Nedra Talley Ross, last surviving member of The Ronettes, dies at 80

Source: USA Today

Updated April 27, 2026, 10:02 a.m. ET



Nedra Talley Ross, the singer who was the last surviving member of the iconic girl group The Ronettes, has died. She was 80. News of Talley Ross' death was shared on April 26 on the group's verified Instagram account. "It is with heavy hearts that we share the news of Nedra Talley Ross' passing," a post from the account read. "She was a light to those who knew and loved her."

With her cousins Ronnie Spector and Estelle Bennett, Talley Ross formed The Ronettes in 1957. The group of girls from New York's Washington Heights put out their debut album, "Presenting the Fabulous Ronettes," in 1964.

The album included hit tracks like "Be My Baby," which reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 songs chart and was memorably used in Martin Scorsese's 1973 movie "Mean Streets." Decades later, the song received a Grammy Hall of Fame Award, an honor given to "recordings of lasting qualitative or historical significance that are at least 25 years old."
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Other hit songs by The Ronettes include "Walking in the Rain" and "Baby, I Love You." The group broke up in 1967, and "Presenting the Fabulous Ronettes" wound up being their only album. Ross later released a Christian solo album, "Full Circle," in 1978.

Read more: https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/music/2026/04/27/nedra-talley-ross-dead-ronettes-last-member/89816315007/