by Cicely Richard

Created on: July 23, 2011   Last Updated: July 25, 2011

British singer Amy Winehouse joined the tragic group of musicians belonging to what is referred to as the Forever 27 Club, or the 27 Club, on Saturday, July 23, 2011. This club includes Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison and Kurt Cobain. Like these artists, Amy made an impact in the music world in a short lifetime. Her body was found in her London apartment that afternoon and pronounced dead on the scene, according to

CBSNews.com. The "blue-eyed soul" singer with the beehive hairdo and dramatic makeup struggled with demons, like other artists who died at a young age.

Winehouse's personal life often foreshadowed her undeniable singing talent, with her life making the cover of tabloid magazines just as often as her hits topped the charts. She made the cover of magazines for her repeated stints in drug rehab, her marriage littered with domestic violence, public brawls and drunken stage antics. She repeatedly tried conquering her demons with repeated stints in rehab. Musicians and industry insiders often rooted for the singer because of her blend of jazz, soul and rock. Her golden voice helped her earn five Grammy Awards, the British artist to accomplish this feat.

Winehouse's death marks the end of a life that had a modest start. Born Amy Jade Winehouse on September 14, 1983, she lived with her parents, cab driver Mitch and pharmacist Janis, in the Southgate suburb of North London. Music was a part of her life from early childhood, having uncles who were professional jazz musicians. She listened to everything from jazz to pop to rap, even creating an amateur rap group.

At 12 years old, Winehouse received acceptance into the prestigious Sylvia Young Theatre School and began writing songs in her early teens. She left the academy at 16 and went on to pursue a professional music career, according to Biography.com. She made a demo and sent it to A&R Records. Island/Universal gave her a record deal. Her debut album, “Frank” (2003), contained a mixture of jazz, pop, hip-hop and soul. It received critical acclaim and earned award nominations.

At the same time, Winehouse earned a reputation for being a party girl, even appearing too drunk to sing at public appearances. She began a relationship with Blake Fielder-Civil, a musical video assistant, and it proved to be a toxic relationship filled with drugs and alcohol abuse, and violence. In addition to drugs and violence, Winehouse cut herself. Both Winehouse and Fielder-Civil faced criminal charges for various incidents.

During her on-off relationship with her husband, Winehouse released “Back to Black” in 2006. The album contained numerous autobiographical songs, including her hit song “Rehab.” Critics and fans loved the album. They also worried about the health and well-being of young singer. She was able to transcend all music genres, and her fan base appealed to people of different ethnic backgrounds and socioeconomic classes.

In the last years of her life, it seemed like she was working diligently to get herself back together. She divorced her husband, entered rehab a number of times and planned a European tour. Even before her death on July 23, 2011, Winehouse seemed to be headed on the right track, but appearing intoxicated at 2011 performances did not bode well for the performer. She would never get to show the world her full potential.

Years of drug abuse, smoking and general neglect of her tiny body may have finally taken its tole. It will likely be weeks or months before London police find a conclusive cause of death. Like her predecessors who died young, fans and critics will always wonder “what if” because of her apparent talent.

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