Amy Winehouse, 5 times Grammy Award winner, British retro-soul singer and remarkable musical achievements were often overshadowed by her tumultuous personal life, was found dead at her home in the Camden section of London on July 23rd. Though police were calling the cause of death "unexplained" while they awaited a medical examiner's report, many have speculated that Winehouse finally succumbed to addiction following years of well-documented drug and alcohol problems. The singer was 27 years old.
The initial public reaction to news of Winehouse's death focused on the sense of inevitability that accompanied it, the singer's friends and fellow musicians expressed sadness and condolences online, tweeting everything from the Fleet Foxes simple "Bummer days" to Rihanna's "Dear God have mercy! I am sick about this right now! I am genuinely heartbroken about this." Lady Gaga wrote on Twitter that "Amy changed pop music forever, I remember knowing there was hope, and feeling not alone because of her. She lived jazz, she lived the blues."
Her fans had spent the past few years watching her private dramas unfold while they waited for news that Winehouse was doing well enough to make another album. But even with only a few dozen recorded tracks to her name, Winehouse was already an icon: a badass little Jewish girl with a cartoonishly massive beehive and exaggerated swooshes of eyeliner who found room between all the tattoos and scars from cutting to wear her heart on her sleeve. Moreover, there was just an undeniable power in her voice -- husky and sultry and sad, like a broken heart marinating in whiskey and cigarette smoke. It was a voice that sounded like it came from another time, echoing Sarah Vaughn, Billie Holiday and Janis Joplin.
"We have decided to end our marriage," the pair said in a joint statement to Access Hollywood. "This was a very difficult decision. We have come to amicable conclusions on all matters."
"It is a painful time for all involved," the statement continued, "and we appreciate the respect of our privacy at this time." The split will come as
Jennifer and Marc have two children - twins Emme and Max, now 3.
Back in January, Jennifer stopped by Access Hollywood Live, where she hinted she wasn't ready to expand their family because she was concentrating on work.
"I don't know, we'll see," she told Billy Bush and Kit Hoover.
"I would love it, if I got pregnant, if that happened right now, I'd be like, 'Oh my God, I'm pregnant everybody!' I'd be so happy," the 41-year-old continued.
"I don't know if it's going to happen for us," she added. "Or if, you know, I would plan it... because right now I'm just getting back into the groove of working again and I missed it."
The "Idol" judge went on to explain that navigating career and family life is a challenge.
"[My career] was such a huge part of my life for so long... it's so much a part of who I am," she continued. "You lose that for a while when you have the babies, its all about them and it's just like, you know, miracle time."
The pair had announced in April that they were teaming up on "Q'Viva! The Chosen."
The show was originally set to feature the pair as they traveled 21 countries to find the best performers in Latin music, dance and other arts with the goal of creating a live extravaganza. No word yet on how their split will impact plans for the show.
Jennifer and Marc married in June 2004.
Marc was previously married to former Miss Universe Dayanara Tores. They married in 2000 and split in 2002.
Jennifer was previously married to dancer Cris Judd (2001-2002) and waiter Ojani Noa (1997-1998).
