Ronnie Spector

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This article is about the singer. For the special effects artist, see Ronnie Specter.

Ronnie Spector
Spector in 2010
Spector in 2010
Background information
Birth nameVeronica Yvette Bennett
Also known as
  • Veronica Yvette Spector
  • Ronnie Bennett
  • Veronica Spector Greenfield
Born (1943-08-10) August 10, 1943 (age 78)
New York City, New York, U.S.
Genres
Occupation(s)Singer
InstrumentsVocals
Years active1959–present
Labels
Associated acts
Websiteronniespector.com

Veronica Spector Greenfield[1] (born Veronica Yvette Bennett, August 10, 1943) is an American singer who formed the girl group the Ronettes in 1957 with her elder sister Estelle Bennett and their cousin Nedra Talley. Bennett fronted the group while record producer Phil Spector produced the majority of their output. The two were married in 1968 and separated in 1972.

Bennett sang lead on the Ronettes' string of hits in the early-to-mid–1960s, including "Be My Baby" (1963), "Baby, I Love You" (1963), "The Best Part of Breakin' Up" (1964) and "Walking in the Rain" (1964). In 1964, she launched a solo career with the single "So Young". Since 1980, she has released five studio albums: Siren (1980), Unfinished Business (1987), Something's Gonna Happen (2003), Last of the Rock Stars (2006), and English Heart (2016). Bennett also recorded one extended play, She Talks to Rainbows (1999). In 1986, she experienced a career resurgence when she was featured on Eddie Money's song "Take Me Home Tonight".

Bennett has been referred to as the original "bad girl of rock and roll".[2][3] In 1990, she published a memoir, Be My Baby: How I Survived Mascara, Miniskirts, and Madness, Or, My Life as a Fabulous Ronette.[4] In 2007, she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Ronettes.[5]

Early life[]

Spector was born Veronica Yvette Bennett in New York City, the daughter of an African-American–Cherokee mother and Irish–American father. She and her sister, Estelle Bennett (1941–2009), were encouraged to sing by their large family, as was their cousin, Nedra Talley. The three women formed the Darling Sisters, known later as the Ronettes.[6]

Career[]

1963–1969: The Ronettes and early success[]

Main article: The Ronettes
Ronnie Spector (center) with The Ronettes, 1966

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.[7] After releasing a few singles on Colpix without success, they were signed by Phil Spector to Philles Records. Their relationship with Spector brought chart success with "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). The group had two top 100 hits in 1965 with "Born to Be Together" and "Is This What I Get for Loving You?".

In 1965, the Ronettes were voted the third-top singing group in England behind the Beatles and the Rolling Stones.[8] They supported toured with the Beatles on their 1966 US tour.[9] The group's last single, "I Can Hear Music", on the Philles Records label, was released in the fall of 1966. Instead of recording on the West coast, the Ronettes returned to New York City with producer Jeff Barry.

The Ronettes broke up in early 1967, following a European concert tour that included their appearance at the Moonlight Lounge, in Gelnhausen, Germany, where they entertained American military personnel.

Spector's 1960s recording "You Came, You Saw, You Conquered", credited as "The Ronettes Featuring the Voice of Veronica", appeared in 1969 on Herb Alpert's A&M Records label, with "Oh I Love You", an old Ronettes B-side, as the flip. Her vocals were used for the lead and backing vocals. Phil Spector kept many of the group's unreleased songs in the vault for years.

1970–1982: Solo career and Siren[]

Ronnie Spector, 1971.

In February 1971, during Phil Spector's tenure as head of A&R at Apple Records, Spector recorded the single "Try Some, Buy Some/Tandoori Chicken" at Abbey Road Studios, released as Apple 33 in the UK and Apple 1832 in the US.[10][11] The A-side was written by George Harrison, and produced by both him and Spector. Although the single was not a big hit, its backing track was used two years later for Harrison's own version of the song, on his chart-topping Living in the Material World album.[12] "Try Some, Buy Some" had another lasting influence when John Lennon recorded "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" later the same year and asked Spector (co-producing again) to reproduce the mandolin-laden Wall of Sound he had created for Spector's single. Lennon liked the rockabilly B-side too; he sang it at his birthday party in New York in October 1971 (a recording of which has appeared on bootlegs).[13] Spector recorded other Harrison songs during those London sessions − including "You" and "When Every Song Is Sung" − but her versions were never released, even though a full album had been planned.[14]

In 1973, Spector reformed the Ronettes (as Ronnie Spector and the Ronettes) with two new members (Chip Fields Hurd, the mother of actress Kim Fields, and Diane Linton). They released a few singles on Buddah Records.[15] The records failed to chart and by 1975, Spector was recording as a solo act. She released the single "You'd Be Good For Me" on Tom Cat Records in 1975.[16]

In 1976, Spector sang a duet with Southside Johnny on the recording "You Mean So Much To Me", penned by Southside's longtime friend Bruce Springsteen and produced by Steven Van Zandt of the E Street Band. This was the final track on the Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes' debut album I Don't Want to Go Home. She also made appearances with the band the following year, including a cover version of Billy Joel's 1976 track Say Goodbye to Hollywood .

In her book, Spector recounted several abortive attempts to recapture mainstream success throughout the 1970s and early 1980s, during which time she was widely perceived as an oldies act.[citation needed] She recorded her first solo album in 1980, produced by Genya Ravan, which was a prelude to her work with Joey Ramone in the late 1990s.

1983–2002: "Take Me Home Tonight", Unfinished Business, and return to music[]

In 1986, Spector enjoyed a resurgence of popular radio airplay as the featured vocalist on Eddie Money's Top 5 hit, "Take Me Home Tonight", in which she answers Money's chorus lyric, "just like Ronnie sang", with, "be my little baby". The song's music video was one of the top videos of the year and in heavy rotation on MTV. During this period, she also recorded the song "Tonight You're Mine, Baby" (from the film Just One of the Guys).[17]

In 1988, Spector began performing at the Ronnie Spector's Christmas Party, a seasonal staple at B.B. King Blues Club & Grill in New York City.[18][19][20] In 1999, she released the EP, She Talks to Rainbows, which featured a few covers of older songs. Joey Ramone acted as producer and appeared on stage with her to promote the record.

In 1988, Spector and the other members of the Ronettes sued Phil Spector for nonpayment of royalties and for unpaid income he made from licensing of Ronettes’ music. In 2001, a New York court announced a verdict in favor of the Ronettes, ordering Spector to pay $2.6 million in back royalties.[21] The judgment was overturned by the Court of Appeals in 2002 and remanded back to the Supreme Court. The judges found that their contract gave Spector unconditional rights to the recordings. Though the judges ruled that Ronnie is entitled to her share of the royalties which she had forfeited in her divorce settlement, they reversed a lower court's ruling that the group were entitled to the music industry's standard 50 percent royalty rate.[22] The final outcome had Spector paying a judgment in excess of 1.5 million dollars to the Ronettes.

2003–present: Collaborations and English Heart[]

In 2003, Spector provided backing vocals for The Misfits' album, Project 1950, on the songs "This Magic Moment" and "You Belong to Me."[23]

In 2004, Spector was recognized for her contribution to American popular music when she was inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame.

Ronnie Spector Live in London 2015 - Photo Credit Chris Hall

Spector provided guest vocals on the track "Ode to LA", on The Raveonettes' album Pretty in Black (2005). Spector's album, Last of the Rock Stars (2006), was released by Bad Girl Sounds and featured contributions from members of The Raconteurs, Nick Zinner of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, The Raveonettes, Patti Smith, and Keith Richards. Spector herself co-produced two of the songs.[citation needed]

Despite objections from Phil Spector, the Ronettes were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2007.[24]

A Christmas EP, Ronnie Spector's Best Christmas Ever, was released on Bad Girl Sounds in November 2010, featuring five new Christmas songs.[citation needed]

In 2011, after the death of Amy Winehouse, Ronnie Spector released her version of Winehouse's single "Back to Black" (2006) as a tribute and for the benefit of the Daytop Village addiction treatment centers.[25] She has also performed this song as part of her live act, including during her UK tour in 2015.

In 2016, she released, through 429 Records, English Heart, her first album of new material in a decade.[26] The album features her versions of songs of the British Invasion by the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Yardbirds, Bee Gees, and others produced by Scott Jacoby.[27] English Heart peaked at #6 on the Billboard Top Heatseekers chart.[28]

On August 9, 2017, People Magazine premiered a new single Love Power produced by Narada Michael Walden by Ronnie Spector and The Ronettes, making it the first Ronettes single in decades.[29] The song was released August 18, 2017.

In 2018, Spector appeared in the music documentary; Amy Winehouse: Back to Black (2018), based on the singer Amy Winehouse, who died in 2011, and her final 2006 studio album Back to Black. The album was inspired by 1960s girl groups Winehouse gathered inspiration from listening to, such as The Ronettes.[30] It contains new interviews[31] as well as archival footage.[32]

In September 2020, it was announced that actress Zendaya will portray Spector in a biopic adapted from her memoir Be My Baby: How I Survived Mascara, Miniskirts And Madness.[33][34]

Personal life[]

In 1968, Bennett married record producer Phil Spector and took his surname professionally.[35] In 1969, they adopted a son, Donté Phillip. Two years later, Phil Spector surprised her with adopted twins, Louis and Gary, for Christmas.[36]

Bennett alleged that her husband subjected her to years of psychological torment and sabotaged her career by forbidding her to perform. She stated that he surrounded the house with barbed wire and guard dogs, and confiscated her shoes to prevent her from leaving.[37] Bennett added that on the rare occasions he allowed her out alone, she had to drive with a life-size dummy of Spector.[38] She began drinking and attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings to escape the house. Bennett also recalled that Spector installed a gold coffin with a glass top in the basement, promising that he would kill her and display her corpse if she ever left him.[39]

In her 1990 memoir, Be My Baby, Bennett detailed that she fled their mansion barefoot and without any belongings with the help of her mother in 1972.[40] "I knew that if I didn't leave I was going to die there," she said.[38] In their 1974 divorce settlement, Ronnie forfeited all future record earnings after Phil threatened to have a hit man kill her.[37] She received $25,000, a used car, and monthly alimony of $2,500 for five years.[37] In 1998, Bennett testified that her ex-husband had frequently pulled a gun on her during their marriage and threatened to kill her unless she surrendered custody of their children.[37]

In 1982, Bennett married her second husband, Jonathan Greenfield,[41] and adopted his surname.[1] They live in the area of Danbury, Connecticut with their two sons, Austin Drew and Jason Charles.[42]

Discography[]

The Ronettes[]

Solo albums[]

Title Album details Peak chart positions
US
Heat
Siren
  • Released: 1980
  • Label: RCA, Polish Records
 –
Unfinished Business –
The Last of the Rock Stars
  • Released: May 8, 2006
  • Label: Bad Girl Sounds
 –
English Heart
  • Released: April 8, 2016
  • Label: 429
 6
"—" denotes a release that did not chart.

EPs[]

Solo singles[]

  • 1964: "So Young" (Phil Spector 1)
  • 1964: "Why Don't They Let Us Fall In Love" (Phil Spector 1)
  • 1971: Try Some, Buy Some (Apple 1832)
  • 1975: "You'd Be Good For Me" (Tom Cat YB-10380)
  • 1976: "Paradise" (Warner Spector SPS 0409)
  • 1977: "Say Goodbye To Hollywood" (Epic 8-50374)
  • 1978: "It's A Heartache" (Alston 3738)
  • 1980: "Darlin'" (Polish PR-202)
  • 1987: "Who Can Sleep" (Columbia 38-07082)
  • 1987: "Love On A Rooftop" (Columbia 38-07300)

Books[]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b "1 No. 114: Ronnie Greenfield, et al. V. Philles Records, Inc., et al". October 17, 2002.
  2. ^ Donovan, Patrick (April 12, 2006). "The Last of the Rock Stars". TheAge. Australia.
  3. ^ "The Ronettes – Inductees". The Vocal Group Hall of Fame Foundation. 2004. Archived from the original on March 20, 2007.
  4. ^ Cateforis, Theo (2013). The Rock History Reader. Routledge. p. 43. ISBN 9780415892124. Retrieved July 28, 2017.
  5. ^ "The Ronettes". Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
  6. ^ Sisario, Ben (February 16, 2009). "A Life of Troubles Followed a Singer's Burst of Fame". The New York Times. Retrieved April 11, 2013.
  7. ^ Ribowsky, Mark (May 2, 2000). He's a Rebel: Phil Spector--Rock and Roll's Legendary Producer. Cooper Square Press. p. 117. ISBN 978-1-4616-6103-0.
  8. ^ "The Ronettes". Ebony: 1984. November 1966.
  9. ^ Barbee, Bobby (September 22, 1966). "Rocking Ronettes Rocket Toward Fame". Jet: 60.
  10. ^ Castleman, Harry & Podrazik, Walter J. (1976). All Together Now: The First Complete Beatles Discography 1961–1975. New York, NY: Ballantine Books. p. 100.CS1 maint: uses authors parameter (link)
  11. ^ Badham, Keith (2002). The Beatles Diary Volume 2: After the Break-Up 1970–2001. London: Omnibus Press. pp. 25–26.
  12. ^ Leng, Simon (2006). While My Guitar Gently Weeps: The Music of George Harrison. Milwaukee, WI: Hal Leonard. pp. 133–34.
  13. ^ Badham, Keith (2002). The Beatles Diary Volume 2: After the Break-Up 1970–2001. London: Omnibus Press. p. 51.
  14. ^ Harrison, George Harrison (2002). I Me Mine. San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books. pp. 218, 228.
  15. ^ "Ronnie Spector Returns" (PDF). Record World: 23. May 18, 1974.
  16. ^ "Top Singles Picks". Billboard: 67. September 6, 1975.
  17. ^ "Ronnie Spector interview: 'The more Phil tried to destroy me, the stronger I got'". Telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved August 6, 2017.
  18. ^ Reed, James (December 23, 2008). "Still rockin' around". Boston.com.
  19. ^ "RONNIE SPECTOR'S BEST CHRISTMAS PARTY EVER!". B.B. King Blues Club & Grill. New York. 2013. Archived from the original on May 29, 2014. Retrieved May 28, 2014.
  20. ^ "Events: Ronnie Spector". NorthJersey.com. 2013. Archived from the original on May 28, 2014. Retrieved May 28, 2014.
  21. ^ "Ronettes Entitled to Back Pay From Phil Spector, Judge Rules". Los Angeles Times. June 17, 2000.
  22. ^ F. Worth, Robert (October 18, 2001). "A Sad Song for the Ronettes: Court Reverses Royalty Rights". New York Times.
  23. ^ "Misfits - Project 1950 (album review ) | Sputnikmusic". www.sputnikmusic.com. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  24. ^ "Phil Spector blasts The Ronettes' Hall Of Fame induction". NME. March 7, 2007. Retrieved December 8, 2020.
  25. ^ "Exclusive: Ronnie Spector Pays Tribute to Amy Winehouse". Rolling Stone. July 27, 2011.
  26. ^ "Songs We Love: Ronnie Spector, 'I'd Much Rather Be With The Girls'". NPR. April 4, 2016.
  27. ^ "Ronnie Spector on Keith Richards, David Bowie and Life After Phil". Rolling Stone. April 14, 2016.
  28. ^ "Ronnie Spector – English Heart". AllMusic. April 14, 2016.
  29. ^ "FIRST LISTEN: Rock Queen Ronnie Spector Releases 'Love Power,' Her First Song in Decades with the Ronettes". People. August 9, 2017.
  30. ^ Snapes, Laura (October 12, 2018). "Hologram of Amy Winehouse set for 2019 worldwide tour". The Guardian. Retrieved October 12, 2018.
  31. ^ Bowenbank, Starr (September 19, 2018). "Amy Winehouse 'Back to Black' Documentary Announced: Watch the Trailer". Billboard. Retrieved October 12, 2018.
  32. ^ Bliss, Karen (September 20, 2018). "Amy Winehouse 'Back to Black' Documentary Offers Revealing Commentary from Mark Ronson, Salaam Remi & More". Billboard. Retrieved October 12, 2018.
  33. ^ Aniftos, Rania (September 29, 2020). "Zendaya to Play Ronnie Spector in Upcoming Film on Singer's Life". Billboard. Retrieved December 8, 2020.
  34. ^ Fleming, Mike Jr. (September 29, 2020). "Zendaya In Talks To Play Ronnie Spector In A24 Film About Iconic Singer; Label Acquires Life Rights & 'Be My Baby' Autobiography". Deadline. Retrieved December 8, 2020.
  35. ^ "Ronnie Spector – Singer – Biography". Biography.com. Retrieved August 27, 2015.
  36. ^ Muller, Marissa G. (November 12, 2013). "Ronnie Spector: The Original Icon". Noisey.
  37. ^ Jump up to: a b c d Arena, Salvatore (June 11, 1998). "MARRIAGE HIT WRONG CHORD, SAYS RONETTE". New York Daily News.
  38. ^ Jump up to: a b Anson, Robert Sam (June 2003). "Legend with a Bullet". Vanity Fair.
  39. ^ Harvey, Chris (January 17, 2019). "Ronnie Spector interview: 'MeToo is now, but I've been living it my whole life'". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved December 8, 2020.
  40. ^ "Entertainment". MSN Entertainment. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. May 6, 2010. p. 7. Archived from the original on May 29, 2014.
  41. ^ Sisario, Ben (February 16, 2009). "A Life of Troubles Followed a Singer's Burst of Fame". The New York Times.
  42. ^ Tuccio, M.B. (May 15, 2012). "'Beyond the Beehive' tells Ronnie Spector's life story". Connecticut Post.

Further reading[]

External links[]

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