the day my music died.

  (1940 - 2009)

ellie greenwich, one of pop music's greatest songwriters, died today at 68. she was responsible for a catalogue of music that i never knew possible from one person, including:

• "be my baby" / "baby, i love you" - the ronettes
• "leader of the pack" - the shangri-las
• "river deep, mountain high" - ike & tina turner
• "da doo ron ron" - the crystals
• "chapel of love" - the dixie cups
• "doo wah diddy diddy" - manfred mann
• "(today i met) the boy i'm gonna marry" - darlene love
• "he's got the power" - the exciters 

....and countless other classics.

can you believe 1 woman wrote and / or co-wrote all that?

in 1991, ellie was was inducted into the songwriter's hall of fame.

a musical of her life, leader of the pack, debuted in 1984 and was nominated for a tony award for best musical.

below are some of ellie's masterpieces.

rest in peace, girl.