LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION Paying Tribute to the Life and Many Accomplish- Ments of Ellie Greenwich, One of the Greatest Songwriters of All Time

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LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION paying tribute to the life and many accomplishments of Ellie Greenwich, one of the greatest songwriters of all time

WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to honor and pay tribute to the memory of those individuals whose creative talents contributed to the entertainment and cultural enrichment of the citizens of the State of New York; and WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long- standing traditions, it is the sense of this Legislative Body, repres- enting the people of the State of New York, to pay tribute to the life and many accomplishments of Ellie Greenwich, one of the greatest songwriters of all time, who died on Wednesday, August 26, 2009, at the age of 68; and WHEREAS, Born on October 23, 1940, in Brooklyn, New York, Ellie Green- wich was instrumental in shaping and popularizing the "girl group" sound of the early 1960s that included such acts as the Ronettes, the Shan- gri-Las and the Crystals, becoming, in the process, one of the most respected pop songwriters of the era; and WHEREAS, She met budding songwriter Jeff Barry and, following a release as Ellie Gee And The Jets, the couple formed the Raindrops in 1963; the group enjoyed a US Top 20 hit with "The Kind Of Boy You Can't Forget"; and WHEREAS, Ellie Greenwich and Jeff Barry enjoyed a sustained period of success with a series of notable compositions, including "Do Wah Diddy Diddy" (the Exciters/Manfred Mann), "I Wanna Love Him So Bad" (the Jelly Beans) and "Hanky Panky" (Tommy James And The Shondells); and WHEREAS, Collaborations with Phil Spector generated hits for the Crys- tals ("Da Doo Ron Ron" and "Then He Kissed Me"), the Ronettes ("Be My Baby" and "Baby, I Love You") and Ike and Tina Turner ("River Deep - Mountain High") while work with Shadow Morton reaped commercial success for the Shangri-Las, notably "Leader Of The Pack"; and WHEREAS, She re-emerged in the 1980s as a performer in the acclaimed biographical revue, Leader Of The Pack; a new generation of acts, including Nona Hendryx, Cyndi Lauper and Ellen Foley, have recorded her songs, insuring Ellie Greenwich's position as one of pop's finest composers; and WHEREAS, Survived by her sister, Laura Weiner, and her niece, Jessica Weiner, Ellie Greenwich leaves behind a tremendous legacy of music for her fans; her distinguished talent merits the recognition and tribute of all of the citizens of this great Empire State; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to pay tribute to the life and many accomplishments of Ellie Greenwich, one of the greatest songwriters of all time; and be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran- smitted to the family of Ellie Greenwich.