Nedra Talley Ross, last surviving member of The Ronettes, dies at 80
Nedra Talley Ross, last surviving member of The Ronettes, dies at 80
Brendan Morrow, USA TODAYMon, April 27, 2026 at 12:47 PM UTC
0
Nedra Talley of The Ronettes attends the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony on March 12, 2007, in New York City.
Nedra Talley Ross, the singer who was the last surviving member of the iconic girl group The Ronettes, has died. She was 80.
News of Talley Ross' death was shared on April 26 on the group's verified Instagram account. "It is with heavy hearts that we share the news of Nedra Talley Ross' passing," a post from the account read. "She was a light to those who knew and loved her."
With her cousins Ronnie Spector and Estelle Bennett, Talley Ross formed The Ronettes in 1957. The group of girls from New York's Washington Heights put out their debut album, "Presenting the Fabulous Ronettes," in 1964.
Ronnie Spector of The Ronettes, voice of 'Be My Baby,' dies at 78 after cancer battle
The album included hit tracks like "Be My Baby," which reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart and was memorably used in Martin Scorsese's 1973 movie "Mean Streets." Decades later, the song received a Grammy Hall of Fame Award, an honor given to "recordings of lasting qualitative or historical significance that are at least 25 years old."
1 / 0Passages 2026 – Dave Mason, Michael Tilson Thomas, more stars we lost
Michael Tilson Thomas, a renowned conductor and composer, died on April 22 following a battle with brain cancer, Thomas' representative, Donagh Collins, confirmed to USA TODAY. He was 81.Thomas, who won 12 Grammy Awards in his career, served as musical director for several prominent symphonies, including the New World Symphony, the San Francisco Symphony and the London Symphony Orchestra. His final performance was in April 2025 with the San Francisco Symphony, two months after he'd revealed his brain tumor had returned.
Other hit songs by The Ronettes include "Walking in the Rain" and "Baby, I Love You." The group broke up in 1967, and "Presenting the Fabulous Ronettes" wound up being their only album. Ross later released a Christian solo album, "Full Circle," in 1978.
Advertisement
In 2007, The Ronettes were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame by Keith Richards. The Rolling Stones rocker said at the time that the group "touched my heart" when he first heard their music, "and they touch it still."
In the group's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame acceptance speech, Talley Ross reflected on the "dream of three young girls" from New York City and thanked "my Lord and savior, Jesus Christ, for being in my life and making me who I am today, for saving my life through open-heart surgery, for giving me a husband that we're celebrating our 40th anniversary, for four wonderful children that make me who I am, for six more-than-wonderful grandchildren."
From left, Nedra Talley, Ronnie Spector and Estelle Bennett on Jan. 11, 1964.
Ross' husband Scott Ross died in 2023. Spector died in 2022 after a battle with cancer, while Bennett died in 2009, also from cancer.
"As a founding member of The Ronettes, along with her beloved cousins Ronnie and Estelle, Nedra's voice, style and spirit helped define a sound that would change music," the April 26 post on the group's Instagram page read. "Her contribution to the group's story and their defining influence will live forever. Rest peacefully dear Nedra. Thanks for the magic."
Contributing: Melissa Ruggieri, USA TODAY
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Nedra Talley Ross dead – Last surviving member of The Ronettes was 80
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
