As lead singer of The Ronettes, Veronica "Ronnie" Bennett inspired countless fantasies with her extended eyeliner, ratted hair, slit skirts and incredibly dirty-innocent voice. In her memorably-titled memoirs, Be My Baby: My Life as a Fabulous Ronette, or How I Survived Miniskirts, Mascara & Madness, Ronnie recounts one gig for U.S. servicemen overseas, where one ecstatic fan jerked off in the front row. Now that's rock and roll.
Becoming Mrs. Phil Spector in 1968 was supposed to make her rock royalty; instead, it nearly killed her, as Phil Spector's increasingly bizarre behavior led to the virtual seclusion and mental abuse of his bride. Ronnie escaped in 1973, and began a series of attempted comebacks, first by briefly re-forming The Ronettes with two new backup singers, and then as a soloist.
PUBLICITY STILL FROM THE SHORT-LIVED RETURN OF THE RONETTES, 1973
Successfully battling alcoholism, Ronnie continued to record for much of the 1970's and 1980's, but with little commercial success. She was paid due homage by such fans as Bruce Springsteen and Billy Joel, and her concert appearances were played to packed houses, but contemporary radio wasn't biting. In 1986, she did make a return to the Top 10, thanks to a cameo on Eddie Money's "Take Me Home Tonight," warbling the refrain from The Ronettes' immortal "Be My Baby." Taking advantage of this resurgence in popularity, Ronnie was signed to Money's label, Columbia, and issued the highly-touted Unfinished Business (1987). Unfortunately, the album tanked, despite some strong material and production.
Since then, Ronnie has continued to perform for devoted fans across the country (including an annual Christmas show in New York), has recorded several acclaimed albums and E.P.'s for smaller boutique labels, and she and The Ronettes were finally inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007. When she's not rocking it out onstage, the former Spanish Harlem teen queen is a suburban Connecticut housewife and mom!
Happy Birthday, Ronnie Spector! You'll always be our little baby.
