Ronnie Spector lost a battle to cancer at 78. Thanks to the hit single, Be My Baby, the pop singer, who fronted The Ronettes, became known worldwide.

Iconic singer's family released a brief statement:

"Ronnie lived her life with a twinkle in her eye, a spunky attitude, a wicked sense of humor, and a smile on her face. She was filled with love and gratitude."

The Ronettes were a dynamic band from Spanish Harlem in New York. They started out in 1961 and gained recognition in the mid-60s.

Ronnie, her sister Estelle Bennett, and their cousin Nedra Talley were the group's first members.

Ronnie's solo career was launched in 1964 after the band became successful thanks to songs Be My Baby, Baby, I Love You, The Best Part of Breakin' Up, and Walking in the Rain.

In 1976, Spector sang a duet with Southside Johnny on You Mean So Much To Me.

Ronnie and Phil Spector, the group's manager, started dating in 1963 and married in 1968.

However, the relationship was volatile. Things got so bad that Ronnie was not just suffering abuse at home. Her husband even sabotaged her career and she barely survived the marriage. She divorced Phil only several years after the couple tied the knot.

Phil Spector was sent to prison in 2009 for the murder of actress Lana Clarkson where he died in January 2020.

In 1982, Spector married her manager Jonathan Greenfield.

She had five children, three from her marriage to her abusive first husband and two with Greenfield.

Ronnie managed to get back her life and career despite the abuse and everything that happened during her first marriage.

The family asked for privacy in their statement, adding that a celebration of Ronnie's life might happen in the future.

The movie about the iconic singer is already in plans, with Zendaya most likely to play young Ronnie. The singer's biography Be My Baby: How I Survived Mascara, Miniskirts, And Madness, from 1990, gives a magnificent yet terrifying insight into the entertainment business and her personal struggles.