At one point, her premature death looked worryingly likely, with the Camden-based soul singer lurching from one crisis to another, hanging around with the wrong crowds and ending up back in rehab.
And yet when it came it was a shock. Amy Winehouse had been getting on the straight and narrow, getting her act together and working on a new album that would follow up 2006's much-acclaimed 'Back To Black'.
The news of her death came one year ago today (July 23, 2012) and caused an outpouring of grief that matched that given to stars like Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston. It was a terribly premature end to a talented young woman's life.
One year on, has the death of someone considered by many to be an icon in 21st century music actually left a lasting legacy?
Amy had a glorious voice and a devastatingly striking appearance, but whilst it was these two assets that propelled her to stardom, it was her down to earth nature - or the caricature of which was portrayed - that kept her there. Her publicised ups and downs ultimately were no different from those many were suffering from.
Amy had a glorious voice and a devastatingly striking appearance, but whilst it was these two assets that propelled her to stardom, it was her down to earth nature - or the caricature of which was portrayed - that kept her there. Her publicised ups and downs ultimately were no different from those many were suffering from.
It still remains hard to say what the effects of her legacy are, although you can't help find a touch of influence in Adele's music, the 23 year-old taking on a hint of 50s-influenced croon in her voice that Winehouse possessed in abundance.
Others similar artists like Duffy have faded away. Commercially the star's back catalogue is enjoying the kind of success that is often the dark spin-off from such an event - she has sold 1.7 million records since her passing.
Her father Mitch Winehouse, meanwhile, set up the Amy Winehouse Foundation to help young people going through similar issues as his daughter, and seems desperate to preserve his daughter's memory, having released a book recently whilst also admitting he'd consider bringing her back in holographic form.
It is unlikely that Winehouse will be forgotten any time soon.
