Estelle Bennett | Ronettes singer, 67
Estelle Bennett, 67, one of the Ronettes, the singing trio whose 1960s hit "Be My Baby" epitomized the famed "wall of sound" technique of producer Phil Spector, was found dead in her apartment in Englewood, N.J., on Wednesday after relatives were unable to contact her.
Estelle Bennett, 67, one of the Ronettes, the singing trio whose 1960s hit "Be My Baby" epitomized the famed "wall of sound" technique of producer Phil Spector, was found dead in her apartment in Englewood, N.J., on Wednesday after relatives were unable to contact her.
The Ronettes were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007; its Web site hails the group as "the premier act of the girl-group era." Among their admirers were the Beatles and the Rolling Stones.
The Ronettes - sisters Veronica "Ronnie" and Estelle Bennett and their cousin Nedra Talley - signed with Spector's Philles Records in 1963.
Their recording of "Be My Baby" hit No. 2 on Billboard magazine's pop chart that year. Among other hits were "Walkin' in the Rain" and "Baby I Love You."
- AP