Growing up in the Southgate area of Enfield, Winehouse went to Southgate School and then Ashmole School. She was introduced to music at an early age by her parents whose tastes ran from Carole King and James Taylor to the jazz classics her father favoured. At age 10, Winehouse and a friend formed a short-lived rap band called Sweet and Sour and then at 12, Winehouse entered the Sylvia Young Theatre School.

At 16, her close friend Tyler James, a soul singer, passed her demo tape to an A&R person. The move led to Winehouse signing with 19 Management, the management company owned by Simon Fuller, the man behind American Idol. With this expert backing, Winehouse signed to record label Island/Universal and eventually received a publishing deal with EMI. Winehouse hired a backing band, the Dap-Kings, who had long been supporting New York singer Sharon Jones and set about writing and recording her first album.

In early 2003, Winehouse met Blake Fielder-Civil, a music video production assistant, at a local bar. The two began a stormy relationship and Winehouse had his name tattooed over her heart.

Winehouse's debut, 'Frank', was released on 20 October, 2003. The album's jazz, pop, soul and hip-hop blend, together with its world-wise lyrics were received well by critics and prompted comparison with a host of artists, from Sarah Vaughan and Macy Gray to Billie Holiday and Lauryn Hill. Apart from two covers, every song on the album was co-written by Winehouse and it marked the beginning of her collaboration with producer Salaam Remi.

Frank was nominated for two Brit Awards for British Female Solo Act and British Urban Act. Winehouse also won the prestigious Ivor Novello Award for Best Contemporary Song for 'Stronger Than Me'. On the back of the album's success, Winehouse performed at Glastonbury on the Jazzworld stage and at the V Festival.

In 2005, Winehouse teamed up with producer Mark Ronson and began writing her second album after an 18-month song-writing hiatus. Winehouse said Ronson's involvement was so inspirational she wrote the album in six months.

In January 2006, Ronson played early versions of the soon-to-be-hits 'Rehab' and 'Wake Up Alone' on his radio show on New York's East Village Radio. In late October of 2006, Winehouse's second album, 'Back To Black', was released. The album, with shared production credits for Remi and Ronson, represented a move away from jazz and drew on 1950's girl-group harmonies, soul, and rock 'n' roll. The album was a massive success. It hit number one on the UK charts and debuted at number seven on the US Billboard 200.

'Rehab', the first single off the album, hit number seven on the UK charts and won Winehouse her second Ivor Novello award for song writing. The album won album of the year at the MTV Europe Music Awards and Best Pop Vocal Album and Best New Artist at the 2008 Grammy Awards. Rehab won numerous awards including Grammys for Record of the Year and Song of the Year. Time magazine rated Rehab as the best song of 2007 praising Winehouse as "mouthy, funny, sultry, and quite possibly crazy". "It's impossible not to be seduced by her originality. Combine it with production by Mark Ronson that references four decades worth of soul music without once ripping it off, and you've got the best song of 2007,'' it raved. Back To Black was the top-selling album in the UK in 2007 for both over-the-counter and iTunes sales. Several other singles were released from the album and all charted well. In late 2007, Winehouse's debut album Frank was released in the United States, debuting at number 61 on the Billboard charts.

The singer hit the headlines in June 2011 when she opened what was supposed to be a 12-date European tour in Belgrade. Winehouse appeared to be a shadow of her former self and was booed off stage. The shambolic performance sparked a storm of media criticism and it was announced shortly afterwards that she would not be completing the tour. This was to be the last gig of her short career. Amy was found dead in her Camden home by a member of her security team on 23 July 2011. The cause of her death has not yet been established.

Her parents released a statement saying they have been left bereft by the 27-year-old's death, while her record company Universal Republic said they are "deeply saddened at the sudden loss of such a gifted musician, artist and performer".

A number of celebrities have paid tribute to the tragic star in recent days, with George Michael saying she should be remembered as one of the most talented singers and songwriters of our time.

Her funeral took place in London on 26 July 2011.

Awards
2008 - Grammy Winner - Record of the Year - Rehab
2008 - Grammy Winner - Song Of The Year - Rehab