Ronnie Spector (1943–2022)

Thank you to Goodreads, the author (may she rest in peace) and the publisher.

I'm old but not too old to remember Ronnie Spector and the Ronettes but too young to remember most of their songs except for “Be My Baby” and “Baby, I Love You,” but I'm sure if I listened to her others, I might.

Ronnie was a young and innocent girl when she met Phil Spector and then her whole life changed and sometimes not for the good. But she was in love with him. He was egotistical, controlling, possessive, abusive (but physically), and many other things. He was a real piece of work.

It was very candid and eye opening. I really learned a lot about her and no idea how she put up with him and that stuff for all that time she was married to him. Finally, she found a man she loved and he loved her and they had 2 sons together when she was 38 and 39. I'm glad she was happy after all that time.

The Postscript was in 2021 updating her life after she wrote the book in 1990. It was sad to hear that her mother and her sister died.… (más)

Although ghost-written "celebrity memoirs" are usually the intellectual equivalent of cotton candy, there are exceptions."Be My Baby," the story of Ronnie Spector as ably penned by Vince Waldron, is such an exception. It's worth reading, whether or not one is a fan of the late Ms. Spector's music.

Veronica Yvette Bennett was born in the Spanish Harlem section of New York City in 1943. Like so many children, she was enchanted by popular entertainment and the glitz of show biz, especially the flash and thump of the Harlem scene. Even as a little girl, she managed to patronize such places as the Apollo Theater, where her dreams and her latent talent were first stimulated. She befriended such transitory "stars" as Frankie Lymon ("Why Do Fools Fall in Love"), and by the time she was entering her teens, she had recruited her sister Estelle and her cousin Nedra into one of the very first "girl groups," the Ronettes. Their adventures and struggles were typical of any up-and-coming vocal group, until they made the acquaintance of the hottest and most successful record producer/manager of the early 1960s, who would ultimately marry Veronica (now known to the world as Ronnie) and give her his last name. I will not name him here, so great is my contempt for him.

The Producer, who was a pop-music genius and an unrepentant, sociopathic scoundrel, took note of Ronnie's unique vocal talents and made the Ronettes one of the most exciting groups of that strange, hazy time in music: the period between Elvis' tour in the Army, and the arrival of the Beatles. The songs themselves were, by rock & roll standards, immortal: "Be My Baby" was just one of them.

In addition to creating and perfecting the records, The Producer also managed ("drove" would be a better word) the girls themselves, as capriciously and cruelly as any "boss" in the cutthroat world of pop music. "Col." Tom Parker's outrageous exploitation of Elvis Presley is legendary, but Elvis was a grown man, and could have dropped Parker at any time. The Ronettes were three wide-eyed adolescents whose only power or agency came from their talent, and their Producer-Manager made no attempt to protect their interests or prolong their careers. Happily, he was unable to crush their spirits: they may have been starstruck, but they eventually saw their exploiter for what he was, and cheerfully went on their way.

Ronnie Spector's voice and technique were different from other great female rockers. She was not a factory-produced songbird like Diana Ross, nor as sophisticated as Dionne Warwick, nor a feverish force majeure like Tina Turner. But she could command an audience's total attention just as easily as the Supremes, and in her own skinny, slinky way, she was just as womanly as Turner — although considerably less imposing. She wasn't a sex goddess: she was a typical, happy teenager, who had found a way to flirt and strut without infuriating the wrong people, or coming across as slutty ("slutty" didn't fly at that point in pop history). She was, in a word, cute, and, in another word, very endearing.

Unfortunately, her "lover," The Manager/Producer (who was married to another woman, although he concealed the fact from Ronnie) was a megalomaniac and a tyrant, and was psychopathically jealous. E.g.: When the Beatles asked the Ronettes to tour with them as their opening act (the biggest break available in rock music at the time), he would not allow Ronnie to participate: another cousin, Elaine, had to fill in as lead singer, which pleased the Beatles not at all. The Manager eventually made Ronnie a virtual prisoner in his palatial, tacky Hollywood home, and let her career wither on the vine.

But Ronnie, who died in 2022, had the last laugh. With the help of her mother, she made a frantic, midnight escape from the mansion in 1970, and returned to New York. After a brief "hiding out" period (The Manager/Producer was violent) she started a solo career, in which she was moderately successful. She never lost the affection of her aging fans and friends, and was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (with the other Ronettes) in 2007.

The Producer, who was on trial for murder at the time, protested the induction, saying that he was responsible for the Ronettes' success. He was convicted, and died in prison two years later.

Recommended to those interested in pop music history.… (más)

Ronnie Spector was a young girl living in Spanish Harlem in New York City who has a dream of singing. After a lot of hard work and networking, her dream finally came true. She and her family became known as the Ronettes. They were one of the most famous girl groups of the 1960s. Ronnie goes over her time as a Ronette and the friends she made along the way, including The Beatles. She also details how she met Phil Spector and how for her, it was love at first sight. As their relationship continues, Phil's true character came out - he did everything he could to control Ronnie…mind, body, and soul. Ronnie deals with this abuse for seven years before she realizes she has to get out. As she fights to get her life back, we see Ronnie as vulnerable as she can be.

Rosie Perez did a wonderful job of narrating Ronnie's story. You could hear the emotion in her voice when she arrived at some of the hardest-to-read parts. She did Ronnie's story proud and her accent fit the story well.

I was raised on the 50s and 60s music and the girl groups are my favorite. I enjoyed every minute of this story although it was very hard to read at times. I also learned that Ronnie was a bit naïve in thinking that Phil loved her as she loved him. For the longest time, she refused to see him for the monster he was. There is a postscript that Ronnie added during the Covid pandemic about the Ronettes finally being admitted to the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame…the level of petty within this postscript is fantastic and made me laugh.… (más)

Be My Baby by Ronnie Spector has been called the best rock autobiography of all time and this new updated edition only adds to the wonderful story. Thankfully she had finished her revisions and her Postscript before she passed away. Like so often, she gave us all a gift.

Parts of this book can be tremendously difficult to read. Her relationship with Phil Spector obviously being the most difficult. It will make you angry, sad, and so many other feelings in between. But don't let her difficulties in life influence how you view the book. This is a wonderful read, almost conversational in tone, and what would you want her to do? Gloss over the abuse so the book would fit better with your vapid desire for just reading music industry anecdotes? She gives us her life, appreciate it in all of its highs and lows.

I am under the impression from things I've read and people I've spoken with that as time has gone on most people remember her for one of two things: the Ronettes singles or her horrific marriage to Phil. This book really fills in the gaps so that you not only get a better view of the public Ronnie Spector but you also meet the person, the human being, who had to juggle all of the public perceptions.

Highly recommended for anyone with an interest in music, particularly rock era music. This is also an excellent read for those who simply enjoy autobiographies. You can't truly call yourself a fan of rock, especially of the major groups of the time (The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Beach Boys) if the name Ronnie Spector is just a peripheral name to you. You may like the groups but you aren't truly a fan of the music if you don't know and appreciate the influences. This book will bring you into the next level.

Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.… (más)