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Home , Estelle Bennett, Nedra Talley, Phil Spector, Ronnie Spector, The Ronettes, The Shirelles

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From left: Spector, Bennett and Talley in London in 1964.

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Behind The Beehive 3 , who returns to the stage in May, on the importance of engineering an image

BY BROOKE MAZUREK

ONNIE SPECTOR WALKS from Nordstrom. “I used to wear and Elizabeth Taylor’s Cleopatra into a Connecticut my husband’s [manager Jonathan eyeliner. “We didn’t have a hit record steakhouse on an overcast Greenfield] shirts to bed, and like everybody else [at first],” says afternoon with her hair he’d say, ‘You look fucking sexy.’ Spector. “So we had to create a look.” Rteased as high as spun sugar and Now I wear them onstage, buttoned What Spector did then is what eyes shielded by a pair of Tiffany & lower.” That understated edge and many artists do today: There’s that Co. sunglasses. “I have nothing to unwavering consistency might be why sleek ponytail Ariana Grande has hide,” she declares before sliding into it’s easy to overlook the style influence been whipping around since she a corner booth. Her voice is warm, that she, along with her sister left Nickelodeon; those reflective raspy and all vowels, and and cousin sunglasses perched perpetually on in a split second of down-to-earth , who rounded H.E.R.’s face; the pantsuits Janelle realness she stops to spit a Tic Tac out the trio, wielded. Monáe has pledged allegiance 4 into a napkin. “OK, now we can talk,” The act’s synchronized to album after album. They she says. The sunglasses stay put. movements and precise all learned what It will be 55 years this fall since harmonies evolved from understood from the start: the The Ronettes, the seminal the doo-wop era, and their power an image can have if you that she fronted, released its debut cocktail-hour-ready costumes Spector stick with it long enough to let it album in 1964. The compilation of were a result of the control that become your own. “I remember its hit singles established the now- -era labels began asserting walking down the street and hearing 75-year-old artist born Veronica over their artists’ appearances. Like John call out, ‘Ronnie Bennett as a superstar known for their girl-group contemporaries — Ronette!’ ” says Spector. “People her “whoa-oh’s” and vocals powerful , knew me from the back of my hair.” enough to help build producer and — The Ronettes With an image that echoed her ’s . That usually wore coordinated ensembles proto rock’n’roll, Spector’s less voice will be front and center in May, in monochromatic tones. And yet constricted vocal technique helped when she returns to the stage in a one- there were subtle distinctions — with the trio last longer than any other girl off show with The B-52s, as will her significant implications. Shorter group of the time. When the British self-described “less is more” approach hemlines, higher slits and tighter Invasion began, and to fashion — the reason she agreed to silhouettes were the members’ ways sought them a rare sit-down today. of sampling what they saw on the as tour support. was “I don’t believe in entourages. I ethnically diverse streets of New a fan, as were and 1 Spector in 1964. 2 The Ronettes on British TV show Thank Your Lucky Stars in 1964. don’t do fads,” says Spector, who York’s Spanish Harlem and making . “I can’t say 3 From left: Talley, Bennett and Spector in is dressed in dark denim, a button- it their own. More obvious were the The Ronettes were better,” she says. 1964. 4 Spector in 1978.

down blouse and a moto jacket, all Aqua Net-teased beehive hairdos “We were just different.” RONETTES: HERALD/MIRRORPIX/GETTY DAILY IMAGES. SPECTOR: DAVID WILLIAMS/REDUX. MICHAEL 1: IMAGES. OCHS COURTESY 2: ARCHIVES/GETTY OF RONNIE SPECTOR. PICTORIAL 3: PRESS/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO. ANTHONY 4: BARBOZA/.

34 BILLBOARD | MAY 11, 2019

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