Estelle

I have always been a fan of The Ronettes, from Ronnie’s wall of sound sandpaper voice to the beehives and eyeliner. It’s an obsession that continues today, maybe stronger than ever, and led to many later obsession, from The Shangri-Las to The Crystals.

I’ve always thought The Ronettes had kind of a sad success story. Ronnie was allegedly abused by then-husband and producer Phil Spector, and in later years they were robbed of a large majority of their profits due to shady business dealings.

Two years ago the Ronettes were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but at the time, Estelle Bennett was penniless and living on the streets of New York, suffering from a lifetime of mental illness. She died earlier this month at the age of 67. (NYT link via Tiny Lucky Genius)