Ronnie Spector, "Be My Baby" singer, has died at 78

Ronnie Spector, the cat-eyed, bee-hived rock 'n' roll siren who sang such 1960s hits as "Be My Baby," "Baby I Love You" and "Walking in the Rain" as the leader of the girl group The Ronettes, has died. She was 78.

Spector died Wednesday after a brief battle with cancer, her family said. "Ronnie lived her life with a twinkle in her eye, a spunky attitude, a wicked sense of humor and a smile on her face. She was filled with love and gratitude," a statement said. No other details were revealed.

Tributes flooded social media, with Stevie Van Zandt saying it was an honor to produce her, and Brian Wilson tweeting: "I loved her voice so much and she was a very special person and a dear friend."