Biography
Ronnie Spector endures as a defining presence from the girl group years, her unmistakable timbre bringing raw texture to songs of romantic longing while she exerted lasting impact on successive waves of women in rock through her leadership of the Ronettes. After joining forces with producer Phil Spector, who declared at the audition that Ronnie possessed "the voice I've been looking for," the Ronettes achieved breakthrough success in 1963 via their emblematic track "Be My Baby," a number-two blockbuster that paved the way for additional successes including the immediate follow-up "Baby, I Love You," the timeless seasonal favorite "Sleigh Ride," and the 1964 Grammy-nominated "Walking in the Rain." Ronnie served as an inspiration to peers ranging from the Rolling Stones, for whom the Ronettes supported the 1964 U.K. tour, and the Beatles, whose 1966 U.S. tour they likewise opened, to the soon-emerging punk trailblazers the Ramones in particularly visible fashion. The Ronettes dissolved in 1967, after which Ronnie endured a turbulent six-year marriage to Phil Spector and a brief mid-1970s effort to revive the Ronettes lineup with alternate vocalists before launching her solo career. Her Genya Ravan-produced debut album Siren arrived in 1980. She reappeared in 1986 as featured vocalist on Eddie Money’s Top Five single "Take Me Home Tonight," which echoed "Be My Baby." Although her intermittent solo releases, anthology appearances, and film-score contributions never restored her earlier chart dominance, the 1990 memoir Be My Baby: How I Survived Mascara, Miniskirts and Madness revived attention to Spector’s artistry and resilience. Her first full-length project in nearly two decades, 2006’s The Last of the Rock Stars, included contributions from Keith Richards and Patti Smith. One year later the Ronettes entered the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. With the ensemble’s signature holiday recordings continuing to circulate widely in the streaming age, she issued the EP Ronnie Spector’s Best Christmas Ever in 2010 and explored British Invasion repertoire on 2016’s English Heart. Spector maintained occasional touring until her passing in 2022.
Born Veronica Bennett on August 10, 1943, in New York, New York, Ronnie Spector attained prominence as part of the Ronettes alongside sister Estelle Bennett and cousin Nedra Talley. Her forceful and singular delivery formed a core asset for the trio, which began as dancers at New York’s Peppermint Lounge and issued several unsuccessful singles in the early 1960s before aligning with Phil Spector in 1963 to release "Be My Baby." Co-written by Spector with Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich specifically to spotlight Ronnie Bennett, the track declared itself an immediate pop landmark through its frequently replicated opening drum figure, a sweeping Phil Spector production that appeared to reverberate endlessly, and Bennett’s potent yet tender vulnerability, which won over sufficient listeners to reach number two on the Hot 100 and number four on the R&B chart. "Be My Baby" together with the subsequent Top 30 singles "Baby, I Love You" and "Walking in the Rain" appeared on the 1964 album Presenting the Fabulous Ronettes Featuring Veronica, issued via Phil Spector and Lester Sill’s Philles Records; "Walking in the Rain" earned a Grammy nomination the next year for Best Engineered Recording, credited to Larry Levine.
The Ronettes’ 1965 and 1966 releases charted progressively lower, leading to the group’s dissolution after a German tour in early 1967. All three original members soon married, Ronnie wedding Spector in 1968. At his urging she set aside her musical ambitions and remained largely secluded in his mansion, emerging only for the 1969 A&M single "You Came, You Saw, You Conquered" and the 1971 Apple release "Try Some Buy Some," the latter penned by George Harrison and supported by all four Beatles, though neither achieved commercial traction.
The collapse of the difficult marriage in the early 1970s freed Ronnie to resume performing. She assembled a reconstituted Ronettes with Denise Edwards and Chip Fields, recording the 1973 Buddah single "Lover Lover" and the 1974 Buddah single "I Wish I Never Saw the Sunshine," neither of which registered on the charts; she soon disbanded the new configuration and proceeded solo. Following an unsuccessful disco attempt she enlisted prominent support for her subsequent effort. The 1976 single "Say Goodbye to Hollywood," penned by Billy Joel and backed by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band—devotees of Phil Spector’s sound—failed to register commercially despite its strong pedigree. Her 1978 single "It’s a Heartache" became a major hit, albeit for Bonnie Tyler rather than Spector.
Spector’s debut solo album Siren, issued in 1980 and produced by former girl-group vocalist Genya Ravan, adopted a new-wave approach yet met with no chart response. She attained renewed commercial visibility in 1986 through the number-four duet "Take Me Home Tonight" with Eddie Money, which secured a Columbia contract. The 1987 album Unfinished Business incorporated material by Diane Warren, Desmond Child, and Gregory Abbott along with appearances by Susanna Hoffs of the Bangles, Paul Shaffer, and Eddie Money. Despite an aggressive promotional campaign that included an HBO concert special, an American Music Awards performance, a Radio City Music Hall holiday show, and a collaboration with Southside Johnny, the record failed to connect. In 1988 she joined the Dirty Dancing oldies tour. Two years later she released her autobiography Be My Baby: How I Survived Mascara, Miniskirts and Madness, whose candid account of a tumultuous existence generated fresh interest. She issued no new recordings during the 1990s yet contributed to numerous compilations and soundtracks, among them the theme for Roseanne Barr’s animated series Little Rosey, a duet with Darlene Love on A Very Special Christmas, Vol. 2, and the cast recording of Tim Rice’s Tycoon.
In 1999 Ronnie returned to the studio for fresh solo work. The Joey Ramone-produced EP She Talks to Rainbows appeared via Creation in the U.K. and Kill Rock Stars in the U.S., earning widespread critical praise and featuring her interpretations of Johnny Thunders’ "You Can’t Put Your Arms Around a Memory" and the Beach Boys’ "Don’t Worry Baby," the latter originally composed by Brian Wilson for her. Her voice remained robust, its singular character tempered by time yet instantly recognizable. After touring and time with family in Connecticut she issued the 2003 five-song EP Something’s Gonna Happen, consisting of Marshall Crenshaw covers, guested on the Misfits’ Project 1950, and appeared on the Raveonettes’ 2005 album Pretty in Black. These activities culminated in her first full-length album in nearly twenty years, 2006’s The Last of the Rock Stars, which showcased collaborations with the Greenhornes, Keith Richards, Patti Smith, and Nick Zinner. The Ronettes received induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2007.
Spector reemerged in 2010 with the Christmas-themed EP Best Christmas Ever. In 2014 she supplied backing vocals for Bryan Ferry’s Avonmore, a partnership that foreshadowed her subsequent project. The 2016 album English Heart presented her readings of eleven British rock classics from the 1960s drawn from the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, the Zombies, and the Animals. A holiday collaboration with Elle King titled "Under the Mistletoe!" debuted in late 2019. Ronnie Spector died on January 12, 2022, following a brief battle with cancer at the age of 78.
Born Veronica Bennett on August 10, 1943, in New York, New York, Ronnie Spector attained prominence as part of the Ronettes alongside sister Estelle Bennett and cousin Nedra Talley. Her forceful and singular delivery formed a core asset for the trio, which began as dancers at New York’s Peppermint Lounge and issued several unsuccessful singles in the early 1960s before aligning with Phil Spector in 1963 to release "Be My Baby." Co-written by Spector with Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich specifically to spotlight Ronnie Bennett, the track declared itself an immediate pop landmark through its frequently replicated opening drum figure, a sweeping Phil Spector production that appeared to reverberate endlessly, and Bennett’s potent yet tender vulnerability, which won over sufficient listeners to reach number two on the Hot 100 and number four on the R&B chart. "Be My Baby" together with the subsequent Top 30 singles "Baby, I Love You" and "Walking in the Rain" appeared on the 1964 album Presenting the Fabulous Ronettes Featuring Veronica, issued via Phil Spector and Lester Sill’s Philles Records; "Walking in the Rain" earned a Grammy nomination the next year for Best Engineered Recording, credited to Larry Levine.
The Ronettes’ 1965 and 1966 releases charted progressively lower, leading to the group’s dissolution after a German tour in early 1967. All three original members soon married, Ronnie wedding Spector in 1968. At his urging she set aside her musical ambitions and remained largely secluded in his mansion, emerging only for the 1969 A&M single "You Came, You Saw, You Conquered" and the 1971 Apple release "Try Some Buy Some," the latter penned by George Harrison and supported by all four Beatles, though neither achieved commercial traction.
The collapse of the difficult marriage in the early 1970s freed Ronnie to resume performing. She assembled a reconstituted Ronettes with Denise Edwards and Chip Fields, recording the 1973 Buddah single "Lover Lover" and the 1974 Buddah single "I Wish I Never Saw the Sunshine," neither of which registered on the charts; she soon disbanded the new configuration and proceeded solo. Following an unsuccessful disco attempt she enlisted prominent support for her subsequent effort. The 1976 single "Say Goodbye to Hollywood," penned by Billy Joel and backed by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band—devotees of Phil Spector’s sound—failed to register commercially despite its strong pedigree. Her 1978 single "It’s a Heartache" became a major hit, albeit for Bonnie Tyler rather than Spector.
Spector’s debut solo album Siren, issued in 1980 and produced by former girl-group vocalist Genya Ravan, adopted a new-wave approach yet met with no chart response. She attained renewed commercial visibility in 1986 through the number-four duet "Take Me Home Tonight" with Eddie Money, which secured a Columbia contract. The 1987 album Unfinished Business incorporated material by Diane Warren, Desmond Child, and Gregory Abbott along with appearances by Susanna Hoffs of the Bangles, Paul Shaffer, and Eddie Money. Despite an aggressive promotional campaign that included an HBO concert special, an American Music Awards performance, a Radio City Music Hall holiday show, and a collaboration with Southside Johnny, the record failed to connect. In 1988 she joined the Dirty Dancing oldies tour. Two years later she released her autobiography Be My Baby: How I Survived Mascara, Miniskirts and Madness, whose candid account of a tumultuous existence generated fresh interest. She issued no new recordings during the 1990s yet contributed to numerous compilations and soundtracks, among them the theme for Roseanne Barr’s animated series Little Rosey, a duet with Darlene Love on A Very Special Christmas, Vol. 2, and the cast recording of Tim Rice’s Tycoon.
In 1999 Ronnie returned to the studio for fresh solo work. The Joey Ramone-produced EP She Talks to Rainbows appeared via Creation in the U.K. and Kill Rock Stars in the U.S., earning widespread critical praise and featuring her interpretations of Johnny Thunders’ "You Can’t Put Your Arms Around a Memory" and the Beach Boys’ "Don’t Worry Baby," the latter originally composed by Brian Wilson for her. Her voice remained robust, its singular character tempered by time yet instantly recognizable. After touring and time with family in Connecticut she issued the 2003 five-song EP Something’s Gonna Happen, consisting of Marshall Crenshaw covers, guested on the Misfits’ Project 1950, and appeared on the Raveonettes’ 2005 album Pretty in Black. These activities culminated in her first full-length album in nearly twenty years, 2006’s The Last of the Rock Stars, which showcased collaborations with the Greenhornes, Keith Richards, Patti Smith, and Nick Zinner. The Ronettes received induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2007.
Spector reemerged in 2010 with the Christmas-themed EP Best Christmas Ever. In 2014 she supplied backing vocals for Bryan Ferry’s Avonmore, a partnership that foreshadowed her subsequent project. The 2016 album English Heart presented her readings of eleven British rock classics from the 1960s drawn from the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, the Zombies, and the Animals. A holiday collaboration with Elle King titled "Under the Mistletoe!" debuted in late 2019. Ronnie Spector died on January 12, 2022, following a brief battle with cancer at the age of 78.
Albums
English Heart
2016
Playlist: The Very Best of Ronnie Spector
2014
Ronnie Spector's Best Christmas Ever
2010
The Last Of The Rock Stars
2006
Something's Gonna Happen
2003
She Talks To Rainbows
1999
Unfinished Business
1987
Singles
