The sound she had was unique, and her song preferences could easily run to the standards and oldies. For example, in March Winehouse recorded the jazz standard Body and Soul with Tony Bennett, and her last release was a cover of the 1963 hit It’s My Party by Lesley Gore. (The latter song was recorded for a Quincy Jones tribute album in 2010.)
Winehouse now joins a list of other musicians who died at a young age; who all had struggles with drugs and alcohol; and who make us take a closer look at ourselves, and our own mortality.
There is a tragic coincidence that one of the songs that she will be best remembered for, is a song that reflected her life so accurately. Time will tell if it reflected her death as well.
Rehab is a song that I’ve been meaning to mention in this blog for a while now, because of its punchy 60s bari lines. Being a baritone player, I use these stereotypical bari lines a lot. Now I find myself mentioning Rehab for a whole other reason. I will never think of the song the same way again.
Rest In Peace Amy.
For a lot of the people who got wrapped up in “the scene”, it was the scene itself (and legal troubles, and also the mental health system of the day) that did them more harm than the drugs, had they been able to obtain them more directly. (For example — Chet Baker’s still-mysterious death.) As for Amy, it seems to me she would have found a way to implode even if her drugs of choice were unavailable. It can be difficult to distinguish at times, but sometimes the drugs are the symptom and not the problem.
so sad.the loss of a outstanding talent.drugs man its been the curse of many musicians.easy for us to say why,but bottom line is no one will ever know .if we did it would never happen god rest them all, art pepper rest in peace