Winehouse too late to pick up prestigious award

Winehouse too late to pick up prestigious award

Amy Winehouse has added another trophy to her growing collection, winning the 2008 Ivor Novello award for Best Song Musically and Lyrically with Love is a Losing Game.

The annual awards for songwriting and composing are among Britain's most prestigious music prizes.

But the singer, who has battled drink and drugs and has a turbulent private live, arrived too late to collect her award in person.

Her father Mitch, who accepted the award in her absence, told the audience she was "getting better".

In her brief career to date Winehouse has won five Grammy Awards, the Oscars of the music world. Thursday's was her third Ivor, as the awards are known.

Now in their sixth decade the Ivors are judged and presented by practicing song and music writers.

Reformed boyband Take That won Most Performed Song with Shine, while Radiohead's In Rainbows topped the album award and singer Gabrielle won Outstanding Song Collection.

Soul II Soul star Jazzie D won the first Novello Inspiration Award, while Lebanese-born Mica was named Songwriter of the Year.

Genesis singer/drummer and solo artist Phil Collins won the International Achievement award while Pink Floyd's Dave Gilmour won the Lifetime Achievement award.