Editing Ronnie Spector (section)

===1963–1969: The Ronettes and early success===
{{main|The Ronettes}}
[[File:The Ronettes 1966.JPG|alt=|thumb|Ronnie Spector (center) with The Ronettes, 1966]]
[[File:Ronnie Spector 1966.jpg|thumb|Spector in 1966]]
The Ronettes became a popular live attraction around the [[New York metropolitan area|greater New York]] area in the early 1960s. Looking for a recording contract, they initially were signed to [[Colpix Records]] and produced by [[Stu Phillips (composer)|Stu Phillips]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Ribowsky |first=Mark |title=He's a Rebel: Phil Spector--Rock and Roll's Legendary Producer |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=WKaQgGo9USYC&q=ronettes+Colpix+Records&pg=PA117 |publisher= Cooper Square Press |date=May 2, 2000 |pages=117 |isbn=978-1-4616-6103-0}}</ref> After releasing a few singles on Colpix without success, they tracked down record producer [[Phil Spector]], who signed them to his label [[Philles Records]] in 1963.{{Sfn|Thompson|2003|pp=76-77}} Their relationship with Spector brought chart success with their biggest hit "[[Be My Baby]]" in 1963, which peaked at No. 2 on the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]].<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Weiner|first=Natalie|date=2017-07-14|title=What Is It About The Ronettes' 'Be My Baby'? Some of the Countless Artists to Lift the Iconic Drum Beat Weigh In|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/pop/the-ronettes-be-my-baby-drum-intro-artists-sample-interview-7866041/|access-date=2022-01-19|magazine=Billboard|language=en-US}}</ref> A string of top 40 pop hits followed with "[[Baby, I Love You]]" (1963), "[[(The Best Part of) Breakin' Up]]" (1964), "Do I Love You?" (1964), and "[[Walking in the Rain (The Ronettes song)|Walking in the Rain]]" (1964). The group had two entries on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 in 1965 with "Born to Be Together" and "[[Is This What I Get for Loving You?]]".<ref>{{Cite magazine|title=The Ronettes| url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/the-ronettes/|access-date=January 14, 2022| magazine=Billboard|language=en-US}}</ref>

In 1965, the Ronettes were voted the third-top [[Vocal group|singing group]] in England behind [[the Beatles]] and [[the Rolling Stones]].<ref>{{cite journal| date= November 1966|title=The Ronettes| url= https://books.google.com/books?id=9zlc1lcRd44C&q=rollingstones| journal= Ebony|pages=1984}}</ref> They opened for the Beatles on their [[The Beatles' 1966 US tour|1966 US tour]] without their lead singer.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Barbee|first=Bobby|date=September 22, 1966|title=Rocking Ronettes Rocket Toward Fame| url= https://books.google.com/books?id=W7oDAAAAMBAJ&q=ronettes+jet+magazine&pg=PA60|journal=Jet|pages=60}}</ref> Phil had forbidden Bennett to tour with the Beatles, so her cousin Elaine stood in as a third member.<ref name=":8" /> The group's last charting single, "[[I Can Hear Music]]", was produced by [[Jeff Barry]] and reached No. 100 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 in 1966.<ref name=":8">{{cite news|url=https://variety.com/2022/music/news/ronnie-spector-dead-dies-the-ronettes-1235152801/|title= Ronnie Spector, Girl Group Icon and Leader of the Ronettes, Dies at 78|date=January 12, 2022|work=Variety}}</ref>

The Ronettes broke up in early 1967, following a European concert tour.<ref name="Sanders1967">{{cite magazine |last1=Sanders |first1=Charles L. |magazine=Jet |title=Paris Scratchpad |date= February 23, 1967 |page=28 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=dLgDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA28 |language=en}}</ref> After Bennett married Phil in 1968, she began to use the name Ronnie Spector, but she withdrew from the spotlight because Phil prohibited her from performing and limited her recordings.<ref name=":9" /> In 1969, Phil signed a production deal with [[A&M Records]] and he released her record "You Came, You Saw, You Conquered", credited as "The Ronettes Featuring the Voice of Veronica", with "Oh I Love You", an old Ronettes [[A-side and B-side|B-side]], as the flip. Her vocals were used for the lead and backing vocals.<ref>{{Cite magazine|date=March 15, 1969|title=Special Merit Spotlight|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zygEAAAAMBAJ&dq=phil+spector+production+a%26m+1969+billboard&pg=PA70|magazine=Billboard|pages=70}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Brown|first=Mick|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AtGGsfW10d0C&dq=You+Came,+You+Saw,+You+Conquered+spector&pg=PA238|title=Tearing Down The Wall of Sound: The Rise And Fall of Phil Spector|date=2012-10-17|publisher=A&C Black|isbn=978-1-4088-1950-0|pages=238|language=en}}</ref> Phil kept many of the group's unreleased songs in a vault for years.<ref name="PWS2018">{{cite news |title=Ronnie Spector and the Ronettes perform at The Rose on Saturday |url=https://pasadenaweekly.com/ronnie-spector-and-the-ronettes-perform-at-the-rose-on-saturday/ |access-date= January 13, 2022 |work= Pasadena Weekly |date=August 2, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220113042751/https://pasadenaweekly.com/ronnie-spector-and-the-ronettes-perform-at-the-rose-on-saturday/ |archive-date=January 13, 2022}}</ref>