The well-known American rock and roll singer Ronnie Spector made her name in the 1960s and 1970s and was known as “the original bad girl of rock ‘n’ roll.” In order to create the well-known girl group “Darling Sisters,” which later adopted the name “The Ronettes,” Ronnie teamed up with her sister and cousin. They finally achieved success after their early days of adversity when they signed a contract with Phil Spector and his record label. The song “Baby, I Love You” was their first hit, and soon after that, “Is This What I Get for Loving You?” and “Born to Be Together” were among the top 100 songs on the charts. The band performed with “The Beatles” and “The Rolling Stones” while on tour in Europe. However, Phil Spector’s career took a downturn, and the band disbanded in the late 1960s. Ronnie wed Phil Spector, and the couple struggled for six years before she fled and requested a divorce. Later, she wed Jonathan Greenfield, and the two of them now reside in Danbury, Connecticut. Ronnie is a living legend from her era and still performs alone.
Early Childhood & Life
In East Harlem, New York City, New York, the United States, on August 10, 1943, Veronica Yvette Bennett gave birth to Ronnie Spector. Her mother was of African-American/Cherokee descent, while her father was of Irish-American ancestry. She was raised in Spanish Harlem with her sister, Estelle Bennett. Since their father had left the family when the kids were still very little, Ronnie and Estelle were reared by their mother.
Ronnie came from a family that had music running through its veins. Nedra Tally Ross, her cousin’s sister, joined her in starting their own band, which they dubbed the “Darling Sisters.” Later, the group changed its moniker and became known as “The Ronettes.”
In their area, the band came to be the talk of the town. They acquired a contract with “Colpix Records” and soon had the chance to perform at the “Apollo Theater.” They worked with the label to release a few singles, but they were unable to get recognition in the music business. They kept performing in neighborhood clubs until they secured stable positions as dancers at the “Peppermint Lounge” on 46th Street.
The girls were still minors when they were signed to a regular contract by DJ Murray the K to perform at the Brooklyn Fox Theatre’s “rock ‘n’ roll revue” once a week.
Career of Ronnie Spector
When “The Ronettes” got a contract with Phil Spector and his record company, “Philles Records,” in the middle of the 1960s, her career was given a boost. The songs “Baby, I Love You,” “Be My Baby,” and “The Best Part of Breaking Up” brought them their first success. Is This What I Get for Loving You? and “Born to Be Together” were among their songs that cracked the top 100 on the charts by 1965. The popular “Wall of Sound” effect at the time was perfect for Ronnie’s voice. Phil Spector.
The group performed with “The Beatles” and “The Rolling Stones” on their tour of Europe in the latter half of the 1960s. With “Philles Records,” they recorded a lot of well-known tunes, including their final hit, “I Can Hear Music.” The band ultimately disbanded in 1967 as a result of a number of setbacks and a bad turn of circumstances in Phil’s career.
Ronnie was known as “the original bad girl of rock ‘n’ roll” by this time, and she and her bandmates had developed their own look with their short, black skirts and mascara. The band came back together in 2007 for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame ceremony.
Ronnie went solo with the single “Try Some, Buy Some” after her band disbanded. She collaborated with John Lennon and George Harrison, but she was unable to score any big singles. She briefly established a new group called “The Ronettes” in the middle of the 1970s with Chip Fields and Dian Linton. Their music, however, fell short of the original band’s compositions.
She sang the duet “You Mean So Much to Me” with the band “Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes” at this time, which was featured on their debut album. To stay current with pop culture, she continued to perform with the band.
1980 saw the release of Ronnie’s debut solo album, “Siren.” She was able to collaborate with punk rocker Joey Ramone and his band as a result. She had reclaimed her fame by 1986, and her song “Take Me Home Tonight,” which was one of the most successful videos on “MTV” that year, was included on Eddie Money’s list of the “Top 5 Hits.”
In 1999, she published her album, “She Talks to Rainbows.” Joey Ramone produced and promoted it. She also gave a performance at New York City’s “BB King Blues Club & Grill.” She also sang background vocals on the Misfits’ album “Project 1950.”
2006 saw the publication of her album “Last of the Rock Stars” by “Bad Girl Sounds.” In 2010, she released her Christmas EP, which had five brand-new Christmas songs. She also gave tribute performances to Amy Winehouse after her passing and for Daytop Village’s rehab facilities.
Her album “English Heart,” which included covers of songs by the Bee Gees, The Beatles, and The Rolling Stones, debuted at number six on the Billboard Top Heatseekers chart in 2016. She and “The Ronettes” were recently featured in “People” magazine in August 2017 along with their brand-new hit, “Love Power,” which was created by Narada Michael Walden. Her musical career has now come full circle.
Bigger Works of Ronnie Spector
The Ronettes Featuring Veronica (1961), Presenting the Fabulous Ronettes Featuring Veronica (1965), The Ronettes Greatest Hits volumes 1 and 2 (1981), and “The Best of the Ronettes” are among the projects she worked on with “The Ronettes” (1992).
She has released several solo albums throughout the years, including “Siren” (1987), “Unfinished Business” (1987), “She Talks to Rainbows” (1999), “Something’s Gonna Happen” (2003), “Last of the Rock Stars” (2006), and “English Heart” (2016).
Recognition & Achievements
Her induction into the “Vocal Group Hall of Fame” in 2004 honored her contributions to American popular music.
In 2007, “The Ronettes” were admitted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Personal Legacy & Life
In 1968, Ronnie wed Phil Spector, a songwriter and record producer. Donté, Louis, and Gary Phillip were the three children the couple adopted. Ronnie’s musical career had earlier been started by Spector. However, Ronnie claimed that he had psychologically tortured her and imprisoned her in their California mansion. She sought solace in drugs during this time and even made an attempt on her life. In the end, she managed to escape the mansion with the aid of her mother in 1972, and she then filed for divorce in 1974.
Later, in 1982, Ronnie wed Jonathan Greenfield. Jason Charles and Austin Drew are their two sons. In Connecticut’s Danbury, the couple resides.
Facts about Ronnie Spector
Ronnie made the decision to keep her maiden name, “Spector,” even after her second marriage.
The Ronettes successfully sued Phil Spector for unpaid royalties in 1983.
In her 1990 memoir, “Be My Baby: How I Survived Mascara, Miniskirts, and Madness,” Ronnie gave readers a glimpse of her torturous life with Phil Spector.
Ronnie Spector’s Net Worth
At the time of her passing, Ronnie Spector, an American singer, and musician had a $5 million net worth. The girl group The Ronettes, of which Ronnie Spector was a co-founder and the lead singer, is best known for him. The band’s hit songs from the 1960s included “Walking in the Rain,” “(The Best Part of) Breakin’ Up,” and “Be My Baby.” In addition, Spector had a solo music career, releasing albums like “Siren,” “Unfinished Business,” and “English Heart.”