Five years on from the tragic death of Amy Winehouse, the musician’s legacy is still honoured by fans.
But for some, just remembering isn’t enough, and there are many with a pressing need to honour this icon in more public ways. Paying a stunning tribute to the late singer, a force who guided her own burgeoning career, Atlanta Coogan is set to breathe life into Amy Winehouse’s music.
To mark the tenth anniversary of the release of Winehouse’s second and final album, Back To Black, Coogan and The Little Big Band will embark on an epic tour of Australia’s east coast, one that will see the troubadours pay tribute to the monumental musician the only way they know how.
“I remember the night Winheouse died very clearly,” Coogan says. “I was on tour and heavily pregnant with my first child. I’d gotten home from the hospital after a small scare. It was 3am, I was eating kebabs with my ex-partner, and there it was: she’d died. I was gutted.”
Coogan’s desire to memorialise Winehouse’s talent was immediate – within a year, she had assembled The Little Big Band and booked a tribute show in a tiny venue on a Monday night. It sold out. “We were quite amazed at how many people wanted to honour and respect her, and to remember her with dignity,” says Coogan.
What started life as a one-off tribute has since transformed into a sought-after act, thanks largely to a respectful, dedicated fan base who don’t want to forget Winehouse or her incredible body of work. “Her art was so strong,” says Coogan. “She was such a true jazz performer and songwriter, the link is generations long.
“All kinds of people, from Baby Boomer crooners to Gen Y-ers, recognise her incredible talent, her streetwise apathy, and her incredible depth as a singer and an artist. Hers was such a tragic demise. A lot of people relate to her. It’s a sadness but she also had a true, god-sent talent. From ‘Valerie’ to ‘Rehab’ to ‘Tears Dry On Their Own’, she has such a wonderful catalogue of music even though she only has two albums. ‘Take The Box’ is my favourite.”
There’s no question that for a show of this nature to be this successful, a talented woman is required to fill Winehouse’s huge shoes and even huger wig. Coogan doesn’t disappoint, with the tour coming hot off the back of a sell-out show at Adelaide’s Fringe Festival.
It’s hard to tell the difference between Coogan and Winehouse’s respective croons, and it’s evident that a great deal of care and respect clearly goes into each of the tribute shows. “I do the eye make-up, then I step into her skin,” Coogan says. “I put on her iconic look and try to understand the songs the way she sings them. She’s such a strong character: how could you not want to pay tribute as correctly and truly as possible? A lot of capturing her is emotional. When I learned the material, I was going through a lot in my own life: a lot of loss and hardship.”
Though Coogan’s skill is front and centre, The Little Big Band also plays a huge part in making the show great. “The band and I go back a way,” Coogan says. “We all want to turn this show into the biggest theatre production you’ve ever seen. I have a great bunch of musicians behind me. It’s very special.”
The Amy Winehouse Show: Back To Blackhappens atFactory Theatre on Friday October 21.
