Amy Jade Winehouse was a five-time Grammy Award-winning English singer-songwriter known for such hits as ‘Rehab’ and ‘You Know I’m No Good’ among her other works.  She was known for her powerful contralto vocals and her eclectic mix of musical genres including R&B, soul and jazz.  Winehouse’s 2003 debut album, Frank, was critically successful in the UK and was nominated for five wins, tying the then record for the most wins by a female to win five Grammys, including three of the “Big Four” namely Best New Artist, Record of the Year and Song of the Year.  Winehouse is credited as an influence in the rise in popularity of female musicians and soul music, and also for revitalising British music.

She was born on September 14, 1983, in Enfield, London, England to a Jewish family with Russian ancestry on her mother’s side.  Her father, Mitchell WInehouse was a taxi driver while her mother, Janis Winehouse was a pharmacist.  Her family shared her love of theater and music.  Her family shared her love of theater and music.  Amy was brought up on jazz music; she played her brother’s guitar and received her own guitar at age 13.  Young Amy Winehouse was a rebellious girl.  At age 14, she was expelled from Sylvia Young Theatre School in Marylebone, London.  At that time, she pierced her nose and tattooed her body.  She briefly attended the BRIT School in Croydon, and began her professional career at 16, performing occasional club gigs and recording low cost demos.  At age 19, she recorded her debut, Frank (2003), a jazz-tinged album that became a hit and earned her several award nominations.  During the next several years, she survived a period of personal upheaval, a painful relationship, and struggled with substance abuse.  Her 2006′s album ‘Back on Black’ was an international hit, and ‘Rehab’ made No. 9 on the US pop charts.

Amy Winehouse developed a distinctive style of her own. Her signature beehive hairstyle has become the model for fashion designers, while her vulnerability, her fragile personality and self-destructive behavior has been regular tabloid news, and subject of criticism and controversy. In April 2008, she was named the second greatest “ultimate heroine” by the British population at large, and a month later was voted the second most hated personality in the UK. George Michael called her the “best female vocalist he has heard in his entire career,” while Keith Richards warned that she “won’t be around long” if her behavior does not change.

Winehouse was found dead on July 23, 2011 at her home in London.  On October 26, 2011, a coroner ruled that alcohol poisoning was the cause of death.  Winehouse’s family and friends attended her funeral on July 26, 2011.  In August 2011, her album Back to Black became UK’s best selling album of the 21st century.  Winehouse’s final recording, a duet entitled “Body and Soul” with Tony Bennett, was released on September 14, 2011 to commemorate what would have been her 28th birthday.  Proceeds from the song will go to the Amy Winehouse Foundation to support the charitable activities in both the UK and abroad that provide help, support or care for young people, especially those who are in need by reason of ill health, disability, financial disadvantage or addiction.

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British singer Amy Winehouse had more than five times the legal driving limit of alcohol in her blood when she died on July 23 at the age of 27.  The singer had 416 mg of alcohol per 100 ml of blood, according to findings of an inquest into her death compared with the legal driving limit of 80mg.  An initial autopsy taken in the wake of the singer’s death was inconclusive, though no drugs were found in her system at the time. However, according to both Greenway and pathologist Suhail Baithun, plenty of alcohol, sadly, was.

A hearing in London also learned that Winehouse, who battled drug and alcohol addiction throughout her brief but successful career, had not drunk alcohol in July until the day before she died.  The findings backed reports shortly after her death that the Grammy award-winning artist had been trying to deal with her addiction but ran the risk of complications from binge drinking.  A security guard checked on Winehouse at 10 am on the day she died at her house in Camden, north London, and thought she was asleep.  He checked again at 3 pm and called the emergency services.  According to him, he found two empty full-size bottles and one smaller bottle of vodka in her room.  Winehouse’s personal doctor, Dr. Christina Romete, said that she saw Winehouse the night before she died and described her as tipsy but calm.  A ruling delivered Wednesday by a coroner in Britain, Suzanne Greenaway, said the official cause of Ms. Winehouse’s death was “death by misadventure.”

Members of her family, including her father Mitch, were present at the inquest, but made no comment to awaiting media as they left.  They later issued a statement saying it was some relief to find out what had happened to Winehouse.  The family said that they understand there was alcohol in her system when she passed away, it is likely a build-up of alcohol in her system over a number of days.  Winehouse’s last filmed performance was in Serbia in June, when she was jeered by the crowd as she struggled to perform her songs and stay upright. Her management then canceled all her scheduled performances.

Mitch Winehouse is in the process of setting up a charity in his daughter’s name to help young people battling addiction.  A statement made by the family reads, it underlines how important people’s work with the Amy Winehouse Foundation to them, to help as many young people and children as they can in her name.  According to the family, it means a lot to them and from the overwhelming messages of support they had since Amy died, they knew she meant a great deal to people all over the world.

Toxicology results returned to the Winehouse family by authorities have confirmed that there were no illegal substances in Amy’s system at the time of her death according to a representative for Winehouse.  He said that results indicate that alcohol was present but it cannot be determined as yet if it played a role in her death.