Ronnie Spector, the lead singer of the girl group the Ronettes, died on Wednesday at the age of 78 following a brief battle with cancer. 

“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,” her family said in a statement. 

Also Read: Ronnie Spector family: Know about the singer’s husband Jonathan Greenfield and children

Who was Ronnie Spector?

Born Veronica Bennett, Ronnie Spector grew up in the Washington Heights area of Manhattan. She and her bandmates began singing and dancing in clubs as Ronnie and the Relatives, becoming noteworthy for their liberal use of eyeliner and mascara.

In 1963, the band was signed to Phillies Records after which they sang backup for other acts until Spector had them record “Be My Baby” and “Baby I Love You.”

Also read: Ronnie Spector, singer of Ronettes hit ‘Be My Baby’, dies at 78

The group’s debut album, “Presenting the Fabulous Ronettes Featuring Veronica,” was released the following year and five of its 12 tracks made it to the US Billboard charts.

However, after touring Germany in 1967, the Ronettes broke up. The following year, she married Phil Spector, who allegedly kept her locked in their Beverly Hills mansion. They divorced in 1974. Phil was jailed in 2009 for the murder of actress Lana Clarkson and died in 2020.

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Meanwhile, Ronnie Spector’s influence was felt far and wide. Brian Wilson became obsessed with “Be My Baby” and Billy Joel wrote “Say Goodbye to Hollywood” in Spector’s honor. Amy Winehouse also cited Spector as an idol on several occasions. Martin Scorsese used “Be My Baby” to open his 1973 film “Mean Streets” and the song appears in the title sequence of “Dirty Dancing” and the closing credits of “Baby Mama.” It also appeared on TV in “Moonlighting” and “The Wonder Years.”

Ronnie is survived her husband, Jonathan Greenfield, and two sons, Jason and Austin.

With inputs from the Associated Press