The 2008 - 2011 Travels of Amy Jade Winehouse

To provide a non-comprehensive abstract of the performance related travels of Amy Jade Winehouse, during the years 2008 through 2011.

As 2007 wound down, AJW's poor health forced the cancellation of the year's closing dates. By early 2008, the loneliness of the distance-running lioness was back on display. The fame-monster demanded feeding and a long damaged AJW was the feast.

2008 was filled with artistic victory and crushing sadness for AJW, but the brave and defiant face of the doomed genius was more popular and profitable than ever before. 2009 brought more of the same, yet the courageous and mortally wounded star fought on. 2010 delivered slight respite and deluded optimism, as the march toward destiny continued. 2011 brought only the unimaginable pain of reality to AJW and her fans; and, finally, peace to the JadeMermaid Princess.

The outcome of the AJW circumstance should cause the examination of a warped business model that has long presented a menace to public health. The peasants love to watch train wrecks; just as they cheered for the lions, so too do they adore the bloodsport of modern entertainment. The money-centric corps have repeatedly shown themselves to be unwilling to police themselves and protect their artists; delivery of their "properties" to venues via ambulance fails to clue them that "something is not right." Because the shotcallers have long acted in both an incompetent and irresponsible manner, outside intervention is now needed.

Management outfits, record labels and concert promoters paying lip service to the concept of "patience" for songbirds in trouble is not a sufficient remedy. The entire business model must undergo fundamental changes. The de facto "kidnapping and hostage holding" that was witnessed in Belgrade should never be allowed to happen again; yet, absent reforms, it will and the indescribable pain of more dead artists will be the price paid by all but the corrupt profiteers. Meddlesome governments should meddle and they should do it today; for tomorrow, it will be too late, again.

Largely unknown to fans, very serious efforts were made to prevent the public from witnessing vids of the Belgrade tragedy. Such efforts were not designed to shield the humble artist from embarrassment, but to minimize the evildoers' exposure to public scrutiny. Because of the viral nature of the videos, the attempted cleanup failed and the record of exactly what modern day slavery really looks like is available for all to witness.

A broken human with a terminal disease is the least qualified arbiter of performance readiness. Every athlete is always "ready to play;" that is why laws, regulations and rules are in place to help prevent disaster. Similarly mandated protocols must be employed to protect our musical artists and other entertainers from the bad acts of their greed-driven masters.

The beautiful journey of Amy Jade Winehouse came to the most heartbreaking end possible. Yet, those who will love her for all the time there is will always recall that What's Inside Her Never Dies. And, they will take available comfort in both the preservation of her legend and the construction of her philanthropic legacy.

Like AJW did, her fans will always continue moving forward. When she stood for us, we never did enough to protect and defend her; our own silence in the face of unprecedented cruelty and unwarranted defamation was deafening. Now that we alone are left to stand for her, we must never again allow our silence to take the day.