Be My Baby

A Memoir

By: Ronnie Spector, Vince Waldron, Keith Richards

Narrated by: Rosie Perez

Length: 10 hrs and 43 mins

Publisher's Summary

"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

©2022 Ronnie Spector (P)2022 Macmillan Audio

Be My Baby

Growing up listening to the Ronnets, then years later having read her original 1990's book of the same name, I was anxious to hear the book was now being produced for audio format, I knew it would work its way onto my must hear list.
The audio version ends with some new updated material relative to her previous husband Phil Spector, Amy Winehouse and even more current Covid times.
Since it has been over 20 years that the original text was read, the new audio format lent a new refreshing insight into the book.
Rosie Perez does an excellent job in reading Ronnie Spector, as they both have that well defined NY accent.
Am looking forward to the film 🎥 version of Ronnie's life with Zendaya though like the book, there will be some difficult times to navigate through.

Outstanding performance

Rosie Perez brings Ronnie Sector's story to life. And a very entertaining story it is. Highly recommend.

What a story

Love Rosie, love Ronnie, love her story. Well done audible and my love of Ronnie and the Ronettes will live on forever.

Compellingly Sad

Girl groups from the 60s always make good subjects for books, and with no exceptions I can think of, they all tell the same sad tale of deception and greed by people like Phil Spector. The price they paid for popularity and their mostly brief time in the charts is perhaps best exemplified by Ronnie Spector. Everything good and bad happened to her professionally and personally. Looking at her as a performer is remarkable, but looking at her as an abused woman is heartbreaking. She seems to have overcome much of the trauma, but it so far still haunts me. Read it.

Loved it!

Ronnie is so open and honest with her life story, including her abusive relationship with her husband, Phil Spector and her alcoholism. The story is wonderfully narrated by Rosie Perez.

What a life

I didn’t know much about Ronnie and am so happy that I listened to this book. She is a survivor, no question. Her story speaks to many people. Loved every second of this. Much love to her family❤️

61 Inches of Womanly Courage

Veronica Bennett innocently entered the rough career of popular music as a teenager from New York City’s Spanish Harlem with a powerful desire to sing and perform. Strap yourself in for this, her memoir, that spares no details and lays open her crisis filled, treacherous passage through years of dealing with monsters both human and chemical and the heartbreaks that accompanied the rises and falls of life on the razor’s edge of renown. She became known as Ronnie Spector via an unfortunate marriage but she will demonstrate most dramatically in these pages how she rose from the ashes and regained her life and her soul. Don’t miss this true tale!

The Amazing Ronnie Spector - Be My Baby

I’ve loved Ronnie Spector since I was a kid so I was excited to “read” her most recent story.

Rosie Perez did a GREAT job reading the story. She was clear and concise with just enough New York accent that I felt her channeling Ronnie.

It’s a heartfelt story from a different era, but a relevant read for today!

happy ending

good read for this boomer! I felt I was eavesdropping on some juicy gossip. If you think you know everything about Phil Spector think again. highly recommend Be my Baby.

Ronnie Ronette! (John Lennon Voice)

Simply put - this is amazing. She is nothing short of a legend and her story is inspirational. I’m so glad this came back after being out of print, and the audio version is great. The narration by Rosie Perez was really well done and of course Vince Waldron’s writing is superb!