The early
Ronettes songs weren't as immaculately produced or as evocative as
Phil Spector's productions. Their sound was more generic and resembled other girl groups like
The Shirelles or
Chiffons. They recorded for Colpix and Dimension during 1961 and 1962, with
Ronnie Bennett doing most of the leads, while her sister
Estelle and cousin
Nedra added soothing harmonies and backgrounds. At times, as on "My Guiding Angel" or "You Bet I Would," they came close to the appealing mix of innocence and earnestness that characterized their later (and greatest) tracks. But despite getting material from such songwriters as
Jackie DeShannon and
Carole King, many of these cuts were more serviceable than classic. Still, this is the foundation for the sound that exploded in the mid-'60s.
–
Ron Wynn, Rovi