R.I.P. Ronnie Spector
Ronnie Spector has died after a brief bout with cancer at age 78.
Ronnie Spector’s influence was felt far and wide. Brian Wilson became obsessed with “Be My Baby” and Billy Joel wrote “Say Goodbye to Hollywood” in Spector’s honor. Amy Winehouse frequently cited Spector as an idol.Martin Scorsese used “Be My Baby” to open his 1973 film “Mean Streets” and the song appears in the title sequence of “Dirty Dancing” and the closing credits of “Baby Mama.” It also appeared on TV in “Moonlighting” and “The Wonder Years.”
When the Ronettes were inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones remembered opening for the trio in England in the mid-1960s. “They could sing all their way right through a wall of sound,” Richards said. “They didn’t need anything. They touched my heart right there and then and they touch it still.”
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Another death this week from the '60's era: Dwayne Hickman, aka "Dobie Gillis" passed away at age 87 from complications of Parkinson's.
Complications from Parkinson's is also credited as the cause of the death a few weeks ago of my favorite author, the inimitable Joan Didion. I still have my 1972 dog-eared copy of what is just about my favorite book, Play it as It Lays.
I have read it so many times -- and watched the movie version (with Tuesday Weld and Anthony Perkins) so often I can recite most of the dialogue before the actors speak it. So many of Joan Didion's characters are unforgettable -- because of her genius way of describing them.
R.I.P. to all the recently departed. Feel free to comment on others who have recently passed I haven't mentioned.
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