Ronnie Spector, leader of the girl group The Ronettes, has died. She was 78.
Spector died Wednesday after 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,” a statement said. No other details were revealed.
Tributes flooded social media, with Stevie Van Zandt saying it was an honor to produce her, to Brian Wilson, who wrote on Twitter: “I loved her voice so much and she was a very special person and a dear friend.”
Spector, born Veronica Bennett, and her bandmates sister Estelle Bennett and cousin Nedra Talley, grew up in the Washington Heights area of Manhattan. They began singing and dancing in clubs as Ronnie and the Relatives.
The Ronettes were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007.
After the Ronettes broke up, Spector continued to tour and make music.
She is survived by her husband, Jonathan Greenfield, and two sons, Jason and Austin.
