WE WILL SORELY MISS YOU- WINEHOUSE!

Amy Winehouse dies at 27

Singer, whose 2006 album Back to Black won five Grammy awards, found dead at her flat in north London

Singer Amy Winehouse has been found dead at her house in north London.
She was 27. The award-winning artist, famous for hits including Rehab from the critically acclaimed album Back to Black, was discovered by police in the late afternoon. Her death was being treated on Saturday night as "unexplained" but sources said she had died of a drugs ov
erdose.

The Metropolitan police said: "We were called by London Ambulance Service to an address in Camden Square shortly before 16.05hrs following reports of a woman found deceased. On arrival officers found the body of a 27-year-old female who was pronounced dead at the scene."

Winehouse was last seen with her goddaughter, Dionne Bromfield, earlier last week when the teenager performed at the iTunes festival.

Tributes began to pour in to one of the most celebrated and troubled British artists of recent times. Mark Ronson, who produced Back to Black, said: "She was my musical soulmate and like a sister to me. This is one of the saddest days of my life."

Singer and actress Kelly Osbourne wrote: "i cant even breath right now, im crying so hard i just lost 1 of my best friends. i love you forever Amy & will never forget the real you!"

Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood dedicated his show on Absolute Radio and the reunion performance by his former group the Faces in Hurtwood, Surrey, to Winehouse. "It's a very sad loss of a very good friend I spent many great times with," he said.

Two regulars at Winehouse's local pub, The Hawley Arms in Camden, paid tribute. "Some people might think it shows disrespect to come out drinking tonight but she was such a part of Camden she made it her home and she always got involved," said Mary Gallagher. "Amy even worked behind the bar here. She was such a lovely person and, to be honest, I don't think fame agreed with her. She was an ordinary girl at heart."

Gloria Woods, 26, who works for a record label, said: "There will never be another voice like that in our generation."

A spokesman for the late singer said: "Everyone involved with Amy is shocked and devastated. Our thought s are with her family and friends."

Winehouse's father, Mitch, returned from New York, where he had been due to perform at the Blue Note jazz club. He said: 'I'm coming home. I have to be with Amy. I can't crack up for her sake. My family need me."

Flowers, teddy bears and candles were left outside her home in Camden Square. One card read: "You will not be forgotten by Camden. We all love you and will continue to love you. Your legend lives on."

Winehouse had suffered a well-publicised battle with drink and drug abuse that saw her withdraw from all of her scheduled performances last month after a series of erratic performances. She started her 12-leg European tour in Belgrade but was booed off the stage after appearing to forget her lyrics. She then pulled out of performances in Istanbul and Athens before she cancelled the tour as fears for her health grew.

A statement released by her spokesman at the time said that she would be given "as long as it takes" to recover. "Everyone involved wishes to do everything they can to help her return to her best," it read.

Winehouse rose to fame with her debut album Frank in 2003, which was feted by music critics in the UK and nominated for the Mercury music prize, but it was her 2006 follow-up album, Back to Black, that catapulted her to stardom and led to fiv
e Grammy awards. The album became the third-highest selling album of the 2000s.

Amy Winehouse death: parents Mitch and Janis visit house where the singer died.

The distraught father of singer Amy Winehouse fought back tears as he visited the house where his daughter died at the weekend.

Mitch Winehouse, said he was ''devastated and speechless'' over her death.

He was joined by the 27-year-old's mother, Janis, to look at tributes left
at the edge of police cordons surrounding the singer's Camden home, including alcoholic drinks and cigarettes, alongside soft toys, flowers and candles.

He thanked reporters and fans for coming and shook hands with many of them.

The star's grief-stricken mother was in tears when she looked at the tributes and took pictures of them on her mobile phone.

Relatives of Amy Winehouse said her untimely death has left a ''gaping hole'' in their lives.

Her family released a statement expressing their grief at the loss of the 27-year-old, who was found dead in her north London home on Saturday afternoon.

It said: ''Our family has been left bereft by the loss of Amy, a wonderful daughter, sister, niece.

''She leaves a gaping hole in our lives. We are coming together to remember her and we would appreciate some privacy and space at this terrible time.''

A spokesman for the family said the funeral would be held as soon as possible, but that the post-mortem examination and police investigation made it impossible to set a date and no details had yet been agreed.

He added that one of Winehouse's security team had found her and called an ambulance, but she could not be saved.

Winehouse battled drink and drug problems throughout her career and news of her death was quickly followed by suggestions that it could be related to one or the other.

Superintendent Raj Kohli warned on Saturday that it was ''inappropriate'' to speculate at this stage on the cause of death, which is being treated as ''unexplained''. Scotland Yard said that a post-mortem examination would be scheduled today.

The singer's grief-stricken mother Janis told the Sunday Mirror she had seen her daughter the day before she was found dead.

She said: ''She seemed out of it. But her passing so suddenly still hasn't hit me.''

The performer had said ''I love you'' at the end of a day out together, and her mother said she would always treasure those words.

Father Mitch, who flew back from New York when he heard the news, said: ''This isn't real. I'm completely devastated.''

Celebrities including former drug addict Russell Brand, Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood and producer Mark Ronson have all paid tribute to the multi-award winning performer.

Brand called her ''a genius'' and said addiction should be treated like a potentially fatal illness.

Wood performed with The Faces on Saturday night and dedicated I Would Rather Go Blind to her. He said: ''Such a beautiful singer, Such a waste.''

Tributes have been left at the edge of police cordons surrounding the singer's Camden home, including alcoholic drinks and cigarettes, alongside soft toys, flowers and candles.

Pieces of artwork had also been laid down, including a striking photo of Winehouse posing in a bar, and a picture by artist Mysterious Al, showing Winehouse's face with monochrome cartoon eyes and a white streak in her trademark beehive hair.

Many notes were also left, one reading: ''Too fragile, too beautiful, too big a talent for this world'', and another which said: ''To an exquisite singer with a beautiful voice''.

Metropolis Music, Winehouse's management company, released a statement saying: ''We are trying to come to terms with the death of a dear friend and colleague, the most amazing artist and talent.

''We will always remember Amy as a vibrant, funny, caring young woman who made everyone around her feel welcome. We have lost a very special person, part of our family.''

The troubled Back To Black artist had cancelled all tour dates and engagements last month after a series of erratic public appearances. She was booed at a shambolic performance in Serbia.

As well as flocking to her home, fans also paid tribute at the Hawley Arms pub in Camden, once a favourite haunt of the pop star.

The pub said in a statement: ''We are shocked and deeply saddened by the news of Amy's death. Apart from her extraordinary musical talent, she was a special person with a good soul and this should not have happened.

''We feel privileged to have known herand we will sorely miss her.''

Ronson said in his statement: ''She was my musical soulmate and like a sister to me. This is one of the saddest days of my life.''

Winehouse joins the notorious ''27

Club'' of musicians who have died at that age after struggling to cope with fame.

They include Rolling Stone Brian Jones, who drowned in a swimming pool in 1969; guitarist Jimi Hendrix, who choked to death in 1970 after mixing wine with sleeping pills; and singer Janis Joplin, who suffered a suspected heroin overdose the same year.

Doors star Jim Morrison, who died of heart failure in 1971, and Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain, who shot himself in 1994, also died at the young age.

Agencies