Ronnie Spector, the powerhouse vocalist and teenage ingenue behind the ’60s rock band the Ronettes, died on Wednesday at 78.
“Our beloved earth angel, Ronnie, …
Ronnie Spector, the powerhouse vocalist and teenage ingenue behind the ’60s rock band the Ronettes, died on Wednesday at 78. “Our beloved earth angel, Ronnie, peacefully left this world today,” her family wrote in a statement, adding that the star lost a brief battle with cancer. “She was with family and in the arms of her husband, Jonathan.” “Ronnie lived her life with a twinkle in her eye, a spunky attitude, a wicked sense of humor and a smile on her face. She was filled with love and gratitude,” they continued. “Her joyful sound, playful nature and magical presence will live on in all who knew, heard or saw her.” Spector, born Veronica Yvette Bennett in 1943, was known for singing hits including “Be My Baby,” “Baby I Love You” and “Walking in the Rain.” Her trademark beehive and unapologetic bad-girl swagger made waves in the music industry when the rock group first hit the airwaves in 1963. “We weren’t afraid to be hot. That was our gimmick,” Spector wrote in her memoir. “When we saw The Shirelles walk on stage with their wide party dresses, we went in the opposite direction and squeezed our bodies into the tightest skirts we could find.
