Nedra Talley Ross, the last surviving member of the 1960s pop band the Ronettes, has died aged 80.<\/p>\n
Talley Ross, who was one part of the band with her cousins Ronnie Spector and Estelle Bennett, died at home on Sunday morning, her daughter Nedra K Ross announced on social media.<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cAt approximately 8:30 this morning our mother Nedra Talley Ross went home to be with the Lord,\u201d she wrote. \u201cShe was safe in her own bed at home with her family close, knowing she was loved. Thank you Lord.\u201d<\/p>\n Born in Manhattan in 1946, Talley Ross first began performing with her cousins Ronnie (born Veronica Bennett) and Estelle when they were teenagers. Ronnie formed the Ronettes in 1957. They earned a residency at a local club and a record deal, but early singles failed to chart.<\/p>\n Their careers took off in 1963 after Estelle cold-called the office of producer Phil Spector, who recently had a run of huge hits. According to Ronnie Spector\u2019s memoir, when the trio launched into a version of Frankie Lymon\u2019s Why Do Fools Fall In Love, Phil Spector jumped from his piano and exclaimed, \u201cThat\u2019s the voice I\u2019ve been looking for!\u201d<\/p>\n The Ronettes perform in 1963. Photograph: Gilles Petard\/Redferns<\/p>\n Though the Ronettes released just one studio album, they were both popular and enduring. Their hits included their recording of Be My Baby<\/a>, Walking in the Rain, Baby, I Love You and (The Best Part of) Breakin\u2019 Up. Be My Baby was famously used in many films including Mean Streets and Dirty Dancing; the songwriters\u2019 agency BMI once calculated that Be My Baby had been played in 3.9m feature presentations on radio and television since 1963, or \u201cthe equivalent of 17 years back to back\u201d.<\/p>\n The Ronettes joined the Beatles on their final world tour in 1966, while Rolling Stones supported them on a Ronettes tour of the UK. \u201cThey could sing all their way right through a wall of sound,\u201d Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards later said. \u201cThey didn\u2019t need anything. They touched my heart right there and then and they touch it still.\u201d<\/p>\n The Ronettes split in 1967. \u201cI hated the \u2018dog-eat-dog\u2019 side of show-business,\u201d Talley Ross later reflected. \u201cI hated pushing for the next record and the feeling of failure if we didn\u2019t get it. There was a continual demand on us to produce that I thought was unfair. My personality didn\u2019t like that.\u201d<\/p>\n Spector and Ronnie married in 1968 but Ronnie filed for divorce in 1974 after years of abuse. The Ronettes launched a long legal battle to sue Spector over unpaid royalties, revealing in New York\u2019s State court of appeals in 2002 that they had earned less than $15,000 in royalties from their hits. But the judges found<\/a> the Ronettes\u2019 1963 contract gave Spector unconditional rights to the recordings. Spector murdered the actor Lana Clarkson in 2003 and died in prison in 2021<\/a> while serving 19 years to life.<\/p>\n Talley Ross\u2019 death was also confirmed in a statement on the Ronettes\u2019 official social media <\/a>on Sunday.<\/p>\n Allow Instagram content?<\/p>\n This article includes content provided by Instagram. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. To view this content, click ‘Allow and continue’.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is with heavy hearts that we share the news of Nedra Talley Ross\u2019 passing. She was a light to those who knew and loved her,\u201d the message read.<\/p>\n \u201cAs a founding member of The Ronettes, along with her beloved cousins Ronnie and Estelle, Nedra\u2019s voice, style and spirit helped define a sound that would change music. Her contribution to the group\u2019s story and their defining influence will live forever.<\/p>\n \u201cRest peacefully, dear Nedra. Thanks for the magic.\u201d<\/p>\n After the Ronettes, Talley Ross went on to work as a solo musician. The Ronettes were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007.<\/p>\n Spector died from cancer aged 78 in 2022<\/a>, while Bennett died aged 67 in 2009<\/a>.<\/p>\n