In 1943, Veronica Bennett was born into an already-oversized family. Growing up in Spanish Harlem, she and her sister, Estelle, would join their cousin, Nedra, and make themselves heard in their large family the best way they could: singing. When their talent took them from family gatherings at their grandmother’s house to the popular Peppermint Lounge, Ronnie and the Relatives, as they were known, caught the attention of Colpix Records, who released several of their recordings as singles. After two years of concerts, singles, and other appearances that didn’t seem to advance their career, they changed their name, scheduled an audition with producer Phil Spector, and what we know as The Ronettes was born.
Why is this post about The Ronettes? In 1963, Phil Spector gathered the group of artists on his Phillies Records label and recorded 13 popular Christmas standards, all featuring his grand, emotional Wall of Sound recording style. Originally released as, “A Christmas Gift for You from Phillies Records,” the album slowly became a cult favorite and eventually entered the pantheon of all-time greatest holiday albums. Its influence is hard to deny – the Wall of Sound Christmas style has become the template for so many modern Christmas songs, including Mariah Carey’s monster, “All I Want for Christmas is You.”
One of the songs included on “A Christmas Gift for You from Phillies Records” is “Frosty the Snowman.” Typically, this song grates on my nerves. It was originally released in 1950 as a country tune from previous Christmas champ Gene Autry, but its popularity grew when Jimmy Durante recorded his somewhat charming version. The song never appealed to me because it felt so half-assed and like a quick, insincere cash-in on the success of “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” but in the hands of Phil Spector and The Ronettes, it transcends its strictly commercial beginnings. It becomes a song worthy enough to be sung by Ronnie, Estelle, and Nedra.
Merry 