Mark Ronson has remembered the late Amy Winehouse and her songs which “matter so deeply to so many people” ahead of the 20th anniversary of her Back To Black album.
Award-winning singer Winehouse died in July 2011 at the age of 27. Ronson, 50, started his professional relationship with the star when he produced several tracks for her hit 2006 album Back To Black and she featured on his version of Valerie in 2007.
Collaboration and Grammy-winning tracks
The DJ produced many of the tracks on the record including Rehab, which won three Grammy Awards, You Know I’m No Good and Love Is a Losing Game, and also has co-writing credits on the title track Back To Black.
To mark its 20th anniversary, the chart-topping record will be reissued in October in a series of special formats, which will include rare B-sides, unreleased demos and a recording from a live performance in Amsterdam.
Special formats and tributes
The formats will also include previously unseen photos by original album photographers Mischa Richter and Alex Lake, as well as new liner notes from producers and friends including Ronson and Salaam Remi.
Ronson said: “It’s crazy that six songs made in a fit of furious musical infatuation would matter so deeply to so many people 20 years later.”
US record producer Remi, who has worked with artists including Alicia Keys, Doja Cat, Fergie, Nelly Furtado and Estelle, hailed Winehouse as a “one-of-a-kind soul”. He said: “Amy was one of one. One-of-a-kind artist. One-of-a-kind spirit. One-of-a-kind soul. Experiencing that level of talent, passion, humour, honesty and love for what she created was a gift.”
Legacy and release details
The Grammy-winning musician first collaborated with Winehouse in 2003, producing key tracks from her debut album including In My Bed and F*** Me Pumps. He worked with the music star on Back To Black, producing songs such as Tears Dry on Their Own and Me & Mr Jones.
Remi also released Find My Love in 2019 – a collaborative posthumous single which featured rapper Nas and archival vocals from Winehouse. Winehouse skyrocketed to global success after the release of her Back To Black record.
The singer, who was open about her struggles with drink and drugs problems throughout her career, became one of the musicians associated with the so-called “27 club” after she died at that age. Known for her signature beehive hair and heavy-winged eyeliner, the musician has remained an important figure in the industry since her death, with peers such as Adele and Lady Gaga among those who have acknowledged her lasting influence.
The upcoming special editions of Back To Black will be released on October 23, four days before its 20th anniversary.
