It will be 20 years since the release of Amy Winehouse’s Back To Black next month. An anniversary reissue is already in the pipeline and, in addition to that, a special Back To Black 20 concert has been announced.
It’s at the Camden Roundhouse on October 21 and has been put together by the original album’s producers Mark Ronson and Salaam Reni with the singer’s musical director Dale Davis. The gig will feature Amy’s original backing band performing Back To Black in full, with the help of a long list of guest vocalists.
Those guests include contemporaries such as Corinne Bailey Rae, along with a number of younger artists who were undoubtedly inspired by the late singer: Jorja Smith, Lianne Le Havas, Baby Rose, Flo, Jessie Reyez and Yebba, as well as the writer and producer p*nut.
In a statement, Mark Ronson has said: “I’m honoured to be asked to come celebrate Amy alongside Salaam and some amazing artists worthy of singing her songs. Doing justice to the legacy of Back to Black is the order of the night.”
The concert will be broadcast in full on BBC Radio Two a few days later. You’ll be able to hear it during Jo Whiley’s evening show on 26 October, following which the station will repeat the two-part documentary about the singer, Amy Winehouse: Legacy Of A Lioness.
Both of those will be available via BBC Sounds and there will be a dedicated iPlayer channel to stream many of the memorable Winehouse performances captured by the BBC over the years.
And 6Music will be celebrating her legacy during the day on Friday 23 October on Amy Winehouse Forever. The station’s daytime presenters will be playing her music, discussing her legacy and talking to those who knew her.
Talking about the tribute, Lorna Clarke, BBC Director of Music, said: “Amy Winehouse was an exceptional talent whose songs continue to be cherished by so many. We’re proud to celebrate the enduring appeal of Amy’s work with the broadcast of this special concert, alongside a range of performances that were captured by the BBC throughout her career.”
Who knows what the singer herself would have made of it all?
Anyway, tickets for the Roundhouse gig will doubtless be like gold dust. If you fancy your chances, they’re on sale from 10 am on Thursday 1 October via Metropolis at www.metropolismusic.com.
