Q: What, if any, is Ron's affiliation with The Ronettes?

A: The pop group known as The Ronettes consisted of Veronica Bennett (later known as Ronnie Spector), her older sister Estelle Bennett, and their cousin Nedra Talley. They were produced by the legendary and enigmatic Phil Spector. Spector was always searching for new musical acts, gimmicks, and stylish influences. With The Ronettes, he found an all-girl trio with big voices and great elegance. At the same time he started experimenting with sculpting his facial hair. He felt a mustache gave him mystical powers. When he started writing and producing hit records, he stuck with the look. In 1963 The Ronettes soared to #2 in the Billboard 100 with "Be My Baby." Other popular songs soon followed and climbed the charts.

Phil Spector and The Ronettes

Phil and Veronica married in 1968 and the influence of Phil's mustache crossed genders when the band needed a public relations boost. The girls did a famous photo shoot sporting mustaches, but the look did not help the group regain its past successes.

The Ronettes

However, Veronica was very moved by her facial hair and decided to change her name to Ronnie Spector. In a late 1970's Rolling Stone interview, she said that she "always loved the name Ron. Phil turned me on to it. He turned me on to lots of things. Being a 'Ron' or a 'Ronette' was like living a wonderful dream."

When marital troubles began to afflict the Spectors, Phil started to philander and several women have come forward in later years claiming their children were sired by him. Ron is rumored to be one of Spector's spawn, but both men refuse to take paternity tests.

According the same Rolling Stone article, Phil Spector was "always obsessed with the name Ron...He even gave [an unidentified] Ron credit on several records." No one knows why Spector did this, but it seems prescient in retrospect. Great art should have something of Ron in them. Ron received co-writing credits on The Ronettes' "Do I Love You?" record even though he was not yet born.

Do I Love You? by The Ronettes

So there are links between Ron and The Ronettes, but all are unconfirmed and/or unsubstantiated.

Posted by Bittle at August 24, 2012 11:13 AM