Ellie Greenwich
Pop | 2012Ellie Greenwich was born in 1940 in Brooklyn, moved to Levittown at age 11, and was writing songs by age 13. She formed her first “girls group,” The Jivettes, with two high-school friends, and the trio performed original songs at hospitals, schools, and charity benefits throughout Long Island. Greenwich attended Hofstra University, where she was Spring Queen and graduated with top honors (earning a Bachelor of Arts in English). During her latter years in college, Greenwich met Jeff Barry, and the couple eventually married. Greenwich went on to join forces with legendary producer Phil Spector, helping to create a string of legendary hits including “Be My Baby,” “Da Doo Ron Ron,” “And Then He Kissed Me,” “Chapel of Love” and “River Deep, Mountain High.” Co-writing with Barry, she continued her hot streak and charted No. 1 smashes such as “Hanky Panky,” “Do Wah Diddy,” and “Leader of the Pack,” which was co-written with Shadow Morton. Greenwich and Barry were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1991, and in 2004 Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 greatest rock songs included six Greenwich-Barry compositions. Greenwich died in 2009.