Who is Amy Winehouse's dad? Late singer's father sues her two friends after they ‘kept profits from sale of her belongings’
CAMDEN, LONDON: Mitch Winehouse has filed a High Court claim in an attempt to recoup funds he believes ought to go to the foundation established in the memory of his daughter, the late singer, Amy Winehouse.
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He claims Amy's rumoured lover Catriona Gourlay and stylist Naomi Parry received a portion of the £3.3 million raised in a 2021 auction in Beverly Hills, California.
The most expensive item was the Parry-made gown Amy wore for her final performance in 2011, which sold for £200,000.
Notes written by Amy, who died of alcohol poisoning at the age of 27 in 2011, were also said to be among the items sold.
Who is Mitch Winehouse?
Mitch Winehouse and his pharmacist ex-wife Janis welcomed their daughter Amy on September 14, 1983.
He was working as a taxi driver and window panel installer at the time to support his family, which included his eldest son, Alex, born in 1979.
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After releasing his own record in 2010, he has gained recognition for his vocals since Amy's death on July 23, 2011.
The former driver is now a classical jazz singer who pays homage to jazz legends Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald during his performances.
He has already toured the United States and in November 2015, he performed at the Bourbon Country Theatre in Porto Allegre, Brazil.
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Mitch previously discussed her daughter’s battle with alcoholism, claiming that a seizure caused by detoxing could have been the cause of her death.
He recalled in a 2021 BBC documentary ‘Reclaiming Amy’, "We were always there, the whole time, the whole family."
What did the late Amy Winehouse’s father Mitch allege?
The Amy Winehouse Estate told The Sun that Catriona and Naomi sold more of the late singer's belongings this year.
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It stated that 30 percent of the proceeds from the first auction were donated to the Amy Winehouse Foundation.
"Two individuals sold a number of items at that auction and have retained the proceeds: the items were all Amy-related," the statement continued.
“This year they put more Amy-related items up for auction. Together, the two auctions generated six-figure sums for each of them.
“The estate has questioned how these items came into their possession and has not had satisfactory answers. The estate has launched a legal process to clarify the situation.
“The Amy Winehouse Foundation will directly benefit if monies are recovered from either defendant.”
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In 2021, Naomi published a book about Amy, which included a chapter written by Catriona.
In the BBC documentary, Catriona discussed her relationship with Amy, saying the ‘Back to Black’ star was "confused" about her sexuality. She stated, "Our relationship was so unique."
Mitch stated then, "She was always happy with Cat in whatever way."