Remembering Amy Winehouse: Will addiction overshadow talent?

The troubled singer, who died Saturday, produced one of last decade's finest albums, yet may be remembered more for her drug use than her music

Fans pay tribute to Amy Winehouse
(Image credit: sinister pictures/Demotix/Corbis)

While London authorities investigate singer Amy Winehouse's death at age 27, critics are debating the admitted drug abuser's legacy. Her Grammy Award-winning album Back to Black modernized vintage soul music, showcasing her tortured, brassy voice on singles like the ominous "Rehab." But after years of being defined by her substance abuse and erratic behavior, and, now, her untimely end, will Winehouse's personal disasters overshadow her widely acknowledged talent?

Her voice was unparalleled: Winehouse boasted "one of the most unforgettable voices of her generation," says Wesley Case at The Baltimore Sun. Each song was packed with "raw emotion, biting sarcasm, intelligence," and a "beehived swagger." The soulful nuances in her vocals "could send a chill down your spine" or even make you cry.

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