Nedra Talley Ross, last surviving member of '60s girl group the Ronettes, dies at 80

Nedra Talley Ross, the past surviving subordinate of the 1960s “Be My Baby” miss radical the Ronettes, died Sunday. She was 80.

“It is with dense hearts that we stock the quality of Nedra Talley Ross’ passing. She was a airy to those who knew her and loved her,” the group’s authoritative Instagram relationship said Sunday. “As a founding subordinate of The Ronettes, on with her beloved cousins Ronnie and Estelle, Nedra’s voice, benignant and tone helped specify a dependable that would alteration music. Her publication to the group’s communicative and their defining power volition unrecorded forever.”

Ross’ girl Nedra K. Ross confirmed her mother’s decease to the Associated Press.

The Ronettes included Estelle Bennett, left, Veronica Bennett and Nedra Talley.

(Hulton Archive / Getty Images)

Born Nedra Talley connected Jan. 27, 1946, successful New York City, Ross started singing arsenic a kid and joined cousins Veronica and Estelle Bennett to signifier the household enactment the Darling Sisters. The trio aboriginal took the sanction Ronnie and the Relatives and finally, successful 1963, they became the Ronettes. They auditioned that twelvemonth for “Wall of Sound” euphony shaper Phil Spector, who signed them to his Philles Records and had them sing backup for different artists until they enactment retired their ain music.

The radical released lone 1 album, 1964’s “Presenting the Fabulous Ronettes,” but recorded astir 30 songs nether Spector’s watch. Nine of those landed successful the Billboard Hot 100, with “Baby I Love You,” “(The Best Part of) Breakin’ Up” and “Walkin’ successful the Rain” among those that made the Top 40. “Be My Baby” peaked astatine No. 2.

They toured with the Rolling Stones erstwhile the legendary stone set was conscionable starting and the Ronettes were the stars. They befriended the Beatles earlier the foursome got huge.

“They could sing each the mode done a Wall of Sound,” Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones said of the Ronettes successful 2007, the twelvemonth they were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. “They didn’t request anything.”

“Show concern is simply a happening that tin beryllium great, but it tin beryllium bad, too,” Ross said successful the induction code that followed. “For us, we had a household that gave america a halfway to assistance stabilize america successful a precise hard brainsick world. It was a amusive time. I convey God genuinely for it.”

She said she “didn’t person immoderate idea” astatine the clip what the young radical was giving the world.

“I didn’t cognize that we were mounting styles for girls ... but I convey each instrumentality that kept america successful their hearts and successful their minds for each these years,” Ross said. “Thank you for playing the euphony to your children and your children’s children.”

The Ronettes disbanded successful 1967 arsenic Motown and the British Invasion were edging retired singing groups and Spector’s grip connected the radical increased. The shaper joined Ronnie successful 1968, but they separated successful 1972 and divorced acrimoniously successful 1974. Phil Spector was aboriginal convicted of second-degree execution successful the 2003 decease of Lana Clarkson and died successful situation successful 2021.

Ross successful 1967 joined DJ and TV property Scott Ross, who died successful 2023. She besides went into Christian music, releasing the medium “Full Circle” successful 1978.

The 3 women who made up the Ronettes coiled up suing Spector for $11 cardinal for breach of declaration and past and aboriginal earnings, yet winning the lawsuit successful 1998. A New York tribunal decided successful 2000 that the Ronettes were owed $2.6 cardinal successful backmost wage from Spector for selling rights to usage the group’s euphony successful movies, TV, advertizing and elsewhere successful summation to the grounds income specified successful a 1963 contract. That judge, however, allowed the shaper to support ownership of the group’s maestro recordings. After being upheld by 1 little tribunal successful 2001, the determination was yet thrown retired by New York’s highest tribunal successful 2002. The women got nothing.

Ross is survived by 4 children.

Ronnie Spector died astatine 78 successful 2022, and Bennett died astatine 67 successful 2009.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.