Amy Winehouse: Singer, Songwriter, Bad Girl

Amy Winehouse is topping charts in the UK and starting her first US tour soon as well as making an appearance on the David Letterman show, but who is Amy Winehouse? I got my first taste of Amy Winehouse from listening to her second album titled Back to Black that I borrowed from a friend. I don't want this article to turn into a bunch of gushy fan dribble, but will have to say that I was impressed. Her soulful sort of jazz style just really clicked for me. So I got to thinking, "Who is Amy Winehouse?" I did a little research and found out some pretty interesting stuff. Like tattoos, eating disorders and Rickstasy. Well, let me pass on what I found.

Amy Winehouse was born September 14 1983. She is a singer/songwriter from Enfield North London. Her musical preference is a kind of soulful jazz. As a youngster she listened to Salt n' Peppa and at age 10 founded the rap group Sweet n' Sour. She was Sour. The band didn't make it far, but the Sour stuck around and from time to time has been known to rear its ugly head. Like at a recent record awards ceremony where, according to www.spinner.com, she refused to stand for Bono's acceptance speech, muttered shut-up throughout his speech and while meeting Bono back stage only said "Thank you for funding my albums. Bye." Amy Winehouse is on the same record label as Bono's U2. Hey, I give her props for this one. Listening to a self-righteous @$$ drone on and on is getting a bit tiresome. I understand he's sold millions of records and thinks that he can cure AIDS so what the heck, I'll give him props for that too.

At age 12 she was kicked out of school -- well, expelled actually, for "not applying herself" and piercing her nose. This was apparently a stage school and during an interview with Giant magazine she said that her heart wasn't in it because she really didn't want to be famous. I'm really not sure when the tattoos came but she has several tattoos of nude women on her body. She simply says that she enjoys pin-ups and though she is not a lesbian she really is more of a boy than a girl.

The British tabloids have pointed out that Amy Winehouse lost three dress sizes quite rapidly as her career began to take off. Amy disputes this as resulting from comments made to her regarding her size. She has admitted to having been stricken with eating disorders previously, as well as being diagnosed clinically manic-depressive. She refuses to undergo treatment. She will, however, indulge herself in alcohol from time to time. Her favorite drink is called Rickstasy (vodka, Southern Comfort, banana liqueur, and Bailey's) and she has been known to drink a lot of it. During one show she had to leave the stage so that she could vomit. Other times she will just punch a fan in the face. Well, whatever works for you.

So in a nutshell there you have her. Amy Winehouse is singer, songwriter, and tattooed mentally instable alcoholic. Go out and listen to the music, she does a great job with that part of her life.

Any material not specifically cited was gathered from wikipedia.com.