Amy Winehouse's Rollercoaster Life
Rex FeaturesAmy Jade Winehouse was born in London in 1983 to dad Mitch, a taxi driver, and Janis, a pharmacist.
By Charlotte Duck
WennHer musical talent was evident from a young age; her teachers would often have difficulty keeping her from singing in class. At ten, she founded a short-lived rap group called Sweet ‘n’ Sour and, at 13, was given her first guitar.
PA PhotosAmy’s father Mitch had a huge impact on her life. When she was young, he would sing Frank Sinatra around the house and introduced the singer to the jazz music, which would later so influence her own songs.
Rex FeaturesAmy decided to train full-time in music and got accepted at the Sylvia Young Theatre School, which includes Emma Bunton, Billie Piper, The Appletons, Denise Van Outen among its alumni. Unfortunately, Amy wasn’t your average stage school student and was expelled at 14 for “not applying herself” and piercing her nose.
PA PhotosAmy’s debut album, Frank, was released in 2003. The title was a reference to the 20-year-old singer’s dog and also because the album was an honest reflection.
PA PhotosAmy’s collaboration with Mark Ronson has been one of the most successful in pop history. The super-producer worked on the majority of songs on Amy’s second album, including hits “Rehab”, “Back To Black” and “Love Is A Losing Game”.
PA PhotosAmy wrote the autobiographical song, “Rehab” after her management encouraged her to go to a rehabilitation centre to deal with her alcohol addiction. "I asked my dad if he thought I needed to go. He said no, but I should give it a try. So I did, for just 15 minutes. I went in said 'hello'” she revealed.
PA PhotosAmy’s 2006 album, Back To Black received universal acclaim and was praised for its classic, vintage-style production. It went on to win six Grammys and sell 6m copies worldwide.
PA PhotosThroughout 2006 and 2007, Amy’s drug addiction was the subject of a media furore. It seemed that almost every week, she was pictured looking dishevelled near her home in Camden.
Rex FeaturesAmy Winehouse’s older brother, Alex, has been his sister’s most ardent supporter, defending the troubled singer in the press and urging fans to keep up their support.
PA PhotosAmy married former video production assistant Blake Fielder-Civil in Miami in 2007. The pair’s honeymoon period was short-lived, with Blake being imprisoned in the summer of 2008 for grievous bodily harm.
WennOn the opening night of her 2007 tour, Amy was booed by crowds in Birmingham, many of whom also walked out of her performance. A music critic described it as "one of the saddest nights of my life” as he watched the singer reduced to tears and stumbling around the stage.
PA PhotosAmy Winehouse’s 2008 Glastonbury performance was overshadowed after she was alleged to have punched a fan. The festival’s founder Michael Eavis spoke out in support of the star: "The fan deserved it. He grabbed Amy's breasts as she went past him."
PA PhotosAmy’s parents had to content themselves with a Madame Tussauds waxwork in 2008 when the star was admitted into rehab. Mitch described the model as having an "absolutely incredible" likeness to his daughter.
PA PhotosLily Allen, herself a target for the media, has asked the press to hold off her friend Amy Winehouse. “Yes, she does get out of her mind on drugs sometimes, but she is also a very clever, intelligent, witty, funny person who can hold it together."
PA PhotosAs well as music, Amy had an impact on the world of fashion. Her distinctive beehive was reinvented by Chanel Creative Director Karl Lagerfeld in his 2008 collection.
Bigpicturesphoto.comIn 2009, Amy took an extended holiday on the Caribbean island of St Lucia to escape the press attention and concentrate on getting her health back. During her stay, she worked with producer Salaam Remi on what is to become material for her third album.
Rex FeaturesAmy’s divorce was completed in August 2009. Blake had filed earlier that year, citing infidelity as the reason and his wife didn’t contest the split or its terms.
In a bid to stay drugs-free when she returned from the Caribbean, Amy moved out of her Camden flat and into a £1.4m gated property in Barnet, Hertfordshire.
PA PhotosDespite being clean, Amy’s past came back to hit her when it was alleged that she had punched a fan at a charity concert in September 2008. A judge found Amy not guilty and she went home smiling.
WennAmy used her fame to push her 14-year-old god-daughter Dionne Bromfield into the limelight, even signing her as the first artist at her record company, Lioness Records. “She’s so much better than I was at her age,” Amy said.
In April 2010 Amy seemed to have gone back to Blake as the pair were spotted in London holding hands, and rumours surfaced that they were planning to remarry in Las Vegas.
Bigpicturesphoto.comAmy’s rep confirmed in April that the singer was back producing with Mark Ronson again. One music boss revealed that Amy has learned to play the drum for her new material, adding that the song demos: “floored him”.
