Biography:

Veronica Yvette Greenfield[1] (née Bennett, formerly Spector; August 10, 1943 – January 12, 2022) was an American singer who co-founded and fronted the girl group the Ronettes. She is sometimes referred to as the original “bad girl of rock and roll“.[2][3]

Ronnie formed the singing group with her older sister, Estelle Bennett, and their cousin, Nedra Talley, in the late 1950s. They were signed to Phil Spector‘s Philles label in 1963 and he produced the majority of their recording output. The Ronettes had a string of hits in the 1960s, including “Be My Baby” (1963), “Baby, I Love You” (1963), “(The Best Part of) Breakin’ Up” (1964), “Do I Love You?” (1964), and “Walking in the Rain” (1964). Ronnie married Phil in 1968. Following the couple’s divorce in 1974, Ronnie reformed the Ronettes and began performing again.

In 1980, Spector released her debut solo album Siren. Her career revived when she was featured on Eddie Money‘s song and video “Take Me Home Tonight” in 1986, a Billboard top five single. She went on to release the albums Unfinished Business (1987), Something’s Gonna Happen (2003), Last of the Rock Stars (2006) and English Heart (2016). She also recorded one extended play, She Talks to Rainbows (1999). In 1990, Ronnie Spector published a memoir, Be My Baby: How I Survived Mascara, Miniskirts, and Madness, Or, My Life as a Fabulous Ronette.[4] She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Ronettes in 2007.[5] In 2023, Rolling Stone ranked Spector at number 70 on its list of the 200 Greatest Singers of All Time.[6]

Early life

Spector was born Veronica Yvette Bennett in East Harlem, New York City, and grew up in the Washington Heights section of Manhattan.[7][8] She was the daughter of Beatrice and Louis Bennett, a subway worker.[9] Her mother was African American and Cherokee, and her father was Irish.[10] Bennett and her sister Estelle Bennett (1941–2009) were encouraged to sing by their large family, as was their cousin Nedra Talley (born 1946). The trio formed the Darling Sisters, known later as the Ronettes.[11] They performed locally while attending George Washington High School in Washington Heights.[12] Their look was fashioned by Estelle, who had a job at Macy’s on the cosmetics counter. They sang at school events, and had a residency at the Peppermint Lounge, a nightspot in Manhattan, the birthplace of the Twist and go-go dancing.[13]

Career

1963–1969: The Ronettes and early success

Main article: The Ronettes

The Ronettes became a popular live attraction around the greater New York area in the early 1960s. Looking for a recording contract, they initially were signed to Colpix Records and produced by Stu Phillips.[14] After releasing a few singles on Colpix without success, they tracked down record producer Phil Spector, who signed them to his label Philles Records in 1963.[15] Their relationship with Spector brought chart success with their biggest hit “Be My Baby” in 1963, which peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100.[16] A string of top 40 pop hits followed with “Baby, I Love You” (1963), “(The Best Part of) Breakin’ Up” (1964), “Do I Love You?” (1964), and “Walking in the Rain” (1964). The group had two entries on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1965 with “Born to Be Together” and “Is This What I Get for Loving You?“.[17]

In 1965, the Ronettes were voted the third-top singing group in England behind the Beatles and the Rolling Stones.[18] They opened for the Beatles on their 1966 US tour without their lead singer.[19] Phil had forbidden Bennett to tour with the Beatles, so her cousin Elaine stood in as a third member.[20] The group’s last charting single, “I Can Hear Music“, was produced by Jeff Barry and reached No. 100 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1966.[20]

The Ronettes broke up in early 1967, following a European concert tour.[21] After Bennett married Phil in 1968, she began to use the name Ronnie Spector, but she withdrew from the spotlight because Phil prohibited her from performing and limited her recordings.[22] In 1969, Phil signed a production deal with A&M Records and he released her record “You Came, You Saw, You Conquered”, credited as “The Ronettes Featuring the Voice of Veronica”, with “Oh I Love You”, an old Ronettes B-side, as the flip. Her vocals were used for the lead and backing vocals.[23][24] Phil kept many of the group’s unreleased songs in a vault for years.[25]

Credits: