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Ellie Greenwich, who co-wrote some of the Sixties' most famous pop records including River Deep, Mountain High and Da Doo Ron Ron, has died in NewYork aged 68.
With producer Phil Spector and her then husband Jeff Barry, she composed "Wall of Sound" songs for the Crystals, the Ronettes and Neil Diamond.
In 1963 alone, the trio wrote Top 10 hits such as the Crystals' Da Doo Ron Ron and Then He Kissed Me, and the Ronettes' Be My Baby.
Their 1966 collaboration for Ike and Tina Turner, River Deep, Mountain High, did badly in the US but reached number three in Britain.
On her own, she wrote Baby I Love You, Do Wah Diddy Diddy and Look of Love. Greenwich's songs sold tens of millions and brought her 25 gold and platinum records.
She was born in Brooklyn and performed in talent shows as a child. As a teenager she had her own group, The Jivettes.
After graduating from college, Greenwich worked with the legendary Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller in New York's home to songwriters, the Brill Building. She died of a heart attack after contracting pneumonia.
