The Beauty of Song, Part Eight: Ronnie Spector

Ronnie Spector is nothing short of a legend.

In the early sixties, the singer then known as Veronica Bennett was the lead singer of the Ronettes, a classic girl group that recorded for Phil Spector on his label  Philles Records. They found chart success with singles such as  "Be My Baby" and "Baby, I Love You," as well as  1965's "Born to Be Together."  Veronica quickly gained a reputation as one of rock and roll's first sex symbols, an image she embraced with the songs she sang.

She married Phil Spector and took his name in 1968, but their relationship was, shall we say, tempestuous.  She split from Spector and married Jonathan Greenfield in 1982.  

Ronnie Spector embarked on a solo career in the early seventies with singles such as "Try Some Buy Some," which was written by George Harrison.  In 1977, she covered Billy Joel's "Say Goodbye To Hollywood" with backing from Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band.  Joel frankly admitted that he based the rhythm of the song on the Ronettes' "Be My Baby," so it was a natural song for her to sing.   

Ronnie Spector's discography also includes her eighties albums Siren (1980) and Unfinished Business 1987, as well as her 2016 album English Heart, an LP of British Invasion covers.  And yes, I can't forget her contribution to Eddie Money's 1988 single "Take Me Home Tonight." 😉 

Ronnie Spector gets her exotic looks form her Irish father and her half black, half Cherokee mother. 😊

That's it for my eighth "Beauty of Song" series.  An A-Z round of new subjects is starting very soon.