Amy Winehouse July 23, 2011

Amy has, to paraphrase Kurt Cobain's mother, gone and joined that stupid club.  And a Norwegian right wing christian fundamentalist whack job kills almost a hundred people, most of them innocent children, instead of turning a gun on himself.  One is reminded of Camus' response to the horrors of existence, referencing "the benign indifference of the universe".  There are lots of great singers and songwriters.  But there are very few artists for me, that, from the first note you hear, you know you will care about what they do for the rest of your life, and theirs.  Billie, Ella, Frank, Tony, Miles, Trane.  Phoebe Snow, for me.  And Amy Winehouse.  I didn't think she would be with us for very long.  Driving downtown today I couldn't find her on any radio channel.  Times change.  I'll put Frank (her cd) and Back to Black on my car cd player tonight.  There was a Portuguese radio station playing Amalia Rodriguez, and Nirvana on another station.  Fitting tributes, I think.  More than most tragic artists (and I think it is important not to over-sentimentalize medical problems) I don't think Ms. Winehouse realized how much she meant to others.