The sins of Amy Winehouse's father

by Sandy Maple (Subscribe to Sandy Maple's posts)
Mar 17th 2008 4:29PM

Filed under: Celeb Kids, Celeb Parents, Behaving Badly, Alcohol & Drugs, Sex

Singer/songwriter Amy Winehouse may be a big old mess, but according to her father she didn't get that way all by herself. 57-year-old Mitch Winehouse believes his long and not-so-secret extra-marital affair may be partly to blame for the talented young artist's current struggles with drugs and alcohol.

He began the affair soon after Amy was born and it continued for ten years. He eventually left Amy's mother and married the other woman, who his children referred to as 'Daddy's work wife.' "I did not leave home until Amy was ten, so the situation occurred for another eight or nine years before I left home. It was difficult," he says.

When he finally did make the break from his marriage, he thought Amy was okay with it. He realizes now that she clearly wasn't and says it was a song that tipped him off. Amy's debut album, Frank, was released in 2007 and included the song What Is It About Men. The song seems to be about having an affair with a married man and includes a reference to "All the s**t my mother went through."

"It is easy for me to say it is my fault, and that had I been a better parent this would not have happened," Mitch Winehouse says. "But who knows whether it would or not?"

Amy is an adult now and it is up to her to get it together before it is too late. But I don't think there can be any doubt that showing such lack of respect for the mother of your children would negatively impact those children.