Nedra Talley Ross, the last surviving member of the iconic 1960s pop group the Ronettes, has died at the age of 80. Talley Ross, who formed the trio alongside her cousins Ronnie Spector and Estelle Bennett, passed away at her home on Sunday morning, as confirmed by her daughter, Nedra K Ross, on social media.
A Life in Music
Born in Manhattan on 27 January 1946, Talley Ross began performing with her cousins in their teenage years. They initially signed a record deal with Colpix Records in 1961 under the name the Darling Sisters. After early singles failed to chart, they auditioned for producer Phil Spector, who signed them to his Phillies Records label, prompting a name change to the Ronettes. They started by providing backup vocals for other artists before achieving their first major hit with Be My Baby, followed by other songs from their debut album Presenting the Fabulous Ronettes, including Baby, I Love You.
Touring and Fame
The group toured the United Kingdom, where the Rolling Stones served as their opening act. Guitarist Keith Richards later described them in his autobiography as "the hottest girl group in the world". Talley Ross briefly dated Brian Jones, while Mick Jagger pursued Estelle Bennett. The Ronettes also opened for the Beatles during their final world tour in 1966, the same year their last chart single, I Can Hear Music, peaked at number 100. During these performances, Talley Ross shared lead vocals with Bennett, as Phil Spector—by then Ronnie's partner—had forbidden her from touring.
Later Years and Legacy
The Ronettes disbanded in 1967. Talley Ross later expressed her discomfort with the "continual demand" for hit records, stating that her personality was unsuited to such pressure. She continued her music career as a solo artist, releasing a contemporary Christian album in 1978 along with several singles. In 1988, the Ronettes initiated a lengthy legal battle against Phil Spector over unpaid royalties. In 2000, a New York court ordered Spector to pay the group $2.9 million plus interest, though he appealed twice. Talley Ross married radio personality Scott Ross in 1967; they remained together until his death in 2023. She is survived by their four children.
Keith Richards inducted the Ronettes into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007, after Spector—a Hall board member—had blocked their nomination for years until his 2003 arrest for murder. Richards remarked that the group could "sing their way right through a wall of sound" and that they touched his heart. Ronnie Spector died of cancer in 2022 at age 78, and Estelle Bennett died in 2009 at age 67.
