Winehouse: Newest member of 27 club

The singer joins rock legends Hendrix, Morrison, Cobain and Jones, who all died at the age of 27.

British singer Amy Winehouse left fans and friends grief-stricken with her passing on July 24, 2011. She was found dead in her residence in Camden, North London by her security guard, according to E! Online. In a short span of time, Winehouse had made headlines, not only for her powerful vocal talent, but also for her very public battle with alcohol and drugs. The cause of her death has still not been confirmed, but her history with drugs and alcohol has made many assume that her addictions proved fatal.

(Read "Amy Winehouse found dead")

During her career, the bee-hive sporting Winehouse received 58 nominations and 23 awards, including five Grammy awards and three MTV music awards and her album Back to Black was the third largest-selling album in 2006. Winehouse’s death at the age of 27 has automatically made her a part of the 27 Club, which consists of influential rock artists who died at the same age.

The 27 club, also known as Forever 27, is made up of 38 famous musicians who died at 27.  Brian Jones (the guitarist of Rolling Stones), Jimi Hendrix, Kurt Cobain, Janis Joplin and Jim Morrison , all among these names, some who died of drug overdose, freak accidents, suicides, and even murder. Hendrix’s biographer Charles R Cross wrote, “The number of musicians who died at 27 is truly remarkable by any standard. Humans die regularly at all ages... there is a statistical spike for musicians who die at 27.”

The 27s: The Greatest Myth of Rock & Roll — a book by author Eric Segalstad talks about the musicians whose lives mysteriously ended at the age of 27. So is this number really unlucky for the rock world? According to numerologists, this seems unlikely as there are many positive traits associated with the two and the seven, as well as the nine (two plus seven) they reduce to.

According to Numerology.com, the number one and nine are significant because, aside from their individual meanings, together they represent the general idea of major transitions, as the number nine represents the end of a cycle and one represents a new beginning. While learning and letting go and moving on are all positive parts of life, transitions are a strong phase, and can be too much for some to handle.

In this case, Winehouse was spiraling out of control, and those who were closest to her seemed to be expecting the worst. In a 2008 interview, Janis, Amy Winheouse’s mother, had said that her daughter could be dead within the year. “I’ve known for a long time that my daughter has problems. But seeing it on screen rammed it home. I realise my daughter could be dead within the year. We’re watching her kill herself, slowly. I’ve already come to terms with her death. I’ve steeled myself to ask her what ground she wants to be buried in, which cemetery.”

Celebrities reach out to the young singer

Lady Gaga: I remember knowing there was hope, and feeling not alone because of her. She lived jazz, she lived the blues

Ne-Yo : Rest in peace to Amy Winehouse. Your pain was your art and your art was beautiful pain. May you live forever in your music.

Rihanna: I am genuinely heartbroken about this dear Amy

David Beckham: Our hearts go out to her family, her loved ones. And everyone in the world feels sad we have lost someone with such great talent.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 26^th, 2011.