Be My Baby: A Memoir

Written by Ronnie Spector, Vince Waldron and Keith Richards

Narrated by Rosie Perez

"This heartfelt, brilliantly narrated memoir — with an introduction by Keith Richards — is one of the best I have ever listened to." -Washington Post

"...actress Rosie Perez stepped in to read the audiobook, and, go figure: She’s a total dream." -Vulture

"With her indefatigable energy, Rosie Perez emerges as the perfect choice to read this emotional roller-coaster ride of an account." -Booklist

"Rosie Perez convincingly narrates this memoir by Ronnie Spector, lead singer of the Ronettes, a complicated woman who was socially naïve, emotionally fearless, and prone to melodrama." -AudioFile

Hailed by Rolling Stone magazine as one of the greatest rock memoirs of all time, Be My Baby is the true story of how Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Ronnie Spector carved out a space for herself against tremendous odds amid the chaos of the 1960s music scene and beyond.

With a new introduction by the late—and very great—Ronnie Spector.

Ronnie Spector’s first collaboration with producer Phil Spector, “Be My Baby,” stunned the world and shot girl group the Ronettes to stardom. No one could sing as clearly, as emotively as Ronnie. But her voice was soon drowned out in Phil Spector’s Wall of Sound, and lost in Ronnie and Phil’s ensuing romance and marriage.

Ronnie had to fight tooth and nail to wrest back control of her life, her music, and her legacy. And while she regained her footing, Ronnie found herself recording with Stevie Van Zandt, partying with David Bowie, and touring with Bruce Springsteen.

Smart, humorous, and self-possessed, Be My Baby is a whirlwind account of the twists and turns in the life of an artist. More than anything, Be My Baby is a testament to the fact that it is possible to stand up to a powerful abuser and start on a second—or third, or fifth—act.

A Macmillan Audio production from Henry Holt and Company

• Language: English
• Publisher: Macmillan Audio
• Release date: Jun 7, 2022
• ISBN: 9781250841100

Ronnie Spector

Ronnie Spector became an icon when she rose to fame as lead singer of The Ronettes, the influential girl group responsible for a string of hits that included ‘Walking in the Rain’, ‘Baby, I Love You’ and ‘Be My Baby’, which Brian Wilson has called ‘the greatest record ever made’. The embodiment of the heart, soul and passion of rock and roll, Ronnie Spector was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in March 2008. Ronnie passed away in January 2022.

[Gerard Kassi · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I appreciated her honesty and how she did not allow her circumstances change her into a mean bitter person. Show business is hard and it can really destroy a life. She survived! She lived! She told her story just in time! So beautiful to hear her recognize her power despite her naïveté. She was successful, not because she was leader and co-founder of the Ronettes, but because she continued to love and share her wisdom with others. She will not be forgotten. Her life’s story is inspiring and uplifting to anyone who has been oppressed, silenced and abused. Thank you Ronnie, you will be greatly missed.

[Laurence Barasch · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I loved the flow of the narration. I met Ronnie in the ladies room years ago in a small local restaurant in the New York area. Her presence was so special to me. I highly recommend this book; hard to put it down!