Mother Baltimore: Be My Baby
Happy New Year!
Hope y’all are doing well and staying safe.
Being both safe and well is not an easy feat these days. That’s because, for me, the concept of death has been hard to erase from my mind. It’s a morbid thought. I know. I wish I could stop thinking about it. But the rise in a deadly virus along with recent celebrity deaths have made death a constant thought for me. I’ve specifically thought about just how fragile life is.
In the past two months, we’ve lost cultural critic Greg Tate, feminist writer bell hooks, author Joan Didion, pioneering actors Betty White and Sidney Poitier, comedian Bob Saget and esteemed producer and former Miles Davis band member James Mtume. On Wednesday, we lost another groundbreaking talent- Ronnie Spector.
When I read the news about Spector’s passing, I immediately thought about how the music industry is cruel to Black women. Spector, who was born Veronica Bennett, was the lead singer of The Ronettes. The 1960s girl group is mainly known for its classic hit single “Be My Baby,” which is widely considered as the best song ever made. Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys credited the song as the greatest pop record of all time.
Part of Spector’s legendary career was tarnished due to abuse she suffered from her ex-husband, the late record producer Phil Spector, who’s responsible for songs like The Beatles’ “Let It Be” and Ike and Tina Turner’s “River Deep–Mountain High”.
The Ronettes were signed by Phil’s record label Phillies Records in 1963. Ronnie and Phil got married in 1967 and divorced in 1974. In her 1990 memoir “Be My Baby,” Ronnie wrote harrowing details about the physical and emotional abuse she suffered during her marriage, which included various death threats and Phil denying her royalties of her hit singles.
The more I read the vivid imagery surrounding the abuse, which included Phil allegedly putting a casket in the basement of their home to prove to Ronnie that he would put her in it if she left him, the more I thought about how that suffering ultimately affected her career. Although Phil’s later years (he passed away in prison last year) included a life sentence for murdering an actress in 2003, Phil was able to achieve success after his marriage to Ronnie and is a popular name in the history of Rock and Roll. Ronnie never witnessed the same success she had with The Ronettes. She died before getting to see a biopic, which is currently in development and will star Zendaya, made in her honor. I hope Ronnie knew just how much of a legend she was before her death.
I’ve been having a hard time not thinking about death lately. It’s a morbid thought. I know. I wish I could stop thinking about it.
Rest in peace, Ronnie Spector.
Now, here’s the latest news in southwestern Illinois:
Four young men want to be the answer to East St. Louis trash issue. Community responds
The Clean City Coalition is a new group that wants to create a system of trash maintenance in East St. Louis. The group hopes to get other residents inspired to participate in the beautification of the city. BND reporter DeAsia Paige talked to the members of the group about their efforts and future plans.
More on cleanup initiatives in East St. Louis:
East St. Louis residents take beautifying the city into their own hands
State Street cleanup in East St. Louis aims to bring awareness about environmental racism
Cahokia among Illinois school districts awarded federal grants to ensure school safety
Cahokia Unit School District #187 was awarded nearly $300,000 from the U.S. Department of Justice to address school violence prevention. Cahokia Heights is the only St. Clair County school district and among 10 in the state to receive the funding.
More on education in the metro-east:
Parents, community members at hearing speak against closing southwest Illinois school
Two Belleville school districts extend remote learning into next week
East St. Louis announces new city hall schedule due to rising COVID-19 cases
Last week, East St. Louis held a press conference to announce a new schedule for its city government because of rising covid cases in the region. City employees will now operate on a hybrid schedule, and staff will be tested weekly.
More on COVID-19 in the metro-east:
COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, deaths increase in St. Clair County. Here are details
What should I do if I need treatment for something other than COVID during Illinois surge?
What to do
This section of Mother Baltimore highlights upcoming events in the metro-east that are relevant to Black communities. If you have tips for events, send them to dsutgrey@bnd.com
East St. Louis Prayer Breakfast
10:15 a.m. on January 15 via Facebook Live
East St. Louis will host its third annual mayoral prayer breakfast on Saturday. This year’s event will be streamed live on the city’s Facebook page.
What to watch
Abbott Elementary
“Abbott Elementary” is a new comedy series that follows the teachers at a struggling Philadelphia school as they attempt to ensure the success of their students. Created by and starring Quinta Brunson, the mockumentary takes a page out of the comedic styling of shows like “The Office” and “Parks and Recreation” while highlighting the inequities of the public school system. Abbott Elementary airs on Tuesday nights on ABC.
What to read
Manhattan in East St. Louis
Maureen Mahon, associate professor in New York University’s Department of Music, wrote about the East St. Louis music scene that shaped the artistry of Ike and Tina Turner. In this Oxford American piece, Mahon explains how the Great Migration and the East St. Louis club scene were crucial factors in the group’s inception. Ike and Tina first met at Club Manhattan in East St. Louis in the 1950s. A song named after the club appears on the duo’s 1973 album “Nutbush City Limits.” Mahon writes about the song, the history of the nightclub and its significance for Black performers at that time:
“Club Manhattan” describes one of the African American cultural spaces in which rhythm and blues and its descendent rock & roll were created. The club was part of the chitlin circuit, the network of venues that ranged from legitimate theaters like the Apollo to small clubs to makeshift stages in barns and Elks clubs where African American musicians, singers, dancers, and comedians performed for African American audiences. The goings-on at the Club Manhattan were rooted in the African American Southern traditions that Black migrants carried with them when they moved from the South to towns and cities in other parts of the United States.
That’s all she wrote!
Talk to y’all in two weeks!
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This story was originally published January 14, 2022 at 12:56 PM.
