Accepting Amy

Tragedy strikes the world of riches and fame and it always seems more lurid and eye-opening than any local news blurb or personal loss. The media in this country is powerful like that and it giveth and taketh away. The most infamous character is "in" one day and "out" the next and sometimes with no explanation. And we the people follow the pendulum. Every swing and sway of the camera, we're there, never stopping to blink in the flashing lights. We watch the birdie, we idol the idols, and we go cold when they're no longer hot. Most of us remember Amy Winehouse for her song "Rehab" and the catchy "No, no, no" in the chorus. We remember her black matted hair piled into a 60's style bouffant. But I would hope that her number one attribute, the trait that first comes to mind when we hear her name or her music is that voice. That scratchy, bluesy, jazzy, gritty, grimy voice. No matter your preference of music, it's a voice that should never have been denied. And it wasn't. She won grammies. She toured the world, she collaborated with your favourite artist and she captivated the American audience. A one woman British invasion, she was different and we liked her style. But then the dark side of Amy Winehouse reared it's drug addicted head. She was battered and abused, she was in an ugly relationship, she was photographed looking crazy and acting even crazier. She was Britney Spears' meltdown and Lindsay Lohan's arrest sheet, mixed with Charlie Sheen and Dennis Rodman. It was time for us to either ride the train wreck or act like we didn't see it coming. Hearing that the life of this talented 27 year old was lost this morning, most likely due to her habits and addictions, saddened me. I did not know her, I was a fan. I recognized her abilities. I, like many others, wanted her to get well. And then I watched the footage from her last concert in Serbia. She appeared dizzy and befuddled. Her eyes were the windows to a souless life (or perhaps a lifeless soul?) She tripped over herself and her words. She couldn't keep still or focus and all along her band robotically played. Her background singers sang and danced. The audience cheered. Everyone was doing exactly what you would expect them to do at the right place at the right time. Except for Amy Winehouse. And no one did anything. No one stopped the show. The guitarist kept on strumming and the video kept on running. Almost exactly one month ago today, we got a preview to the end. And now, just as with every other fallen artist, the music will live on in her place. Her songs will have to stand strong where she was unable to. (R.I.P.)