Ronnie Spector, 1960s icon and leader of the girl group the Ronettes, died on Wednesday, January 12th at the age of 78. “Our beloved earth angel, Ronnie, peacefully left this world today after a brief battle with cancer,” her family said to USA Today. “Ronnie lived her life with a twinkle in her eye, a spunky attitude, a wicked sense of humor and a smile on her face.”

Spector was born Veronica Bennett in Washington Heights. In her teens, she formed a group with her sister Estelle and cousin Nedra. They performed locally, singing and dancing in clubs as “Ronnie and the Relatives.” They signed to Colpix Records in 1961, around the time they devised their signature look, featuring exaggerated eye make-up and teased beehives. “When we saw the Shirelles walk on stage with their wide party dresses, we went in the opposite direction and squeezed our bodies into the tightest skirts we could find,” Spector wrote in her memoir. “Then we’d get out on stage and hike them up to show our legs even more.”

In 1963, producer Phil Spector signed them to Philles Records. Their first release, the smash hit “Be My Baby,” reached number two on the Billboard Top 100. They followed up with “Baby, I Love You” and “Walkin’ in the Rain.” The Ronettes were different from the girl groups of the past; they were tougher, more grown-up, and Ronnie’s passionate vocals brought a bad-girl edge to their sound.

They broke up after touring Germany in 1967. Soon after, Ronnie Bennett married Phil Spector. It was the start of a dark, violent time during which she was kept as a virtual prisoner. Spector told the New Yorker in 2012, “He never let me read the newspaper or watch TV. I didn’t even know Woodstock had happened …  All I knew was Phil started putting barbed wire up, and then the guard dogs, and then the guns.” She escaped in 1972, fleeing their mansion with the help of her mother. Spector was determined to rebuild the singing career her ex-husband had destroyed, despite the efforts and threats of Phil and his lawyers.

In the 1970s, she collaborated with the E Street Band and covered Billy Joel’s “Say Goodbye to Hollywood.” In 1986, she was featured on Eddie Money’s hit, “Take Me Home Tonight.” “That song brought her career right back to life,” singer Darlene Love told Rolling Stone. Spector released her second album in 1987, and the critically acclaimed She Talks to Rainbows in 1999. She made two more albums and toured extensively.

Spector’s legacy is far-reaching. The Ronettes’ “Be My Baby,” has been named one of the greatest records of all time. She influenced everyone from Amy Winehouse and the Ramones to Brian Wilson and Madonna. She is an icon as a survivor, a singer, and a rock star. In the words of The Guardian’s Barbara Ellen, “It’s the nature of a true legend: lightning, not caught in a bottle, but flashing forward, inspiring new generations.” This is what Spector has done and will continue to do.