Fresh off the success of Amy Winehouse’s Back to Black and his own solo album, producer Mark Ronson has signed a contract that will see his own label Allido Records be distributed exclusively through Interscope Records. The first product of this new deal: Washington D.C. rapper Wale, who will finally release his proper debut album after a string of mixtapes and street singles later this year. Speaking about the deal with Allido, Interscope CEO Jimmy Iovine said “Mark has that rare ear for great songs and artists who will have extraordinary careers.” As for Ronson protégé Winehouse, the singer was supposed to begin work on the follow-up to Back to Black in the Bahamas with producer Salaam Remi but reportedly cancelled the recording sessions, pushing the new album’s release date tentatively to early 2009.

[Photo: Getty]

Amy Winehouse wasn’t always a globetrotting tabloid-friendly superstar—she was once a bored teenager just trying to make it through school. Click on the above video to see comments from two of Winehouse’s former teachers from London’s Sylvia Young Theater School, and tune in to the full Amy Winehouse: The E! True Hollywood Story, airing this Saturday, February 9th, at 6 PM.

Having appeared in a drugged-out video, “disappointing” her record label and receiving pleas from her fans to get help, Amy Winehouse is finally going to rehab, according to the British press. Today, Universal Music Group issued a statement saying “Amy decided to enter the facility today after talks with her record label, management, family and doctors. She has come to understand that she requires specialist treatment to continue her ongoing recovery from drug addiction and prepare for her planned appearance at the Grammy Awards.”

Producer Mark Ronson recently discussed Winehouse’s Grammy appearance with Rock Daily, but even though Winehouse was nominated for six awards, she was left off of today’s announcement of the performers at the February 10th ceremony. Furthermore, Winehouse’s father Mitch told the BBC radio that even if the singer emerges from rehab clean in time for the awards show, she still does not have a travel visa allowing her to come to the United States (thanks to a previous marijuana bust in Oslo, Norway). “We are working to rectify that and it will be rectified within the next week or so. We are working on it to be able to go to the Grammys,” said Mitch Winehouse.

Related Stories:

• Winehouse Video May Lead to Legal Trouble
• Winehouse’s Dad Breaks His Own Dictate and Talks to Media, Her Husband Writes an Old-Fashioned Diary
• Amy Winehouse Delights Booing U.K. Audience With Drunk, Tear-Filled Performance

[Photo: Getty]