Amy Jade Winehouse was an English singer-songwriter known for her powerful contralto vocals and her eclectic mix of musical genres including R&B, soul and jazz. Born on 14th September, 1983, Amy was the younger child to her jewish parents, Mitchell Winehouse and Janis Winehouse. At age ten, Amy founded a short-lived rap group called Sweet 'n' Sour with childhood friend Juliette Ashby.
After toying with her brother's guitar, Winehouse received her first guitar when she was 13 and began writing music a year later. She began working soon after, including as a showbiz journalist for the World Entertainment News Network, in addition to singing with local group the Bolsha Band. Winehouse signed to Simon Fuller's 19 Management in 2002. Her future A&R representative at Island/Universal, Darcus Beese, heard her by accident when the manager of The Lewinson Brothers showed him some productions of his clients on which Winehouse featured as vocalist. By this time Winehouse had already recorded a number of songs and signed a publishing deal with EMI.
Winehouse's greatest love was 1960s girl groups. She borrowed her "instantly recognisable" beehive hairdo (a weave) and Cleopatra makeup from The Ronettes.
Winehouse's debut album, Frank entered the upper levels of the UK album chart in 2004 when it was nominated for BRIT Awards in the categories of "British Female Solo Artist" and "British Urban Act". It went on to achieve platinum sales. Later in 2004, she won the Ivor Novello (songwriting) Award for Best Contemporary Song, alongside Salaam Remi, with her contribution to the first single, "Stronger Than Me". The album also made the short list for the 2004 Mercury Music Prize.
Her next album 'Back to Black' was released in the UK on 30 October, 2006. It went to number one on the UK Albums Chart numerous times and entered at number seven on the Billboard 200 in the United States. It was the best-selling album in the UK in 2007, selling 1.85 million copies over the year.
The singer won 2008 Grammy Awards in the categories of Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for the single "Rehab", while her album Back to Black was nominated for Album of the Year and won the Best Pop Vocal Album award. The singer also earned a Grammy in the Best New Artist category. This earned Winehouse an entry in the 2009 edition of the Guinness Book of World Records for Most Grammy Awards won by a British Female Act.
Fridaymoviez pays tribute to Amy Winehouse (14 September 1983 - 23 July 2011), one of the outstanding singers of her generation.