It’s hard to believe that one year has passed since Amy Winehouse’s tragic death aged 27 on July 23, 2011. Her father, Mitch Winehouse, says he will spend the first anniversary surrounded by friends and family.
   ‘It’s going to be very difficult … We’re going in the evening about 7.45 to Amy’s house with our rabbi. We’ll say Jewish prayers, which is normal, and then we’re going to go to Amy’s favourite jazz bar in London, Jazz after Dark, and we’re going to have a party there,’ he says.
   Mr Winehouse has written a book about his daughter, Amy, My Daughter (below right), which was released earlier this month. He has also attacked the NHS in an Independent interview, saying, ‘If you’re an addict, you’re left to die. It’s an incredible indictment on our country that we leave people to their own devices. It’s worse than a scandal; it’s a disgrace. We’ve got to get people treated quicker.’
   The publishing advances from the book have been donated by him to the Amy Winehouse Foundation, which helps young people with addictions.
   He said he had also used spiritual mediums to contact his daughter.
   Sir Elton John has also paid tribute to Amy Winehouse, telling The Sun, ‘It’s incredible that it’s been a year. It’s one of the greatest tragedies.
   ‘I saw her afterwards and said, “I’ve seen all the great singers, and you’re up there with all of them.” She never really recorded that much. She made two albums and bits and bobs which came out on Lioness, that’s it. You have to feel for her parents and family.’
   Two further posthumous albums are planned.
   During Amy Winehouse’s very brief career, she had received two Mercury Music Prize nominations, and won the Ivor Novello song-writing award, the Brit Award for best British female artist, the Mojo Award for song of the year, and an MTV award for artist of the year.