Disclaimer: this countdown isn’t meant to be an all-time definitive list. These are simply my favorites.
There’s an element of rock lore that’s known as the “27 Club,” which is a list of music stars who burned bright but lost their lives at the age of 27. Robert Johnson, Kurt Cobain, Brian Jones, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and Jim Morrison.
The most soulful member of this tragic club is Amy Winehouse. I’ll never forget the first time I heard her voice — I was at Lakewood Amphitheater, and the PA system played “You Know I’m No Good” between sets at the show I was attending. I knew right then that I needed to get to know her better.
Her Back to Black album is a masterpiece that I can listen to over and over, as are the live recordings I have of her incredible music.
Later on, I checked out her first album Frank, which mines jazzier territory.
But it’s her 21st-century take on classic soul, girl group sass, and even rocksteady rhythms that sent her into the stratosphere.
Language warning (but one of my favorite songs of all time):
Her phrasing was always impeccable, which meant that she could sing a song live a million times, and it was a unique experience every time — all while staying true to the song.
She was an expert at conveying sadness, which in hindsight comes across as tragic, given her struggles with addiction and her troubled marriage.
She did leave a few recordings behind, so we were able to hear more from her after she passed away.
I miss her a lot, but I can’t help but think I would’ve been disappointed if she had moved into more modern sounds.
At least we can cherish the years we had with her. What a tremendous voice and interpreter of songs.
Photo: Rama, CC BY-SA 2.0 FR, via Wikimedia Commons