Died On This Date (August 26, 2009) Ellie Greenwich / Wrote Many Hits In The ’60s
themusicsover Ellie Greenwich
October 23, 1940 – August 26, 2009
Ellie Greenwich was a prolific songwriter, writing or co-writing some of the most enduring pop songs of the ’60s and ’70s. Either on her own or with such songwriting partners as her one-time husband, Jeff Barry, Greenwich penned such gems as “Be My Baby” (The Ronettes), “Then He Kissed Me” (The Crystals), “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” (Darlene Love), “Hanky Panky” (Tommy James & The Shondells), “River Deep, Mountain High” (Ike & Tina Turner), and “Do Wah Diddy Diddy” (Manfred Mann). In later years, Greenwich co-formed Tallyrand Music to publish her recent discovery, Neil Diamond. Ellie Greenwich died of a heart attack on August 26, 2009. She was 68 years old.
Thanks to Craig Rosen at Number1Albums for the assist
Morris Levy’s checkered career in the music industry began in the late ’40s when he owned multiple New York City nightclubs, including the famous jazz venue, Birdland. Because of his venues, Levy learned that performers were required to pay royalties on the songs they performed to the publishing owners, so he started his own publishing company where he began making his fortune. In 1956, Levy launched Roulette Records which was, at one time or another, home to