Amy

Off the top of my head, here’s a short list: Joni. Tina. Kate. Ani. Patti. Janis. These women were real singers, not one-hit wonders who cashed in their fifteen minutes of fame and disappeared. They were giants who left behind big landmarks that cast long shadows: The Hissing of Summer Lawns, Private Dancer, Hounds of Love, Not a Pretty Girl, Horses, and I Got Dem Ole Kosmic Blues Again, Mama! It’s not a list that anybody can join. Hustle might get lucky once in a while and pick the lock, but talent will kick the door wide open. No, to be on the list, you have to be a visionary. Unique, stubborn, brave, opinionated, and willing to challenge your audience. I’m sorry, Britney. Uh-uh, Beyoncé. Go away, Gwen. Amy? Amy Winehouse? Hmmm. Maybe. Amy is a British singer/songwriter who has already released two critically-acclaimed CDs, Stronger Than Me and Back to Black. And you know Amy spent her childhood listening to treasured LPs of Nina Simone, Abbey Lincoln, and Dinah Washington. However, she's not another generic singer-for-hire dutifully mimicking from the Cole Porter songbook. Unlike Diana Krall, who is a tall cool pitcher of iced tea with too much sugar, Amy is a shot glass of Jack Daniels, no chaser. Does Amy belong on the list? No, not yet. Let's see what Amy is doing five years from now.