1. Eleanor Louise Greenwich was an American pop music singer, songwriter, and record producer.
24 Facts About Ellie Greenwich
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At 17, around the time she began attending Queens College, Ellie Greenwich recorded her first single for RCA Records, the self-written "Silly Isn't It", backed with "Cha-Cha Charming".
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However, a biography about Ellie Greenwich claimed that the name was changed by RCA Records to prevent mispronunciations of "Ellie Greenwich".
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In 1959, still at college, Ellie Greenwich met the man who became her husband and main songwriting partner.
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Barry was married at that time to his first wife, who was at the dinner, but he and Ellie Greenwich married several years later and became a songwriting duo recognized as one of the most successful and prolific among Brill Building composers.
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Still in college, in 1962, Ellie Greenwich got her first break in the business when she traveled to the Brill Building to meet John Gluck, Jr.
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Ellie Greenwich was a session singer, recording so many demos that she became known as New York's Demo Queen.
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Barry was signed to Trinity Music, and he and Ellie Greenwich were given their own office with their names on the door.
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When Red Bird Records was founded in 1964 by Leiber and Stoller, Barry and Ellie Greenwich were brought in as songwriters and producers.
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Diamond was signed to Bert Berns's Bang Records, and had a number of hits such as "Cherry Cherry" and "Kentucky Woman", all produced by Barry and Ellie Greenwich, who sang backgrounds on many tracks.
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Also in 1967, Greenwich recorded her first solo album, Ellie Greenwich Composes, Produces and Sings, released in 1968, which produced two chart hits, "Niki Hoeky" and "I Want You to Be My Baby".
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Additionally, Ellie Greenwich continued to provide background vocals and vocal arrangements for diverse artists such as Dusty Springfield, Bobby Darin, Lou Christie and Frank Sinatra, as well as Electric Light Orchestra, Blondie, Cyndi Lauper and Gary US Bonds.
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Ellie Greenwich did studio work for her ex-husband as well, singing backgrounds for Andy Kim, who was recording for Barry's Steed Records, and the Archies.
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At one such recording session, Ellie Greenwich met Steve Tudanger, with whom she and Steve Feldman would later form the company Jingle Habitat to write and produce jingles for radio and television.
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Ellie Greenwich's song "Sunshine After the Rain" was a hit in the UK for singer Elkie Brooks.
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In 1976 Ellie Greenwich sang back-up for Debbie Harry on the song "In The Flesh" for Blondie's self-titled debut album.
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That same year, "Right Track Wrong Train", which Ellie Greenwich wrote with Kent and Cyndi Lauper, was the B-side of Cyndi's "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun", which hit No 2 on the US charts, and spent three weeks at Number One on the Australian charts.
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When Foley and Hendryx performed at The Bottom Line cabaret in New York City, Ellie Greenwich was there to see them.
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The Bottom Line owner Allan Pepper convinced Ellie Greenwich to meet him and discuss putting together a revue showcasing her hits.
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Ellie Greenwich appeared as herself in the second act, which focused on her early years in Long Island and her marriage and partnership with Barry.
21.
Ellie Greenwich's award was accepted by her sister Laura, while Barry's acceptance was read by Steve van Zandt.
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On May 7,2013, a "Garden of Ellie" that contains a statue of Greenwich was placed next to Hofstra University's music school.
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On September 20,2009, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band dedicated "Da Doo Ron Ron" to Ellie Greenwich, while playing the song during a concert at the United Center, Chicago.
24.
On February 3,2010, Patti Smith dedicated an improvised arrangement of "Be My Baby" to Ellie Greenwich while playing a show on the Santa Monica Pier in California.