Amy Winehouse has gone to the big stage in the sky. She was found dead, alone in her bed, on July 23, 2011 at the tender age of 27. It’s very sad that the world has lost another talented musician at such a young age. It’s no secret that Amy suffered from drug and alcohol addiction problems. In interviews she was known to have admitted to also having issues with self-harming behaviors, eating disorders and depression. In all likelihood, some of those concerns, or a combination thereof, had something to do with her demise. But, at this point, no one truly knows the cause of Amy’s death because the autopsy results aren’t back yet. However, turn on the tv or pull up some news online and chances are you’ll find someone speculating about what killed her. This tendancy to speculate so much these days bothers me.
Of course, I’d prefer Amy hadn’t died at all, as we all would. No one wants to see any life end so early. I certainly wish she hadn’t had all these issues that may have contributed to her death. But, alas, that wish is not to be. Amy Winehouse is gone. Sadly and irrevocably gone. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if folks could focus on Amy’s musical gifts to the world instead of speculating about what killed her? Yes, I realize that enquiring minds want to know. But I still find it disheartening that by the time the autopsy results are returned and we find out what truly caused Amy’s death, if we do, it really won’t matter because by then all the theories will be so engrained in our minds that most people will just forever remember all this talk and forget about the facts.
While I wasn’t a huge Amy Winehouse fan I did think she had an amazing voice and I truly enjoyed some of her music. My favorite Amy Winehouse song is Tears Dry On Their Own. You can watch Amy perform this song live here: http://youtu.be/f0DPCSRKld4
As a parent, my heart truly aches for her mom and dad whose loss is unimaginable to me. As a sibling I can’t help but think how her brother, Alex, must feel. Having lost a brother myself that’s a pain I can easily relate to. As a lover of music, I’m disappointed that the world will never get to see what heights she may have soared to in her career and that we’ll never hear another new song by Amy. Personally, I truly don’t care if we ever find out the cause of her death. Those facts won’t bring her back. I also truly doubt that knowing will help anyone who may have similar issues to those she suffered from going down the same path if it’s found that her own bad choices are what killed her. After all, plenty of talented people have gone before her and if there were lessons to be learned in the cause of a death or the bad choices made by someone else Amy could have learned those lessons and perhaps she’d still be here. But do we ever really learn from someone else’s mistakes? I don’t think so.
I really don’t want to remember Amy for WHY she died. I would prefer to remember her for the songbird she was…for the wonderful music she made…for the beautiful young woman she was. I just hope that when it’s all said and done others can do that, too. I hope that in years to come when the name Amy Winehouse is mentioned people will, first and foremost, remember the good things about her.
As my tears dry on their own I can only whisper, “Rest in peace, Amy. Thanks for the melodies.”
