You can bet it wasn't the first time Keith Richards has given up a night's sleep, but it may have been one of the more wholesome instances. The Rolling Stones guitarist joined singer Ronnie Spector -- best known for her work with seminal Sixties girl group the Ronettes -- onstage at trendy New York night spot Life last night to help her celebrate the holidays at her Christmas Extravaganza. The ever-ready axeman played into the wee hours despite the fact that he had a 6 a.m. plane to catch to begin his Christmas holidays.

"Keith couldn't resist playing with Ronnie," said photographer Bob Gruen, who was on hand to shoot the festivities. "He told me how much he owes her. On the Rolling Stones' first trip to America, Ronnie befriended them, and took the Stones to Harlem -- to the best clubs and restaurants -- where they not only had a great time, but no one recognized them." As for the holiday party, Spector had faxed Richards an invitation to join her at Life and, as fate would have it, he just so happened to be listening to a remix of some of her old stuff at the time. It was such a serendipitous moment that he felt he couldn't turn her down. Nor did he want to.

Bedecked in silver and royal purple, with festive silver beads entwined in his graying hair, Richards joined Spector onstage for two songs, crooning a stirring rendition of Chuck Berry's "Run Run Rudolf," and playing blistering guitar during the Ronettes mega-hit "Be My Baby." "I have never heard Ronnie better," confessed Joey Ramone, who also performed with Spector. "She was f---ing incredible."

The stellar affair kicked off with a saucy version of "Sleigh Bells" followed by the Ronettes' "Do I Love You" and a few new songs, including the Ramone-penned "She Talks to Rainbows." Patti Smith guitarist Lenny Kaye was going to perform "White Christmas" with Spector, but demurred when he found out that Smith planned to do the song at her New York City shows on Dec. 30 and 31; instead, he showcased two originals. As soon as Kaye left the stage, Ramone leaped up to duet on "Baby I Love You," and then D-Generation frontman Jesse Malin sang backup and played sleigh bells on "Baby Please Come Home."

Though the venue was packed, Spector managed to keep it under wraps that Richards was going to show. When he finally took the stage, waves of shock rippled through the audience. "Be My Baby" wasn't meant to be the last song of the set, but Spector's manager decided to pull the plug after Spector and Richards left the stage around 2 a.m. "It just doesn't get any better than that," he was overheard saying. Everyone seemed to agree, including Lisa Marie Presley who was backstage clinking champagne glasses with Keith, Ronnie and assorted friends and family long into the night.

In other Spector news, Ramone and knob twister Daniel Rey recently produced a four-song EP for the singer titled She Talks to Rainbows, which is due out Jan. 18 on Creation Records, the little label that brought the world Oasis. Now it looks like there's more to come. Creation founder Alan McGee was reportedly so overwhelmed with Spector's recent U.K. performances that he expanded her initial deal to include a full-length album, which she'll begin recording after the holidays. Longtime fan David Bowie is said to be offering her some songs for the record.

JAAN UHELSZKI
(December 17, 1998)