(April 26, 2026) The bad news was posted on social media today by Nedra K. Ross, daughter of legendary “girl group” singer Nedra Talley-Ross, the last surviving original member of The Ronettes:
At approximately 8:30 this morning our mother Nedra Talley Ross went home to be with the Lord. She was safe in her own bed at home with her family close, knowing she was loved. Thank you Lord. There will be a Celebration of Life in the future and I will post information when plans have been confirmed.
Nedra Talley-Ross, formerly known as Nedra Talley, was 80 years old. Of Black, Puerto Rican and Irish descent, Talley-Ross was best known as a founding member of the legendary 1960s girl group The Ronettes. Raised in New York City, she formed the trio as a teenager with her cousins Ronnie Spector (Veronica Bennett) and Estelle Bennett.
Working with producer Phil Spector, The Ronettes became one of the defining acts of the era, helping shape the sound of early 1960s pop and R&B through Spector’s “Wall of Sound.” Though Ronnie was the lead vocalist, Talley’s harmonies were a key part of the group’s rich, dramatic style. Their string of hits—including “Be My Baby,” “Baby, I Love You,” and “Walking in the Rain”—remains influential decades later.
After the group dissolved in the late 1960s, Talley-Ross stepped away from secular music, embracing her Christian faith and recording several contemporary Christian music albums as Nedra Ross, with success. Her biggest was 1978’s Full Circle, which was produced by her husband, Scott Ross. She has made occasional public appearances over the years to celebrate the group’s legacy.
Talley-Ross was inducted with the group into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007, affirming The Ronettes’ place as one of pop music’s most enduring vocal groups. May she rest in peace.
