Veronica Yvette Greenfield (née Bennett; August 10, 1943 – January 12, 2022), known professionally as Ronnie Spector, was an American singer. Regarded as the “bad girl of rock and roll,” she achieved international fame for founding and fronting the girl group the Ronettes.
After marrying record producer Phil Spector in 1968, Ronnie was forced out of the spotlight. By 1970, she was living inside their heavily guarded Beverly Hills mansion under tyrannical control. Phil restricted her contact with friends, fellow musicians, and the outside world. He went as far as hiding her shoes so she could not wander outside. In 1969, the couple adopted their first son, Donté. In late 1971, Phil unexpectedly adopted twin boys (Louis and Gary) without her prior knowledge as a “surprise Christmas gift.”
While Phil Spector was in London working on Let It Be and George Harrison’s All Things Must Pass in 1970, Ronnie saw a brief opportunity to record again. Harrison wrote “Try Some, Buy Some” specifically for Ronnie to record on Apple Records. In February 1971, Ronnie flew to London to record the single at Abbey Road Studios with production from Harrison and Phil. Released in April 1971, the track charted modestly on the Billboard Hot 100, but Phil withheld a planned follow-up solo album.
Realizing her life was in danger, Ronnie fled the mansion in 1972 bare-footed with the help of her mother, leaving behind all her possessions. She officially divorced Phil in 1974, re-formed the Ronettes with new members, and later launched her solo comeback in the mid-1970s alongside artists like Bruce Springsteen and Billy Joel.
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