Amy Jade Winehouse (14th September 1983 - 23 July 2011) was an English singer and songwriter that was known for her low-pitched voice and her mix of musical genres such as R&B, soul and jazz. She was a huge success in the UK and was nominated for the Mercury Prize which starred her 2006 follow up album, back to black. Also winning three Ivor Novello Awards for best contemporary song Stronger than me, A BRIT nomination for best female solo artists and a inclusion in robert dimerys 2006 book, 1001 albums you must hear before your die along with many other awards and other nominations. However she started to develop drug problems as well as drinkin pg problems and after years of drug abuse and alcohol Amy Winehouse died of alcohol poisoning on july 23rd 2011.

CAUSE OF DEATHhttp://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/jul/26/amy-winehouse-funeral-parents

By Alexandra Topping

A troubled rock star struggling with her demons? An astonishing voice with an excess of talent? An angel to her parents? Amy Winehouse died very young at the age of 27 in 2011.

According to her father Mitch Winehouse, she was off drugs for three years, working hard to combat alcoholism

A postmortem examination failed to establish the cause of the singers death

Her fantastic recovery from drug and drinking problems was ridiculed by her sudden death, being found dead at her home by bodyguard.

According to Mitch Winehouse, Amy said, Dad Ive had enough of drinking, I cant stand the look on your and the familys faces anymore.

http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2013/01/08/amy-winehouse-died-alcohol-poisoning-second-inquest-confirms/

A second coroners inquest confirmed that Amy died from accidental alcohol poisoning. Coroner Shirley Radcliffe ruled that there was no suspicious circumstances that she died from alcohol toxicity. Empty vodka bottles were found scattered around her body. She had a blood alcohol level five time the legal driving limit, a fatal level that will affect the central nervous system. Pathologist Michael Sheaff said the level in her blood was 416 milligrams per 100 milliliters, a blood alcohol level of 0.4%, 5 times of the British legal driving limit of 0.08%.

The doctor Christina Romete said Winehouse had successfully given up drugs after a period of taking heroin, cocaine and marijuana, but had struggled hard to stop drinking. Winehouse started drinking a few days before her death because she felt bored.

http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/gossip/amy-winehouse-died-eating-disorder-brother-article-1.1381731

However, Alex Winehouse, the singers brother said she had an eating disorder, bulimia, which led to her death. He said she was weakened by her self-induced overeating and vomiting pattern since she had been a teenager.

FAME: international starhttp://www.imdb.com/name/nm1561881/

Beehive-haired Winehouse won five Grammys with her 2006 album Back to Black. Born in 1983, in Enfield, London to a Jewish family, Amys father is a taxi driver and her mother is a pharmacist. Young amy was rebellious and she was expelled from Sylvia Young Theatre School in Marylebone at age 14. She pierced her nose and tattooed her body. She began her professional career at 16 performing club gigs. At age 19, she recorded her debut, Frank in 2003, which became a hit and earned her a number of award nominations. Then she suffered and survived a period of personal upheaval, substance abuse and a painful relationship. Her 2006s album Back on Black; was an international hit. She became the frist British female winning five Grammy Awards in 2008.

She has developed her own distinctive style. Her signature beehive hairstyle becomes the model for fashion designers.

Musically, she created a cross-cultural and cross-genre style. She experimented successfully with an eclectic mix of jazz, soul, pop, reggae, world beat and R&B. She was able to channel hurt and despair into her performances. Known as an incarnation of legendary Lady Blues, she had experienced great personal problems, including fragile personality and self-destructive behavior. She was also name the second greatest ultimate heroine by the British public.

LEGACY: AMY WINDHOUSE FOUNDATION

The foundation is set up in her memory to prevent the effects of drug and alcohol misuse. Grant is made to office specialist neonatal and palliative care to babies and children with a life-limiting or life-threatening conditions. Some are paid to take the trip of a lifetime. Money is also allocated to groundbreaking research into children and young people living with multiple sclerosis. Some young homeless people are receiving a hot meal every day for one year. The foundation also provides for drug and alcohol awareness training. It also supports music therapy sessions for underprivileged children.

REFLECTION:http://www.biography.com/people/amy-winehouse-244469

By the age of 16, Winehouse was expelled for not applying herself and piercing her nose. Sylvia Young Theatre School is very prestigious, but it is relatively small school of around 250 students in the UK, according to their official website. Students are admitted by completing an audition process. It claims to offer excellent vocational and academic education in a family atmosphere. It seems that the school fails to prepare Winehouse to deal with her personal problem later. From the schools management point of view, it is rather straightforward to kick out a problematic student like Winehouse. With the benefit of hindsight, isnt the school responsible for not providing a wider support for Winehouse to survive her problems? Talented students in art performances will more likely to experience mental or other psychological problems like stress as they are urged to show their talents to the world. Ironically, the Foundation set up after her death works to tackle substance abuse and alcoholism by providing education and training.

Winehouses personal problem is also a social problem. By 2006, Winehouse dumped her management company which tried to get her into rehab for alcohol abuse. Her song Rehab discussed why she refused treatment became an instant Top 10 hit in the United Kingdom. The popularity of the song seems to reflect the truth that there are many people who choose to escape from reality through the abuse of substance like drug or alcohol. If boredom, unhappiness, depression and other emotional reasons for the abuse problem, rehab is not the solution.

I ant got seventy dayscause theres nothingTheres nothing you can teach me

I didnt get a lot in classBut I know it dont come in a shot glass

I dont ever wanna drink againI just, ooh, I just need a friendIam not gonna spend ten weeksHave everyone think Im on the mend.

Its not jut my prideIts just til these tears have dried.

The lyrics suggests that Winehouse understands her problem is not about drinking, but what makes her want to drink, and why she cant drop it. There are things in life that cause most of the pain and frustration. That leads to substance abuse. Drinking is not the cause of all the evils. It is the result.

Winehouse is known for her problem but her album Back to Black sold a million copies in 2007. By the same year, she also got married to Blake Fielder-Civil, a sign that she might found companionship, love, and family. However, she showed up in a 17-date US tour obviously under the influence of drug. The crowd booed and walked out. Winehouse responded with sobbing and swearing. She also found later in a coma after overdosing on serval drugs, including heroin, cocaine, ecstasy, ketamine, whisky and vodka.

When she travelled to perform in Norway, she was arrested for marijuana possession in the hotel. Winehouses husband was also arrested once for allegedly offering a $400,000 bribe to a bartender whom he had assaulted earlier. Later Winehouse was also arrested on suspicion of attempting to interfere with this legal case about her husband. She could not attend the 2008 Grammy Awards as she was denied a US visa due to her drug problem.

Winehouse turned violent in 2008 as she was seen punching a fan during a performance and other incidents. Her marriage also broke up after her husband was admitted to a rehab center.

Anger seems to be behind her erratic behaviour. When provoked, Winehouse seemed to fight back on her impulse. She did not think of the consequences which would get her into trouble later. She was concerned with what she felt at that moment. However, unlike those who hid their abuse problems as part of their secret private lives, Winehouse was quite open about her problem. Maybe that is the reason why she was loved by so many in

their heart. She has become the idol for those who fail to cope with life. She is one of the warriors who come forward and reveal her pain in living a bored life. She may fail to overcome her difficulties after all, but she seems to fight her way back all the time.

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