Ronnie Spector, the bee-hived rock ‘n’ roll queen who sang such 1960s hits Be My Baby, Baby I Love You, and Walking in the Rain when she fronted The Ronettes, has died at 78.
Ronnie – real name Veronica Yvette Bennett – had apparently fought a brief battle with cancer.
Her family said: ‘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.’
Ronnie Spector married music producer Phil Spector in 1968, a year after The Ronettes disbanded. She would later say he kept her locked in their Beverly Hills mansion.
Her 1990 autobiography ‘Be My Baby: How I Survived Mascara, Miniskirts And Madness‘ tells a story of abuse.
In her memoir, she wrote that Phil had held her prisoner during their relationship, surrounding her with guard dogs and taking away her shoes, and threatened to hire a hit man to kill her.
He installed chain-link fences and barbed wire around their home, and tied her up and locked her in a closet.
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