Obituary: Ronnie Spector

After a brief battle with cancer, Ronnie Spector, 78, who became famous as the lead singer of the quintessential girl group the Ronettes, produced by her late ex-husband and convicted killer Phil Spector, died earlier today.

The past summer I read her memoirs from the early 1990s.  She wrote about her relationship with her ex-husband and how she escaped from his abuse.  His abuse was not physical but psychological.  She was lucky to get out of there and rebuild her life.  She remarried later on and continued to perform.

Snip:

Veronica Yvette Bennett grew up in New York City and started singing with her sister Estelle and their cousin Nedra Talley at a young age. Calling themselves the Darling Sisters, they performed around the city while still attending George Washington High School. After a few unsuccessful singles, Phil Spector signed them and immediately began writing songs specifically for her voice. “Watching him create in the recording studio, I knew I was working with the very best,” she said. “He was in complete control, directing everyone. So much to love about those days.”

The problem is when the controlling behavior spilled over into her marriage to Phil.  She had to get out or she would have probably died in one manner or the other.