Name	The Ronettes
Background	group_or_band
Origin	New York City, United States
Genre	Pop, Rock and Roll
Years active	1959–1966
Label	Colpix, Philles
Past members	Veronica BennettEstelle BennettNedra TalleyElaine Mayes (a cousin, Beatles 1966 American tour only); Chip Fields Hurd (1973-74); and Diane Linton (1973-74)}}

The Ronettes were a popular 1960s girl group from New York City. One of the biggest girl groups, they placed eight songs on the Billboard Hot 100, five of which became top forty hits. Best known for their work with producer Phil Spector, the Ronettes were the only girl group to tour with The Beatles.

A trio from Spanish Harlem, lead singer Veronica Bennett (later known as Ronnie Spector), her older sister Estelle Bennett, and their cousin Nedra Talley had sung together since they were teenagers. Signed by Colpix Records in 1961, they moved to Spector's Philles Records in March 1963, where they became successful.

Some of their most famous songs include "Be My Baby", "Baby, I Love You", "(The Best Part Of) Breakin' Up", and "Walking in the Rain." These songs became big hits and charted on the Billboard Hot 100. "Be My Baby" was played constantly on the radio, and "Walking in the Rain" received a Grammy Award in 1965.

In late 1964, the group released their only studio album, ''Presenting the Fabulous Ronettes Featuring Veronica'', which entered the Billboard charts at #96. It has since become a classic, and ''Rolling Stone'' ranked it number 427 on its list of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. In 2007, The Ronettes were inducted into the "Rock and Roll Hall of Fame".

The early years (1950–1961)

The Ronettes began as a family act where the girls grew up in Washington Heights, Manhattan. According to Nedra Talley, the girls started singing during their childhood visits to their grandmother's home. "Estelle and Veronica are sisters," she said in a later interview. "I'm their cousin. Our mothers are sisters. We came out of a family that, on Saturday nights, home for us was at our grandmother's, entertaining each other."

"By the time I was eight, I was already working up whole numbers for our family's little weekend shows," Ronnie Spector later recalled. "Then Estelle would get up onstage and do a song, or she'd join Nedra or my cousin Elaine and me in a number we'd worked out in three-part harmony."

Furthering their interest in show business, Estelle was enrolled at Startime, a popular dancing school in the 1950s, while Ronnie became fascinated with Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers.

In 1957, Ronnie formed the group which would later become known as The Ronettes. Composed of Ronnie, her sister Estelle, and their cousins Nedra, Diane, and Elaine, the five girls learned how to perfect their harmonies first at their grandmother's house, and they became proficient in songs such as “Goodnight Sweetheart” and “Red Red Robin”. Emulating Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers, the girls added their male cousin Ira to the group, and were signed up for a Wednesday-night amateur show at the Apollo Theatre by a friend of Ronnie and Estelle's mother. The show started out as a disaster; when the house band started playing Frankie Lymon's "Why Do Fools Fall in Love," Ira didn't sing a word, so Ronnie took over. "I strutted out across the stage, singing as loud as I could," Ronnie later recalled. "When I finally heard a few hands of scattered applause, I sang even louder. That brought a little more applause, which was all I needed."

Colpix Records and The Peppermint Lounge (1961–1963)

After their night at the Apollo, Ira, Elaine, and Diane left the group. Renaming themselves Ronnie and the Relatives, Ronnie, Estelle, and Nedra began taking singing lessons two afternoons a week. Appearing at local bar mitzvahs and sock hops, they met Phil Halikus, who introduced them to Colpix Records producer Stu Phillips.

According to Ronnie, Phillips played the piano while the girls auditioned for him, singing "What's So Sweet About Sweet Sixteen." Successful, they were brought into the studio in June 1961 and recorded four tracks: "I Want a Boy," "What's So Sweet About Sweet Sixteen," "I'm Gonna Quit While I'm Ahead," "and "My Guiding Angel." Colpix released "I Want a Boy" in August 1961 and "I'm Gonna Quit While I'm Ahead" in January 1962, the first singles credited to Ronnie and the Relatives.

While both singles failed to chart on the Billboard Top 100 fate intervened in advancing the group's success. A fortuitous case of mistaken identity led to Ronnie and the Relatives making their debut - as dancers rather than a singing act - at New York City's hip Peppermint Lounge in 1961. It was the height of the Twist Craze and the underage Nedra and Ronnie needed to disguise themselves to get in. The girls' mothers showed them how to put on make-up and fix their hair to look at least twenty-three. When they arrived outside the club its manager mistook Ronnie, Estelle, and Nedra for the trio supposed to dance behind house band Joey Dee and the Starliters. They followed him in, were brought up on stage, and performed in their place. During the show Starliter David Brigati even handed the mike over to Ronnie when she started to sing Ray Charles' "What'd I Say."

After that night Ronnie and the Relatives became a permanent act at the Peppermint Lounge, earning $10 a night per girl to dance the Twist and usually sing a song at some point in the show. Ronnie and the Relatives became ''The Ronettes''.

Later that year they were flown down to Miami to open up a Florida branch of the Peppermint Lounge. Colpix issued the first two singles credited to the Ronettes, "Silhouettes," and a re-issue of "I'm Gonna Quit While I'm Ahead", on its May label in April and June 1962, respectively. Both singles failed to chart.

After their performance at the Miami gala Lounge radio host Murray the K came backstage and introduced himself to the act. He wanted the girls to begin appearing at his shows at the Brooklyn Fox in New York. They agreed, taking the Fox stage in 1962 and completing a transition from Murray the K's "Dancing Girls," to back-up singing for other acts, to performing as the Ronettes before year's end .

It was during this time the girls evolved their iconic look, wearing ever more exaggerated eye make-up and teasing their hair to impossible proportions. "We'd look pretty wild by the time we got out onstage," Ronnie later recalled, "and the kids loved it,"

Colpix's May issued one final single by the Ronettes in March 1963. When "Good Girls" failed to chart the girls decided it was time to look elsewhere for studio work.

Phil Spector and Philles Records (1963–1966)

In early 1963, fed up with Colpix Records and the group's lack of success, Estelle placed a phone call to producer Phil Spector, telling him of the Ronettes, and how they would like to audition for him. Spector agreed, and met the girls soon after at Mira Sound Studios in New York City. Later, Spector told Ronnie that he had seen them at the Brooklyn Fox several times, and was impressed with their performances. At the audition, Spector sat at a piano while the group began singing "Why Do Fools Fall in Love" when he suddenly jumped up from his seat and shouted "That's it! That's it! That's the voice I've been looking for!"

After their successful audition, Spector decided to sign the group. Originally, he wanted to sign Ronnie as a solo act, until her mother told him either he signed the Ronettes as a group or it was no deal. He agreed to sign the group, and instructed Ronnie's mother to inform Colpix Records that the girls had "given up" on show business, in order for the studio to let them out of their contract. By March 1963, the group was officially signed to Spector's Philles Records.

The first song the Ronettes rehearsed and recorded with Phil Spector was a song by Spector, Jeff Barry, and Ellie Greenwich called "Why Don't They Let Us Fall in Love?" They were brought out to California to make the record, but, once it was complete, Spector refused to release it. They recorded more songs for Spector, including covers of "The Twist," "The Wah Watusi," "Mashed Potato Time," and "Hot Pastrami." These four songs were released, but were credited to the Crystals on their 1963 Philles LP ''"The Crystals Sing The Greatest Hits, Volume 1."''

"Be My Baby"

After being denied a release of their first recording, and having the credit for their next four recordings going to another group, the Ronettes went to work on the Phil Spector, Jeff Barry, and Ellie Greenwich song "Be My Baby." The Ronettes recorded "Be My Baby" in July 1963, and it was released in August. By the fall of that year, it had become a top ten hit, peaking at number two on the Billboard Top 100. "Our lives were turned upside down," Ronnie later recalled. "All the things I'd ever dreamed about were finally coming true."

"Be My Baby" turned out to be a huge record for the Ronettes; radio stations constantly played the song throughout the fall of 1963, and the Ronettes were invited to tour the country with Dick Clark on his "Caravan of Stars" tour. "Be My Baby" inspired a legion of Ronettes fans, including Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys, who wrote "Don't Worry Baby" as a tribute to the group.

The song is also notable for being the first recording work done by Cher, who performed back-up vocals with Estelle and Nedra on the song. The girlfriend of Sonny Bono at the time (who was then working for Phil Spector), she was asked to join the back-up singers when one of them didn't show up for the recording that day. "'Be My Baby' was the first record I ever sang on," Cher later wrote. "...I went out and stood in front of this big speaker and sang 'be my, be my baby' with the Ronettes and all these other singers."

After "Be My Baby," Cher became a permanent backup singer for songs recorded by the Ronettes, along with other songs Phil Spector produced until "You've Lost That Loving Feeling."

"Baby, I Love You"

After the overnight success of their first Phil Spector single, Spector was eager to do a follow-up with the Ronettes. He wrote "Baby, I Love You" again with Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich, and urged the Ronettes to leave New York for California to record the song at Spector's Gold Star Studios. A problem came about due to the fact that the Ronettes were scheduled to leave for Dick Clark's "Caravan of Stars" tour across the United States. In lieu of having the Ronettes skip the Dick Clark tour, Spector decided to have Estelle and Nedra do the tour with their cousin, Elaine, who was a former member of the group. Ronnie left for California to record "Baby, I Love You" with Darlene Love and Cher substituting for Estelle and Nedra on the backing vocals.

"Baby, I Love You", had an even denser arrangement, featuring Leon Russell on piano. The song was recorded in the early fall of 1963 and released in November of that year. It was slightly less successful, reaching #24 Pop, #6 R&B; in the United States and #11 in the United Kingdom.

"A Christmas Gift For You"

All three Ronettes, along with every other artist who was signed with Phil Spector in 1963, helped him complete his now-classic Christmas LP ''A Christmas Gift for You''. The Ronettes recorded three songs for the album: "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus," "Sleigh Ride," and "Frosty the Snowman." All of the artists sang on the album's finale, "Silent Night," which opened with a spoken message from Phil Spector, thanking everyone for buying the record.

In his desire for absolute perfection on the album, Spector pushed his artists to belt out their lyrics as powerfully as they could. "The Christmas album was the one where I'd thought I'd lost it mentally." Nedra later said. "I heard the parts. I swore I'd put them down, but they said it wasn't on the tape."

Unfortunately, the album was not a success upon its initial release, but has become considerably more popular since.

Tour of England, "Breakin' Up," & "Do I Love You?"

The Ronettes left for their first tour of England in January 1964, where they made a strong impact from the very beginning. "We must have been quite a sight in the Heathrow waiting room," Ronnie Spector later recalled, "three black American girls sitting with their legs all crossed the same way, our three identical, enormous hairdos piled a foot or so over our heads. When our young chaperon finally showed up, he was all smiles."

On their first night in England, the Ronettes were brought to a party at Tony Hall's house where they were introduced to The Beatles. After a brief romance together, Ronnie and John Lennon became friendly until Lennon's death. Estelle also dated George Harrison. But for Ronnie, one of the biggest thrills was meeting Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones, who were the opening act for the Ronettes on their UK tour. The feeling was mutually shared by Richards, who wrote of his relationship with Ronnie: "The first time I ever went to heaven was when I awoke with Ronnie (later Spector!) Bennett asleep with a smile on her face. We were kids. It doesn't get any better than that."

When the Ronettes returned home from their English Tour, they went right back into the studio to record "Keep on Dancing" and "Girls Can Tell," two songs written by Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich, and Phil Spector. The group's recording of "Keep on Dancing" is notable mostly because it featured Ronnie, Nedra, and Estelle singing in unison, but Spector refused to release the single. Around this time, The Crystals also recorded a version of "Girls Can Tell," which also went unreleased.

"(The Best Part of) Breakin' Up" was subsequently recorded by the Ronettes. According to Ronnie, Phil Spector was especially enthusiastic about the song. "When Phil loved a song as much as he loved '(The Best Part of) Breakin' Up,'" she later wrote, "he could work on it for days without ever getting tired." Released in April 1964, the song didn't fare as well as the group's previous two singles, though it did manage to briefly break into Billboard Top 40.

In June 1964, the group's following single, "Do I Love You?" was released, also breaking into the Top 40, beating their previous single by five positions. The song is most notable for its powerful instrumental opening, accompanied by finger snapping and hand clapping.

"Walking In The Rain"

As the British Invasion took full force on the American music scene in 1964, the Ronettes were one of few groups which were able to maintain their relevance. The group had made friends with the Beatles when they first toured England in January 1964. The Ronettes had even been asked by John Lennon to accompany the Beatles on their flight to America on February 7, 1964, but Phil Spector denied the Ronettes the opportunity to do so.

Throughout 1964, the Ronettes appeared on numerous television shows such as ''American Bandstand'', ''Hullabaloo'', and England's ''Ready, Steady, Go.'' As the popularity of other groups---such as The Crystals, The Marvelettes, and The Angels---began to wane, that of the Ronettes continued to grow.

In the summer of 1964, Ronnie went into the studio to record her lead on the group's next single, "Walking in the Rain." She later recalled that the writers---Phil Spector, Barry Mann, and Cynthia Weil---were still adjusting the lyrics right up to the minute she recorded it. Ronnie recalled Phil placing headphones on her and telling her to listen closely. "Everything was quiet," she later wrote, "Then all of a sudden I heard a low rumble, like there was thunder coming from every corner of the room." The thunder was used for the introduction, and was featured prominently throughout the remainder of the song, the only one of which Ronnie recorded in a single take.

"Walking in the Rain" became the group's most successful single since "Be My Baby" had been released over a year earlier, peaking at number twenty-three on the Billboard 100. It was also the only song produced by Phil Spector to win a Grammy Award.

Following the successful release of "Walking in the Rain," Philles Records released the group's first studio album, "Presenting the Fabulous Ronettes featuring Veronica" in late 1964. The album proved to be a moderate success, peaking at number 96 on the Billboard charts, but it is notable for being the first evidence of Phil Spector publicly promoting lead singer Veronica "Ronnie" Bennett over Estelle Bennett and Nedra Talley. Every Ronettes single after this referred to the group as "The Ronettes featuring Veronica" on the record labels.

Decline in popularity

With the success of "Walking in the Rain," the popularity of the group had clearly peaked. In February 1965, Philles Records released the group's next single, "Born to Be Together," which peaked only at number fifty-two on the Billboard 100.

Over the course of the next year, the Ronettes recorded a whole catalog of songs which Phil Spector refused to release once they were completed. Many attribute this to Spector's insecurities and his love for the group's lead singer, Ronnie. As the popularity of the Ronettes became greater and greater, the relationship between Spector and Ronnie became more serious, to the point of which they were basically living together. Spector then decided he didn't want Ronnie and the Ronettes to become too popular, in fear they would one day outgrow him. So he tried to reverse the whole star-making process by not releasing the records the Ronettes were contractually obligated to make. This allowed for Motown group The Supremes to rise in popularity, and eclipse the Ronettes as the most popular girl group in the music industry.

Among the songs the Ronettes recorded during this time which went unreleased were "Paradise," "Everything Under the Sun," and "I Wish I Never Saw the Sun Shine." All three songs individually have since been covered by other artists such as The Shangri-Las, The Supremes, and Ike and Tina Turner, among others.

Perhaps their biggest loss was the Spector, Jeff Barry, and Ellie Greenwich song "Chapel of Love," which the Ronettes recorded in early 1964. They were the first to record their version of the song, but Spector refused to release it as a single. Their version of the song eventually did come out of their Philles LP, but by then The Dixie Cups had already achieved mainstream notoriety for it. "We thought it was such a great record that we practically begged [Phil Spector] to put it out," Ronnie Spector later wrote. "Then the Dixie Cups' version came out and it was a smash! It was so depressing."

In June 1965, the Ronettes' next single, "Is This What I Get For Loving You?" was released, becoming only a minor hit, reaching only 75 on the Billboard 100. The song was popular enough the for group to make appearances on the popular TV shows ''Hullabaloo'' and ''Shivaree'', but it was a failed attempt to get the Ronettes another top ten hit, especially when The Supremes scored their fifth consecutive number one record with "Back in My Arms Again."

"Is This What I Get For Loving You?" is mentionable because it was the first single by the Ronettes to have a theme of heartbreak, and the depression which sets in after the ending of an intimate relationship. The group's previous singles had all previously been positive, up-beat love songs with catchy lyrics. This was viewed as an attempt to give the Ronettes a more adult, mature image. Unfortunately, it was an idea which didn't go over as well as it should have.

Some have also attributed the decline of the Ronettes' recording career to the fact Phil Spector wasn't enthusiastic over his promotion of the group, which stemmed from his insecurities about his intimate relationship with Ronnie.

There were also some problems within the group. "You also have to remember that Nedra and Estelle stood in the background while I got to bask in the spotlight," Ronnie later wrote. "I was the one who flew out to California and sang lead on all our records. I was the one deejays wanted to talk to. And I was the one our producer was in love with, which meant I get the preferential treatment in all kinds of other ways which drove them crazy."

"I hated the 'dog-eat-dog' side of show-business," Nedra Talley later commented. "I hated pushing for the next record and the feeling of failure if we didn't get it. There was a continual demand on us to produce that I thought was unfair. My personality didn't like that." Nedra's disdain for show business also became partly fueled by her desire to marry and settle down with her boyfriend, DJ Scott Ross.

Opening for The Beatles

After "Is This What I Get for Loving You?" was released in June 1965, over a year passed before the group's next single was released. "I Can Hear Music", written by Phil Spector, Jeff Barry, and Ellie Greenwich, was issued in October 1966, barely making it into the Billboard 100 by peaking at number 100 for exactly one week before it fell off the charts. The song was covered by The Beach Boys in 1969 with great success.

Even without a recent hit, the group continued to make appearances at popular night clubs, on television shows, grace the covers of music magazines and be featured on ''The Big TNT Show,'' which was produced by Phil Spector as a concert that was filmed and released as a TV movie.

In August, 1966, the Ronettes teamed up with The Beatles for a fourteen-city tour across America. Phil Spector became so enraged when Ronnie expressed a desire to accompany Estelle and Nedra on the tour, that she was forced to remain in California with him while the girls' cousin Elaine, who had previously been in the group, filled her open slot on the tour. A picture published in the November 1966 issue of ''Ebony Magazine'' showed Nedra Talley singing lead, while Estelle and Elaine stood behind her singing harmony.

The group's initial break-up

After their tour with the Beatles ended and "I Can Hear Music" failed to make an impact, the Ronettes left for a tour in Germany in early 1967, after which they agreed to break up and go their separate ways. Soon afterward Nedra Talley married her boyfriend Scott Ross, Ronnie married Phil Spector, and Estelle Bennett settled down with Joe Dong, a long-time boyfriend.

According to her accounts, Phil Spector kept Ronnie a near-prisoner in their twenty-three room mansion in California. He brought her into the studio only once during their marriage. During this session, which took place in early 1969 at A&M; Records, she recorded "You Came, You Saw, You Conquered!" The song was released in March 1969, failing to make an impact on the radio stations which were now playing the music in the style of Janis Joplin and Grace Slick.

Later in 1969, Ronnie and Estelle were invited into the studio by Jimi Hendrix to record backing vocals on "Earth Blues." Their work on the song earned The Ronettes a credit on the LP ''Rainbow Bridge.''

The Ronettes briefly return

Ronnie left Phil on June 12, 1972, and divorced him soon afterward. As she made an attempt to restore her career, she decided to reform the Ronettes. Unfortunately, Nedra had no interest in returning to the group, and Estelle mentally could no longer handle the burden of performing. Ronnie then replaced them with Chip Fields and Denise Edwards. Ronnie, Chip, and Denise recorded some songs for Buddha Records in the mid '70's, one of which was a cover of "I Wish I Never Saw the Sun Shine", a song Ronnie had first done in 1965, though Phil Spector had refused to release it.

The stint at Buddha Records did not prove to be successful, though the group made several tours together throughout the 1970s. By the end of the decade, however, Ronnie had abandoned the idea of continuing the Ronettes, and decided to begin her solo career.

Later events

In 1988, the original Ronettes sued Spector for nonpayment of royalties. In 2001, a New York court announced a verdict in favor of The Ronettes, ordering Spector to pay nearly three million dollars in back royalties. The judgment was overturned on appeal in 2002 and remanded back to the Supreme Court.

Awards and recognition

The Ronettes' influence on music was significant. In addition to Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys, Billy Joel and Bruce Springsteen have both cited Ronnie Bennett as an influence. Recently, their fashion style was emulated popularly by British musician Amy Winehouse.

The Ronettes were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2004 and the People's Hall of Rock and Roll Legends in 2010.

It was believed that Phil Spector, in his capacity as a member of the Board of Governors, deliberately prevented The Ronettes (and Darlene Love) from being nominated for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, although they had been eligible for a considerable time. The alleged reasons included the acrimonious divorce of Ronnie and Spector, in addition to the group's having unsuccessfully sued Spector for back royalties. While Spector was awaiting trial on a murder charge and out on $1 million bail, the Ronettes were finally inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on March 12, 2007, at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City. Keith Richards, a longtime fan, inducted the trio. Ronnie Bennett (Spector) and Nedra Talley performed "Baby I Love You","Walking in the Rain", and "Be My Baby". Estelle Bennett was present to accept her award but chose not to perform.

Discography

;Studio Albums

1964: ''Presenting the Fabulous Ronettes Featuring Veronica''

Pop references

Ronnette is the name of one of the girl group-inspired street urchin characters in the musical ''Little Shop of Horrors'', along with Chiffon and Crystal.

The group was name-checked in the Monty Python audio sketch "The Background to History", from the ''Matching Tie and Handkerchief'' LP, which mentions a fictional LP ''The Ronettes Sing Medieval Agrarian History''.

Ronnie Spector accompanied Eddie Money on the 1986 hit song "Take Me Home Tonight". She sang the title line from "Be My Baby" and is also name-checked in the song's lyrics.

Austin, Texas pop band, The Sour Notes, have been known to cover The Ronettes' song "When I Saw You" during live performances and cite them as a major influence.

British bands Official Secrets Act and Glasvegas regularly cover "Be My Baby" when performing live.

California girl group, Millionaires, covered "Be My Baby" on their YouTube, which followed their first single "Stay The Night".

In an interview, the Danish band The Raveonettes stated that their name is "a complete direct reference to The Ronettes and Buddy Holly ''Rave On!''." They invited Ronnie Spector to sing with them on their third album ''Pretty in Black'', on a song named "Ode to L.A."

References

Sources

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External links

'The Ronettes' Vocal Group Hall of Fame Page

Ronettes' Profits Limited by 1963 Contract, New York Law Journal, October 21, 2002

A Sad Song for the Ronettes: Court Reverses Royalty Rights

Category:African American musical groups Category:American pop music groups Category:Family musical groups Category:American girl groups Category:Musical groups established in 1959 Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1966 Category:Musical groups from New York Category:Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees

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name	Phil Spector
background	non_performing_personnel
birth name	Harvey Phillip Spector
birth date	December 26, 1939
origin	The Bronx, New York City, U.S.
instrument	Guitar, piano
genre	Pop, rock
occupation	Record producer, songwriter, session musician
years active	1958–2009
religion	Judaism
label	Philles Records, A&M; Records, Apple Records, Warner Spector, Phil Spector International, Pavillion Records, ABKCO Records, Sony Legacy
associated acts	The RonettesThe CrystalsDarlene LoveThe Righteous BrothersJohn LennonThe Teddy BearsIke and Tina TurnerGeorge HarrisonDion DiMucciThe RamonesThe Beatles (''Let It Be'')Leonard CohenBen E. KingGene PitneyBob B. Soxx & the Blue JeansThe Wrecking CrewStarsailor, Ronnie Spector, Sonny Charles and the Checkmates Ltd., Cher, Cher & Harry Nilsson, Jerri Bo Keno.
website	http://philspector.com }}

Phillip Harvey "Phil" Spector (born Harvey Phillip Spector on December 26, 1939) is an American record producer and songwriter.

The originator of the "Wall of Sound" production technique, Spector was a pioneer of the 1960s girl-group sound and produced over 25 Top 40 hits in 1960–1965. After this initial success, Spector later worked with artists including Ike and Tina Turner, John Lennon, George Harrison, and the Ramones with similar acclaim. He produced The Beatles' Academy Award winning album ''Let It Be'', and the Grammy Award–winning ''Concert for Bangladesh'' by former Beatle George Harrison. In 1989, Spector was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a non-performer. The 1965 song "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'", produced and co-written by Spector for The Righteous Brothers, is listed by BMI as the song with the most U.S. airplay in the 20th century.

In 2009 Spector was convicted of murder in the 2003 shooting death of actress Lana Clarkson in his Alhambra, California home. He is serving a prison sentence of 19 years to life.

Early childhood

Spector was born on December 26, 1939, to a lower-middle-class Jewish family in the Bronx in New York City. His grandfather was an immigrant from Russia with the surname ''Spekter'', which he anglicized to ''Spector'' after immigrating. Spector's father committed suicide on April 20, 1949. In 1953, his mother moved the family to Los Angeles, California.

Musical career

Teenage performer and lyricist

In Los Angeles, Spector got involved with music, learning the guitar. At 16, he performed Lonnie Donegan's version of the traditional song "Rock Island Line" at a talent show at his high school, Fairfax High School. While at Fairfax, he joined a loosely knit community of aspiring musicians, including Lou Adler, Bruce Johnston, Steve Douglas, and Sandy Nelson, the last of whom played drums on Spector's first record release, "To Know Him Is to Love Him".

The Teddy Bears

With three friends from high school, Marshall Lieb, Harvey Goldstein, and singer Annette Kleinbard, Spector formed a group, The Teddy Bears. During this period, Spector also began visiting local recording studios, and he eventually managed to win the confidence of record producer Stan Ross, coowner of Gold Star Studios in Hollywood, who began to tutor the young man in record production and who exerted a major influence on Spector's production style. By early 1958, Spector and his bandmates had raised enough money to buy two hours of recording time at Gold Star. With Spector producing, the Teddy Bears recorded the Spector-penned "Don't You Worry My Little Pet", which helped them secure a deal with Era Records. At their next session, they recorded another song Spector had written — this one inspired by the epitaph on Spector's father's tombstone. Released on Era's subsidiary label, Dore Records, "To Know Him Is to Love Him" went to #1 on ''Billboard Hot 100'' singles chart in 1958, selling over a million copies by year's end. It was the seventh number one single on the newly formed chart.

Following the success of their debut, the group signed with Imperial Records, but their next single, "I Don't Need You Anymore" only reached #91. While several more recordings were released, including an album ''The Teddy Bears Sing!'', the group never again charted in the Hot 100. The Teddy Bears went their separate ways in 1959.

Record producer

After the split, Spector's career quickly moved from performing and songwriting to production. While recording the Teddy Bears' album, Spector had met Lester Sill, a former promotion man who was a mentor to Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. His next project, the Spectors Three, was undertaken under the aegis of Sill and his partner, Lee Hazlewood. In 1960, Sill arranged for Spector to work as an apprentice to Leiber and Stoller in New York.

Spector quickly learned how to use a studio. He co-wrote the Ben E. King Top 10 hit "Spanish Harlem" with Jerry Leiber and also worked as a session musician, most notably playing the guitar solo on the Drifters' song, "On Broadway". His own productions during this time, while less conspicuous, included releases by LaVern Baker, Ruth Brown, and Billy Storm, as well as the Top Notes' original version of "Twist and Shout". Leiber and Stoller recommended Spector to produce Ray Peterson's "Corrina, Corrina", which reached #9 in January 1961. Later, he produced another major hit for Curtis Lee, "Pretty Little Angel Eyes", which made it to #7. Returning to Hollywood, Spector agreed to produce one of Lester Sill's acts. After both Liberty Records and Capitol Records turned down the master of "Be My Boy" by the Paris Sisters, Sill formed a new label, Gregmark Records, with Lee Hazlewood and released it. It only managed to reach #56, but the follow-up, "I Love How You Love Me", was a smash, reaching #5.

Philles Records

In late 1961, Spector formed a new record company with Lester Sill, who by this time had ended his business partnership with Hazlewood. Philles Records combined the names of its two founders. Through Hill and Range Publishers, Spector found three groups he wanted to produce: the Ducanes, the Creations, and The Crystals. The first two signed with other companies, but Spector managed to secure the Crystals for his new label. Their first single, "There's No Other (Like My Baby)" was a success, hitting #20. Their next release, "Uptown", made it to #13.

Spector continued to work freelance with other artists. In 1962, he produced "Second Hand Love" by Connie Francis, which reached #7. In the early 1960s, he briefly worked with Atlantic Records' R&B; artists Ruth Brown and LaVerne Baker. Ahmet Ertegün of Atlantic paired Spector with Broadway star Jean DuShon for "Talk to Me", the B-side of which was "Tired of Trying", written by DuShon.

Spector briefly took a job as head of A&R; for Liberty Records. It was while working at Liberty that he heard a song written by Gene Pitney, for whom he had produced a #41 hit, "Every Breath I Take", a year earlier. "He's a Rebel" was due to be released on Liberty by Vikki Carr, but Spector rushed into Gold Star Studios and recorded a cover version using Darlene Love and the Blossoms on lead vocals. The record was released on Philles, attributed to the Crystals, and quickly rose to the top of the charts.

By the time "He's a Rebel" went to #1, Lester Sill was out of the company, and Spector had Philles all to himself. He created a new act, Bob B. Soxx & the Blue Jeans, featuring Darlene Love, Fanita James (a member of the Blossoms), and Bobby Sheen, a singer he had worked with at Liberty. The group had hits with "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah" (#8), "Why Do Lovers Break Each Other’s Hearts?" (#38), and "Not Too Young To Get Married" (#63). Spector also released solo material by Darlene Love in 1963. In the same year, he released "Be My Baby" by the Ronettes, which went to #2.

Although predominantly a singles-based label, Philles released a few albums, one of which was the perennial seller ''A Christmas Gift for You from Philles Records'' in 1963.

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The Wall of Sound

Spector's trademark during that era was the so-called Wall of Sound, a production technique yielding a dense, layered effect that reproduced well on AM radio and jukeboxes. To attain this signature sound, Spector gathered large groups of musicians (playing some instruments not generally used for ensemble playing, such as electric and acoustic guitars) playing orchestrated parts — often doubling and tripling many instruments playing in unison — for a fuller sound. Spector himself called his technique "a Wagnerian approach to rock & roll: little symphonies for the kids".

While Spector directed the overall sound of his recordings, he took a relatively hands-off approach to working with the musicians themselves (usually a core group that became known as The Wrecking Crew, including session players such as Hal Blaine, Larry Knechtel, Steve Douglas, Carol Kaye, Roy Caton, Glen Campbell, and Leon Russell), delegating arrangement duties to Jack Nitzsche and having Sonny Bono oversee the performances, viewing these two as his "lieutenants".

Spector frequently used songs from songwriters employed at the Brill Building (Trio Music) and at 1650 Broadway (Aldon Music), such as the teams of Ellie Greenwich and Jeff Barry, Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, and Gerry Goffin and Carole King. Spector often worked with the songwriters, receiving co-credit and publishing royalties for compositions.

Spector was already known as a temperamental and quirky personality with strong, often unconventional ideas about musical and recording techniques. Despite the trend towards multichannel recording, Spector was vehemently opposed to stereo releases, claiming that it took control of the record's sound away from the producer in favor of the listener. Spector was more concerned with the overall collage of sound than with the recording fidelity or timbral quality. Sometimes a pair of strings or horns would be double-tracked multiple times to sound like an entire string or horn section. But in the final product the background sometimes could not be distinguished as either horns or strings. Spector also greatly preferred singles to albums, describing LPs as "two hits and ten pieces of junk", reflecting both his commercial methods and those of many other producers at the time.

The first time Spector put the same amount of effort into an LP as he did into 45s was when he utilized the full Philles roster and the Wrecking Crew to make what he felt would become a hit for the 1963 Christmas season. ''A Christmas Gift for You from Philles Records'' arrived in stores the day of the assassination of President Kennedy on November 22, 1963. The somber mood of the country may have contributed to the album being a flop in its initial release. Despite its initially poor reception, selections from the album are now Yuletide mainstays on radio stations, and the album has since been a regular seller during the holiday season.

The mid-Sixties

In 1964, The Ronettes appeared at the Cow Palace, near San Francisco. Also on the bill were the Righteous Brothers. Spector, who was conducting the band for all the acts, was so impressed with Bill Medley and Bobby Hatfield that he bought their contract from Moonglow Records and signed them to Philles. In early 1965, "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'", became the label's second #1 single. Three more major hits with the group followed: "Just Once in My Life" (#9), "Unchained Melody" (originally the B side of "Hung On You") (#4) and "Ebb Tide" (#5). Despite having hits, Spector lost interest in producing the Righteous Brothers, and sold their contract and all their master recordings to Verve Records. However, the sound of the Righteous Brothers' singles was so distinctive that the act chose to replicate it after leaving Spector, notching a second #1 hit in 1966 with the Bill Medley-produced, "(You're My) Soul and Inspiration".

The Spector-produced recording of "Unchained Melody" had a second wave of popularity 25 years after its initial release, when it was featured prominently in the 1990 hit movie, ''Ghost''. A re-release of the single re-charted on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, and went to number one on the Adult Contemporary charts. This also put Spector (as a producer) back on the U.S. Top 40 charts for the first time since his last appearance in 1971 with John Lennon's "Imagine", although he did have U.K. top 40 hits in the interim with the Ramones.

Spector's final signing to Philles was the husband-and-wife team of Ike and Tina Turner in 1966. Spector considered their recording of "River Deep – Mountain High", to be his best work, but it failed to go any higher than #88 in the United States. The single, which was essentially a solo Tina Turner record, was more successful in Britain, reaching #3.

Spector subsequently lost enthusiasm for his label and the recording industry. Already something of a recluse, he withdrew temporarily from the public eye, marrying Veronica "Ronnie" Bennett, lead singer of the Ronettes, in 1968. Spector emerged briefly for a cameo as a drug dealer in the film ''Easy Rider'', in 1969. (He had also, in 1967, appeared as himself in an episode of ''I Dream of Jeannie''.)

Comeback

In 1969, Spector made a brief return to the music business by signing a production deal with A&M; Records. A Ronettes single, "You Came, You Saw, You Conquered" flopped, but Spector returned to the Hot 100 with "Black Pearl", by Sonny Charles and the Checkmates, Ltd., which reached #13.

In 1970, Allen Klein, manager of the Beatles, brought Spector to England. While producing John Lennon's hit solo single "Instant Karma!", which went to #3, Spector was invited by Lennon and George Harrison to take on the task of turning the Beatles' abandoned "Get Back" recording sessions into a usable album. Spector went to work using many of his production techniques, making significant changes to the arrangements and sound of some songs. The resulting album, ''Let It Be'', was a massive commercial success and topped the US and UK charts. The album also yielded three #1 singles: "Get Back", "The Long and Winding Road" and "Let It Be". His overdubbing of "The Long and Winding Road" infuriated its composer, Paul McCartney, especially since the work was allegedly completed without his knowledge and without any opportunity for him to assess the results. In 2003, McCartney spearheaded the release of ''Let It Be... Naked'', which stripped the songs of Spector's input. Spector later stated that McCartney's complaints were "bullshit": they had not stopped McCartney from accepting the "Best Musical Score" award at the 1971 Academy Awards for the ''Let It Be'' soundtrack.

John Lennon and George Harrison were satisfied with the results, and ''Let It Be'' led to Spector co-producing albums with both ex-Beatles. For George Harrison's multiplatinum album ''All Things Must Pass'' (#1, 1970), Spector provided a cathedral-like sonic ambience, complete with ornate orchestrations and gospel-like choirs. The LP yielded two major hits: "My Sweet Lord" (#1) and "What Is Life" (#10). That same year, Spector co-produced John Lennon's ''Plastic Ono Band'' (#6) album, which featured a very different, sparse and raw sound.

In 1971, Spector was named director of A&R; for Apple Records. He held the post for only a year, but during that time he co-produced the single "Power to the People" with John Lennon (#11), as well as Lennon's chart-topping ''Imagine'' album. The album's title track hit #3. With George Harrison, Spector co-produced Harrison's "Bangla-Desh" (a #23 hit) and wife Ronnie Spector's "Try Some, Buy Some" (#77). Also that year, Spector recorded the music for the #1 triple album ''The Concert For Bangladesh''. The album later won the "Album of the Year" award at the 1972 Grammys. Despite being recorded live, Spector used up to 44 microphones simultaneously to create his trademark Wall of Sound.

Lennon retained Spector for the 1971 Christmas single "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" and the poorly reviewed 1972 album ''Some Time In New York City'' (#48). Similar to the unusual pattern of success that Spector's ''A Christmas Gift for You from Philles Records'' experienced, "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" also stalled in sales upon its initial release, only later to become a fixture on radio station playlists during the holiday season. In 1973, Spector participated in the recording sessions for what would be Lennon's ''Rock 'n' Roll'' album (#6). It was during these sessions that Spector's relationship with Lennon became strained; some versions claim that the producer suffered a breakdown in the studio, brandishing a gun and disappearing with the ''Rock 'n' Roll'' tapes, although Spector biographer Dave Thompson places most of the blame on the out-of-control behavior of Lennon and his entourage. After several months, Lennon retrieved the tapes and finished the album himself. In the years following the debacle, however, Spector maintained contact with Lennon, and the former Beatle had planned on recording with him again.

Later years

As the 1970s progressed, Spector became increasingly reclusive. The most probable and significant reason for his withdrawal, recently revealed by biographer Dave Thompson, was that in 1974 Spector was seriously injured when he was thrown through the windshield of his car in a crash in Hollywood. According to a contemporary report published in the ''New Musical Express'', Spector was almost killed, and it was only because the attending police officer detected a faint pulse that Spector was not declared dead at the scene. He was admitted to the UCLA Medical Center on the night of March 31, 1974, suffering serious head injuries which necessitated several hours of surgery with over 300 stitches to his face and more than 400 to the back of his head. His head injuries, Thompson suggests, were the reason that Spector began his habit of wearing outlandish wigs in later years.

The 1974 accident took place shortly after Spector had established the Warner-Spector label with Warner Bros. Records, which undertook new recordings with Dion, Cher, Harry Nilsson and others, as well as several reissues. A similar relationship with Britain's Polydor Records led to the formation of the Phil Spector International label in 1975.

After a pair of failed singles with Cher, Spector produced Dion’s ''Born to Be with You''. Despite lukewarm reviews, artists like Bruce Springsteen heralded the album as a masterpiece.

The majority of Spector's classic Philles recordings had been out of print in the U.S. since the original label's demise, although Spector had released several Philles Records compilations in Britain. Finally, he released an American compilation of his Philles recordings in 1977, which put most of the better known Spector hits back into circulation after many years.

Spector began to reemerge in the late 1970s, producing and co-writing a controversial 1977 album by Leonard Cohen, entitled ''Death of a Ladies' Man''. The album angered many devout Cohen fans who preferred his stark acoustic sound to the orchestral and choral wall of sound that the album contains. The recording of the album was fraught with difficulty. After Cohen had laid down practice vocal tracks, Spector reportedly mixed the album in "secret" studio sessions, literally locking Cohen, who usually took a strong role in the mixing, out of the studio. Cohen said Spector once threatened him with a crossbow, a claim, according to newspaper reports, others would make about their dealings with Spector. Cohen has remarked that the end result is "grotesque", but also "semi-virtuous". Cohen, however, still includes a reworked version of the track "Memories" in live concerts. Bob Dylan and Allen Ginsberg also participated in the background vocals on "Don't Go Home With Your Hard-On", which is the second time Spector indirectly "produced" Dylan – the first being Dylan's live recordings on ''The Concert For Bangladesh''.

Spector also produced the much-publicized Ramones album, ''End of the Century'' in 1980. As with his work with Leonard Cohen, ''End of the Century'' received criticism from Ramones fans who were angered over the radio-friendly sound of the album. However, ''End of the Century'' contains some of the best known and most successful Ramones singles such as "Rock 'n' Roll High School", "Do You Remember Rock 'n' Roll Radio?" and their cover of a previously released Spector song for the Ronettes, "Baby, I Love You." Guitarist Johnny Ramone later commented on working with Spector on the recording of the album, "It really worked when he got to a slower song like 'Danny Says' — the production really worked tremendously. For the harder stuff, it didn't work as well."

Rumors had circulated for years that Spector had threatened members of the Ramones with a gun during the sessions. Johnny Ramone remembered a meeting at Spector's home in which the producer became upset when they tried to leave. "And then he reaches into his jacket pocket and well, he pulls out a gun, puts it on the table right in front of us, and says, 'You guys don't really have to go yet, do you?'" Drummer Marky Ramone recalled in 2008, "They (guns) were there but he had a license to carry. He never held us hostage. We could have left at any time".

Spector worked with Yoko Ono in 1981, and co-produced ''Season of Glass'', her first work after the death of her husband, John Lennon.

Since 2000

Spector remained inactive throughout most of the 1980s, 1990s, and early 2000s. He attempted to work with Céline Dion on her album ''Falling Into You'', but that fell through. His most recent released project has been ''Silence Is Easy'' by Starsailor, released in 2003. He was originally supposed to produce the entire album, but was fired owing to personal and creative differences — however, one of the two Spector-produced songs on the album was a UK top 10 single.

Spector produced singer-songwriter Hargo's track, "Crying For John Lennon", which originally appears on Hargo's 2006 album ''In Your Eyes'', but on a visit to Spector's mansion for an interview for the John Lennon tribute movie, ''Strawberry Fields'', Hargo played Spector the song and asked him to produce it. Spector and former Paul McCartney drummer Graham Ward produced it in the classic Wall of Sound style on nights after his first murder trial.

In December 2007, the song "B Boy Baby" by Mutya Buena and Amy Winehouse featured melodic and lyrical passages heavily influenced by the Ronettes song "Be My Baby". As a result, Spector was given a songwriting credit on the single. The sections from "Be My Baby" are sung by Winehouse, not directly sampled from the mono single. Winehouse had made reference to her admiration of Spector's work with 1960s girl groups. She often performed Spector's first hit song, "To Know Him Is to Love Him".

Also in December 2007, Spector attended the funeral for Ike Turner, whose former wife, Tina Turner, he previously produced in 1966 (only Tina was recorded, but the record label still read "Ike and Tina Turner"). While delivering a eulogy, Spector lashed out at Tina and stated that "Ike made Tina the jewel she was. When I went to see Ike play at the Cinegrill in the 90s…there were at least five Tina Turners on the stage performing that night, any one of them could have been Tina Turner." Spector then lashed out at Oprah Winfrey for promoting Tina Turner's autobiography that "demonized and vilified Ike."

In mid-April 2008, BBC 2 broadcast a special entitled ''Phil Spector: The Agony and The Ecstasy''. It consists of Spector's first screen interview — breaking a long period of media silence. During the conversation, images from the murder court case are juxtaposed with live appearances of his tracks on television programs from the 1960s and 1970s, along with subtitles giving critical interpretation of some of his song production values. While he does not directly try to clear his name, the court case proceedings shown try to give further explanation of the facts surrounding the murder charges that were leveled against him. He also speaks about the musical instincts that led him to create some of his most enduring hit records, from "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" to "River Deep, Mountain High", as well as The Beatles album ''Let It Be'', along with criticisms he feels he has had to deal with throughout his life.

Influence

Many producers have tried to emulate the Wall of Sound, and Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys—a fellow adherent of mono recording—considered Spector his main competition as a studio artist, going so far as to name the acclaimed ''Pet Sounds'' album using Spector's initials. Bruce Springsteen emulated the Wall of Sound technique in his recording of "Born to Run". Shoegazing, a British musical movement in the late 1980s and mid 1990s, was heavily influenced by the Wall of Sound. British band Wizzard led by Roy Wood back in 1973 had three heavily Spector influenced hits with See My Baby Jive (UK #1), Angel Fingers (UK #1) and I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday (UK #4), the latter becoming a perennial Christmas hit.

For his contributions to the music industry, Spector was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989. In 1997, he was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. In 2004, Rolling Stone magazine ranked him #63 on their list of the "Greatest Artists of All Time".

Spector's early musical influences included Latin music in general, and Latin percussion in particular. This is keenly perceptible in many if not all of Spector's recordings, from the percussion in many of his hit songs: shakers, güiros (gourds) and maracas in "Be My Baby," and the son montuno in "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling," heard clearly in the song's bridge played by session bassist Carol Kaye, while the same repeating refrain is played on harpsichord by keyboardist Larry Knechtel. Spector would visit Spanish Harlem clubs and schools to hone his listening and practical skills.

The Beach Boys paid tribute to Spector in the lyrics of their song "Mona": "Come on/Listen to 'Da Doo Ron Ron,' now/Listen to 'Be My Baby'/I know you're gonna love Phil Spector".

The character of Ronnie "Z-Man" Barzell in ''Beyond the Valley of the Dolls'', a 1970 Russ Meyer film, is based upon Spector, though neither Meyer nor screenwriter Roger Ebert had met him.

In Brian De Palma's film ''Phantom of the Paradise'' (1974), the villainous character Swan (played by Paul Williams) was supposedly inspired by Spector. A music producer and head of a record label, Swan was named "Spectre" in original drafts of the film's screenplay.

The character of Harv Stevens in the 2009 independent short film ''A Reasonable Man'' was reportedly based on Phil Spector. The film examines his relationship with John Lennon.

Murder of Lana Clarkson

On February 3, 2003, actress Lana Clarkson was found dead, killed by a firearm, in Spector's mansion in Alhambra, California. Spector stated that Clarkson's death was an "accidental suicide" and that she "kissed the gun". The emergency call from Spector's home, made by Spector's driver Adriano De Souza, quotes Spector as saying, "I think I've killed someone." According to some women who were said to have met Spector, there would come a point when they wanted to leave Spector's home, whereupon he would hold them at gunpoint. The prosecution argued that the testimony of the other women was important in order to demonstrate a "common plan or scheme". The defense sought to prevent the women from providing such testimony. Though the law in California and other states generally forbids the introduction of evidence showing a defendant's previous transgressions, the judge sided with the prosecutors and ruled that the testimony of the other women "can be used to show lack of accident or mistake".

Prior to and during the first trial, Spector went through at least three sets of attorneys. Defense attorney Robert Shapiro represented Spector at the arraignment and early pretrial hearings and achieved his release on $1 million bail. Bruce Cutler represented him during the 2007 trial, but withdrew on August 27, 2007, claiming "a difference of opinion between Mr. Spector and me on strategy." Attorney Linda Kenney Baden then became lead lawyer for closing arguments.

First trial

Spector remained free on $1 million bail while awaiting trial. The trial began on March 19, 2007. Presiding judge Larry Paul Fidler allowed the trial to be televised. At the start of the trial, the defense's forensic expert Henry Lee was accused of hiding crucial evidence which the District Attorney's office claimed could prove Spector's guilt. On September 26, 2007, Judge Fidler declared a mistrial because of a hung jury (10 to 2 for conviction).

During the trial, defense expert Dr. Vincent DiMaio asserted that Spector may be suffering from Parkinson's disease, stating: "Look at Mr. Spector. He has Parkinson's features. He trembles."

Second trial

The retrial of Spector for murder in the second degree began on October 20, 2008, with Judge Fidler again presiding; this time it was not televised. The case went to the jury on March 26, 2009, and nineteen days later, on April 13, the jury returned a guilty verdict. In addition, he was found guilty of using a firearm in the commission of a crime. Spector was immediately taken into custody and was formally sentenced on May 29, 2009, to 19 years to life in the California state prison system.

The California Court of Appeal affirmed Spector's conviction in May 2011 and denied his request for a rehearing of the appeal shortly thereafter. On August 17, 2011 the California Supreme Court refused to review the Court of Appeal's decision to affirm his conviction. (S193961 Petition for review denied.)

Spector's attorneys filed a petition pursuing judicial review of the conviction by the Supreme Court of the United States, arguing that his constitutional due process rights were violated when prosecutors used the trial judge’s comments about an expert’s testimony, effectively making the judge a witness for the prosecution. Riordan also argued the constitutional right to confront witnesses did not permit the prosecution to introduce at trial a videotape of statements made by the judge at a pretrial hearing that never were subjected to cross examination. The Supreme Court declined to hear the appeal.

Spector is serving his sentence at the California Substance Abuse Treatment Facility and State Prison (SATF) in Corcoran, California. Spector will be 88 years old before becoming eligible for parole.

Family

Spector's first marriage was to Annette Merar, lead vocalist of the Spectors Three, a 1960s pop trio formed and produced by Spector.

Spector's second marriage was to Veronica Bennett, later known as Ronnie Spector. The marriage lasted from 1968 to 1974. Ronnie Spector was the lead singer of the girl group, the Ronettes (another group Spector managed and produced). The two adopted three children: twins Louis Phillip Spector and Gary Phillip Spector (born May 12, 1966; adopted at age 5) and Donté Phillip Spector (born March 23, 1969; adopted at age 8 months).

In 1982, Spector had twins with then-girlfriend, Janis Zavala: Nicole Audrey Spector and Phillip Spector, Jr. (born October 18, 1982). Phillip Spector, Jr. died of leukemia on Christmas Day, 1991.

In 2006 Spector married Rachelle Short. Although there is a 41 year age gap Rachelle is quoted as saying "I like the way he looks.” “He’s boyish and cute, witty, smart and we are so much alike even though we are generations apart. We share common interests, a love of music, people, life, old films, a strong work ethic, even certain mannerisms.” Spector met Rachelle at a Hollywood restaurant in 2003, shortly after his arrest in the shooting of Lana Clarkson. Rachelle (an aspiring singer) went to work as Spector's assistant and by the time they were married was running his business.

Discography

Albums

1959: ''The Teddy Bears Sing'' – The Teddy Bears

1963: ''A Christmas Gift for You from Philles Records'' – Various Artists

1963: ''Twist Uptown'' – The Crystals

1963: ''He's A Rebel'' – The Crystals

1963: ''Zip-A Dee-Doo-Dah'' - Bob B. Soxx and the Blue Jeans

1964: ''Presenting the Fabulous Ronettes Featuring Veronica'' – The Ronettes

1965: ''Ronettes'' – The Ronettes

1966: ''River Deep - Mountain High'' – Ike and Tina Turner

1969: ''Love Is All We Have to Give'' - Sonny Charles and the Checkmates, Ltd.

1970: ''Let It Be'' – The Beatles

1970: ''All Things Must Pass'' (co-producer) – George Harrison

1970: ''Plastic Ono Band'' (co-producer) – John Lennon and The Plastic Ono Band

1971: ''Imagine'' (co-producer) – John Lennon and The Plastic Ono Band with the Flux Fiddlers

1971: ''The Concert for Bangladesh'' (co-producer) – George Harrison and friends

1972: ''Some Time in New York City'' (co-producer) – John Lennon and Yoko Ono with Elephant's Memory plus Invisible Strings

1975: ''Rock N' Roll'' (co-producer) – John Lennon

1975: ''Born To Be With You'' – Dion

1977: ''Death of a Ladies' Man'' – Leonard Cohen

1980: ''End of the Century'' – Ramones

1981: ''Season of Glass'' (co-producer) – Yoko Ono

1986: ''Menlove Ave.'' (co-producer) – John Lennon

1991: ''Back to Mono (1958-1969)'' (box set compilation) – Various Artists

2003: ''Silence Is Easy'' (co-producer) – Starsailor

Singles

"To Know Him Is to Love Him" – The Teddy Bears (12/01/58, #1)

"Corrina, Corrina" – Ray Peterson (1/09/61, #9)

"Pretty Little Angel Eyes" – Curtis Lee (8/07/61, #7)

"Every Breath I Take" – Gene Pitney (9/11/61, #42)

"I Love How You Love Me" – The Paris Sisters (10/30/61, #5)

"Under the Moon of Love" – Curtis Lee (11/27/61, #46)

"There's No Other (Like My Baby)" – The Crystals (1/22/62, #20)

"I Could Have Loved You So Well" – Ray Peterson (1/27/62, #57)

"Uptown" – The Crystals (3/03/62, #13)

"He Knows I Love Him Too Much" – The Paris Sisters (3/10/62, #34)

"Let Me Be the One" – The Paris Sisters (5/26/62, #87)

"Second Hand Love" – Connie Francis (6/09/62, #7)

"He's A Rebel" – The Crystals (11/03/62, #1)

"Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah" – Bob B. Soxx & the Blue Jeans (1/12/63, #8)

"He's Sure the Boy I Love" – The Crystals (1/19/63, #11)

"Puddin N’ Tain (Ask Me Again, I’ll Tell You the Same)" – The Alley Cats (2/16/63, #43)

"Why Do Lovers Break Each Other’s Hearts" – Bob B. Soxx and the Blue Jeans (3/30/63, #38)

"(Today I Met) The Boy I’m Gonna Marry" – Darlene Love (5/11/63, #39)

"Da Doo Ron Ron (When He Walked Me Home)" – The Crystals (6/08/63, #3)

"Not Too Young to Get Married" – Bob B. Soxx and the Blue Jeans (7/13/63, #63)

"Then He Kissed Me" – The Crystals (8/17/63, #6)

"Wait ’Til My Bobby Gets Home" – Darlene Love (9/07/63, #26)

"Be My Baby" – The Ronettes (10/12/63, #2)

"A Fine Fine Boy" – Darlene Love (11/23/63, #53)

"Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home)" – Darlene Love

"Baby, I Love You" – The Ronettes (2/01/64, #24)

"(The Best Part of) Breakin' Up" – The Ronettes (5/16/64, #39)

"Do I Love You?" – The Ronettes (8/01/64, #34)

"Walking In the Rain" – The Ronettes (12/05/64, #23)

"You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" – The Righteous Brothers (2/06/65 #1, UK #1)

"Just Once in My Life" – The Righteous Brothers (5/15/65, #9)

"Unchained Melody" – The Righteous Brothers (8/28/65, #4)

"Ebb Tide" – The Righteous Brothers (1/08/66, #5)

"River Deep - Mountain High" – Ike and Tina Turner (6/18/66, #88 UK #3)

"Love Is All I Have to Give" – The Checkmates, Ltd. (5/03/69, #65)

"Black Pearl" – The Checkmates, Ltd. (7/05/69, #13)

"Proud Mary" – The Checkmates, Ltd. (11/01/69, #69)

"Instant Karma (We All Shine On)" – John Lennon (3/28/70, #3)

"The Long and Winding Road"/"For You Blue" – The Beatles (6/13/70, #1)

"My Sweet Lord" – George Harrison (12/26/70, #1)

"What Is Life" – George Harrison (3/27/71, #10)

"Power To The People" – John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band (5/15/71, #11)

"Try Some, Buy Some" – Ronnie Spector (5/22/71, #77)

"Bangla-Desh" – George Harrison (9/11/71, #23)

"Imagine" – John Lennon (11/13/71, #3)

"Rock 'n' Roll High School" – Ramones (8/04/79, UK #67)

"Baby, I Love You" – Ramones (2/04/80, UK #8)

"Do You Remember Rock 'n' Roll Radio?" – Ramones (5/16/80, #54)

"Unchained Melody – The Righteous Brothers (10/20/90 Reissue, #13)

"Silence Is Easy" – Starsailor (01/09/03, UK #8)

Movies

''Easy Rider'' (The Connection)

Television

''I Dream of Jeannie'' (Himself)

Season 3, episode 6 "Jeannie, the Hip Hippie" Director: Hal Cooper Writer: Christopher Golato (a pen-name used by Sidney Sheldon) October 17, 1967

Dr. Bellows cancels Tony's camping vacation when his wife cannot find a band to play at a function. Jeannie picks 4 guys (played by Boyce and Hart along with William Lewis and Steve O'Reilly) and uses her magic to make them play. Phil Spector, who is credited in this episode as "Steve Davis", guest stars as himself. Boyce and Hart also perform the tune, "Out and About", which reached number 39 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1967.

Further reading

''Tearing Down the Wall of Sound: The Rise and Fall of Phil Spector'', by Mick Brown, ISBN 0-7475-7243-7

''He's a Rebel: The Truth About Phil Spector – Rock and Roll's Legendary Madman'', by Mark Ribowsky (biography). ISBN 0-306-81471-4.

"The First Tycoon of Teen", Tom Wolfe (magazine article reprinted in ''The Kandy-Kolored Tangerine-Flake Streamline Baby'', ISBN 0-553-38058-3, and in the ''Back to Mono'' liner notes.)

''Out of His Head'', by Richard Williams (biography). ISBN 0-7119-9864-7

''Wall of Pain: The Biography of Phil Spector'', by Dave Thompson. ISBN 1-86074-543-1

''Always Magic in the Air: The Bomp and Brilliance of the Brill Building Era'', by Ken Emerson, (ISBN 0-670-03456-8)

''Fuel-Injected Dreams'' (novel whose central character is based on Phil Spector), by James Robert Baker. ISBN 0-452-25815-4

References

External links

In pictures: Phil Spector. ''Los Angeles Times'' photo gallery of Phil Spector during the Clarkson trials and through the decades. May 29, 2009

Music-related

Phil-Spector.com - Legendary Rock 'n' Roll Producer

- Spector Tapes Mick Brown- Daily Telegraph

Spector biographer Mick Brown on public radio program The Sound of Young America

[ Phil Spector] at Allmusic

A select guide to Phil Spector compact discs

Snopes article: "(Let's Dance) The Screw"

History of Rock

Phil Spector interview recorded 8.1.1968 on the Pop Chronicles

Legal-related

Complete Phil Spector murder case coverage from Court TV

Tabloid Column news about Phil Spector

Search warrant and affidavit at The Smoking Gun.

CrimeLibrary.com - Phil Spector: The "mad genius" of Rock'n'Roll

Ronettes' Profits Limited by 1963 Contract, New York Law Journal, October 21, 2002

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