With hits like “Be My Baby,” “Baby I Love You” and “Walking in the Rain,” Ronnie Spector ruled the pop charts worldwide as lead singer of the archetypal 1960s girl group, the Ronettes. Now the iconic vocalist and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee has signed with 429 Records and is set to release ENGLISH HEART – her first album of new material since 2006 – on April 8, 2016.
Produced and mixed by Grammy Award-winning producer, songwriter, and musician Scott Jacoby (Vampire Weekend, Sia, Coldplay), ENGLISH HEART is Ronnie’s personal love letter to 1960s Britain – where she toured with the Ronettes in 1964-1966, supported by the Rolling Stones, the Kinks, and the Yardbirds (with Eric Clapton) among other acts. The eleven tracks of ENGLISH HEART comprise a collection of Ronnie’s hand-picked favorites including songs recorded by the Kinks (“Tired of Waiting”), the Animals (“Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood”), the Beatles (“I’ll Follow the Sun”), and Gerry & the Pacemakers (“Don’t Let the Sun Catch You Crying”).
Leading up to the April 8 release of ENGLISH HEART, the first single serviced to radio will be the Rolling Stones rarity “I’d Much Rather Be With The Boys,” written by Keith Richards and Andrew Loog Oldham in 1964 but with the song’s title now changed to “I’d Much Rather Be With The Girls.” Ronnie will support the new album with performances in the U.S., Great Britain, and Europe.
“Be My Baby” was approaching the peak of the UK charts in January 1964 when Ronnie Spector stepped onto the tarmac at London’s Heathrow Airport to begin the Ronettes’ first British tour. With her inimitable voice, distinctive style, and exciting live performances, Ronnie soon found herself welcomed into the inner circle of British pop royalty.
“I’ll never forget my very first impressions of England in that winter of ’64,” Ronnie recalls. “I’d never traveled outside the US before. To arrive at Heathrow and be welcomed by those kids was an amazing feeling. We’d never had fans waiting at an airport to greet us.”
ENGISH HEART is a musical homage to that magical time and an expression of Ronnie’s desire to sing from the most honest and intimate part of herself: Her performance is so raw and so real that the listener may seem to hear Ronnie’s life story in her interpretations of these songs. Scott Jacoby has preserved the timeless spirit of the material while bringing a distinctly contemporary yet subtle touch.
This is the Ronnie Spector whose indomitable spirit and singular talent have inspired the admiration of countless peers including Bruce Springsteen, Patti Smith, Joey Ramone, and Amy Winehouse. This is the REAL Ronnie Spector!
ENGLISH HEART Track Listing:
1. Oh Me Oh My (I’m A Fool For You Baby)
2. Because
3. I’d Much Rather Be With The Girls
4. Don’t Let The Sun Catch You Crying
5. Tired Of Waiting
6. Tell Her No
7. I’ll Follow The Sun
8. You’ve Got Your Troubles
9. Girl Don’t come
10. Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood
11. How Can You Mend A Broken Heart
For more information visit:
www.429records.com
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