Though Tragic, ‘Phil Spector’ Focus Brings Black Music History to Forefront

The Ronettes

Spector has been said to be a pioneer of girl groups, and the Ronettes was one of the most popular of the kind during the 1960s, touring with The Beatles at the height of their career. Signed to Spector’s Philles Records in 1963, the group would go on to record a string of Top 40 hits including “Walking in the Rain,” which won a Grammy in 1965, and “Be My Baby,” which was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999. In 2007, The Ronettes were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and in the “Vocal Group Hall of Fame” in 2004.