Amy Winehouse Has Funeral in London: Fans and Artists Pay Tribute (Includes Pics, Songs, Letters)
by Richard Sharp
Friends and family gathered in London this morning for a private funeral for Amy Winehouse. While the service was not open to the public, support from fans and artists alike has been pouring in from all over the web and around the world after the death of troubled singer. We've gathered up some of the pictures, tributes and songs that fans, friends and supporters of Winehouse have put out over the last couple days here.
Check out the tributes, and tell us how Amy has impacted your life in the comments section.
Fans Gather Outside Winehouse's Home, Leave Items in Tribute
Family, friends and fans of Winehouse continue to gather outside Winehouse's home in Camden, leaving flowers, memorabilia, candles, letters and pictures.
Outside Winehouse's home, her father Mitch Winehouse spoke to supporters on Monday, saying "I can't tell you what this means to us - it really is making this a lot easier for us. We're devastated and I'm speechless but thanks for coming."
See pictures of fan tributes below:
MIA, Big Boi Release New Songs, Sublime With Rome Puts Out Video
Both MIA and Outkast's Big Boi have released tribute songs to Winehouse. MIA's track "27" is a reference to the "27 Club" of celebrities who have died at the age of 27, including Janis Joplin and Kurt Cobain. Big Boi released a remix of "Tears Dry On Their Own." Hear them both below.
Big Boi - “Tears Dry on their Own” Organized Noize Dungeon Family Remix
MIA - "27"
Sublime With Rome singer Rome Ramirez quickly recorded this video cover of "Rehab," which does Winehouse far more justice than MIA can muster.
Watch Sublime With Rome's cover of "Rehab":
Artists Dedicate Their Shows, Eulogize Winehouse
Besides the already-released songs, musicians from Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings to ex-Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood have dedicated performances to Amy Winehouse.
U2 reportedly dedicated a version of the song "Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of" at a concert in Minneapolis, saying "we wrote this song for Michael Hutchence {the former lead singer of INXS, who died of a heroin overdose}, but you will understand if tonight we play it for Amy WInehouse."
See the video of U2's Tribute "Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of":
Tony Bennett called her "an extraordinary musician with a rare intuition as a vocalist and I am truly devastated that her exceptional talent has come to such an early end. She was a lovely and intelligent person and when we recorded together she gave a soulful and extraordinary performance."
MTV just released an interview from "Back In Black" collaborator Mark Ronson from back in 2010, explaining Winehouse's influence on pop music:
"I am really proud of the sound of Amy's record, and, it's hard to remember, but before that came out, there was nothing else really on the radio that sounded like it. And then it kind of influenced things and became quite regular to hear something that would sound like that. I don't think there's anything that was as good as it, or as raw as Amy's vocals and her songs."
Ronson tweeted about Winehouse's death yesterday: "She was my musical soulmate and like a sister to me. This is one of the saddest days of my life."
Russell Brand Pens a Brilliant Tribute Letter
Russell Brand plays an addict in the movies and was one for a while in real life, but he's also an exceptional writer.
In a brilliantly composed eulogy posted on his blog, he said of hearing Winehouse sing for the first time:
"Entering the space I saw Amy on stage with Weller and his band; and then the awe. The awe that envelops when witnessing a genius. From her oddly dainty presence that voice, a voice that seemed not to come from her but from somewhere beyond even Billie and Ella, from the font of all greatness. A voice that was filled with such power and pain that it was at once entirely human yet laced with the divine. My ears, my mouth, my heart and mind all instantly opened," said Brand.
"Winehouse. Winehouse? Winehouse! That twerp, all eyeliner and lager dithering up Chalk Farm Road under a back-combed barnet, the lips that I’d only seen clenching a fishwife fag and dribbling curses now a portal for this holy sound. So now I knew. She wasn’t just some hapless wannabe, yet another pissed up nit who was never gonna make it, nor was she even a ten-a-penny-chanteuse enjoying her fifteen minutes. She was a f^&*ing genius," said Brand.
Read Russell Brand's entire post here.
Read our comprehensive ongoing coverage of Amy's tragic death.