“Every time I looked at her, it was like I was looking at myself. She had my beehive, my eyeliner, my attitude.” – Ronnie Spector talking about Amy in Rolling Stone 

Rest in peace to a true icon and one of Amy’s biggest inspirations

Exclusive: Ronnie Spector Pays Tribute to Amy Winehouse

Listen to Spector’s previously unreleased version of ‘Back to Black’

Ronnie Spector and Amy WinehousePeter Macdiarmid/Getty Images (Winehouse)

I haven’t been this sad in a long time, about anyone in this business. I tried to go grocery shopping for my family, and I was walking like a ghost in the aisles. I could think about nobody but Amy.

When I saw her two weeks ago on TV and she was all drugged out, drinking and stuff, I said, “Damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it! Don’t become like I was 20 years ago! I cleaned up. You gotta clean up!” And two weeks later, she’s dead. I’m devastated.

Every time I looked at her, it was like I was looking at myself. She had my beehive, my eyeliner, my attitude. She had such a great soul in her voice and her lyrics were so amazing that I couldn’t help but sing one of her songs. I was so happy to see an artist like Amy, because she reminded me of my youth. And she loved girl groups. Damn it! I thought she would carry on.

When I was in my 20s, I was a lost girl – drinking, not knowing what to do or where to go. I never did drugs – like, “No way, you’re not gonna put a needle in my arm!” – but drinking is just as bad. In the Sixties, everyone was doing drugs, and I lost many people in the business. I knew Jimi Hendrix. I used to play with him down in the Village. When I had a Number One hit all over the world, the Rolling Stones were my opening act. I was around all the druggies, but my mother also traveled with us, wherever I was. She was a buffer so I didn’t see all of the bad stuff.

You can’t go around people who drink or do drugs, even family members. I learned that 20 years ago in A.A. I had two boys, and, when they were four and five, we moved to Connecticut. In New York, there were liquor stores on every other corner, and I didn’t need that. I knew enough to leave that. Now I don’t drink. I don’t do anything but my shows and take care of my kids.

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Amy came to my show in London about six months ago, and she was so shy. She was hiding behind somebody, but I could see the hairstyle, and I knew she was there. That was all I needed. When I sang “Back to Black,” I could see the tears in her eyes, and there were tears in mine.

Ronnie Spector is an icon of Sixties girl group pop, and a major influence on the sound and visual style of the late Amy Winehouse. Spector – the lead singer of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees the Ronettes – performs Winehouse’s hit “Back to Black” regularly in concert. Two years ago, Spector went into the studio to record her rendition with noted songwriter and producer Richard Gottheher and hip-hop producer Phenom. The song, debuting here, will soon be released as a charity single, with proceeds going to Daytop Village substance abuse treatment centers.