Hard-drinking singer of hit “Rehab” calls off tour segments over “exhaustion”

HOLLYWOOD, CA (Hollywood Today/AFP) 8/9/07 – Soon there may not be an insurance company left who will cover British rocker Amy Winehouse concert appearances. The hard-partying singer is building a history of cancelled shows, the most recent in Norway and Denmark this week after being hospitalized for severe exhaustion, her record company said Thursday.

It’s the first time her short-notice cancellations have been acknowledged as being due to something other than her eccentricity. The Jewish soul singer/rapper and cover girl has also called off shows in the U.S. and elsewhere in Europe.

Winehouse, who won an Ivor Novello best contemporary song award for her hit anti-rehab song “Rehab” in May, was admitted to University College London on Wednesday, Island Records said.

“Amy was discharged from the hospital … and has been advised to take complete rest. Scheduled performances in Norway and Denmark this week have been cancelled,” said a spokesman.

The cancellation is the latest pullout due to exhaustion for the 23-year-old, who is known for hard drinking. She was a no-show at the T in the Park festival in Scotland last month, and at a recent event in Liverpool.

In a recent interview she blamed such cancellations on her perfectionism, saying: “I know it’s last-minute and a bit irresponsible. But I’m a perfectionist and would rather reschedule a show than do it half-heartedly.”

Even Winehouse’s own crew was taken by surprise the cancellation of a show in Oslo Wednesday evening. “Her backing band had just finished their sound check when we were notified,” said a message on her website.