2026 is set to mark a full 15 years since the tragic passing of Amy Winehouse. And what better way to celebrate her enduring legacy than to look back at one of the finest moments of her late-stage career: the time she duetted on the jazz classic, “Body and Soul,” with her all-time idol and late jazz legend himself, Tony Bennett.
First uploaded to YouTube in 2011, just months after Amy’s death, this clip captures the very last recording session in which Winehouse took part. With over 54.7 million views to date, Music Man readers can watch this extra-special performance play out in the video below.
As Tony leads the song with near spoken-word lyrics, Amy, successfully sober, adds pure magic to this track, her all-natural vocals absolutely unbeatable and her classic jazz tones breathtaking to hear.
Most of us are accustomed to Amy’s jazz-pop hits, “Back To Black,” “Rehab,” “Stronger Than Me” and so on. But to hear the star sing in the purest form of her genre, alongside one of the greatest vocal icons the jazz world has ever known, shows off her once-in-a-lifetime talent on a brand-new level.
Supporting their official music video, recorded for Tony Bennett’s 2012 TV movie, “Duets II: The Great Performances,” is behind-the-scenes footage of Amy Winehouse meeting her hero, Tony, for the very first time. Visibly nervous to record for the first time since 2006, Amy is led by Tony through the studio process, with Tony settling her anxiety with endearing anecdotes of Amy’s other jazz idols, who were all friends of Tony Bennett back in the genre’s golden days.
Yet, Amy’s lack of confidence in her voice reveals the true down-to-earth nature behind this star. Despite her #1 album, “Back To Black,” and its selection of UK hit singles, flustered Amy struggles to find her flow at first, stopping the recording midway to tell Tony, “I was terrible. Sorry, sorry. That was me. I was terrible. I don’t wanna waste your time.”
But by the end of their session, Amy had served a flawless take on the song; one which might well go down in jazz history as one of the greatest duets of the 21st century.
Fans were quick to see the truth and heart underscoring this performance, with one top commenter on their behind-the-scenes vid writing: ““Tony recognized that she was on the brink of a panic attack and when the producer chimed in, he immediately made him step out of it so he could maintain the 1-to-1 energetic connection with her, and use his charm, kindness and wisdom to bring her back.”
Another viewer noticed, ““You actually can see how her self-esteem was SO damaged. Clearly, she wasn’t nervous just because of Tony being beside her singing, but believing she was not able / capable to get it right for what it takes to make a real jazz record. The saddest thing I’ve seen in a long time, truly. Tony was IMPRESSED by her voice, and recognized instantly the influence she had by Dinah [Washington], then in other interviews, comparing Amy with Billie Holiday and Sarah Vaughan, HUGE names on Jazz music.”
After Amy Winehouse’s unexpected demise in 2011, Tony Bennett was interviewed by Howard Stern on his connection and love for the 27-year-old London star. He admitted that Amy’s death was “a great loss,” that he was “sad about it,” and that he’d wanted Amy to perform at his 85th birthday at the London Palladium, just to be able to sit down and tell her of his own battles with addiction. Tony revealed to Howard the advice which changed his life – that “he had sinned against his talent” – a line which led Tony to quit drugs “all at once.”
Sadly, the world lost Tony Bennett in July 2023, the exact same month as Amy’s own passing, 12 years prior. Their “Body and Soul” performance now stands as a testament to them both; “the last of their kind,” as some jazz fans reckon.
This timeless duet is a fitting reminder of Winehouse’s genius and her bond with Tony Bennett. For fans old and new, it’s a moving final chapter in her recording legacy. Discover more performances, background and the full video via the useful links below.