Dolores "LaLa" Brooks
The powerhouse teenage voice behind two of the most joyous and influential girl-group anthems to emerge from the Brill Building hit factory.
Born 1947 (age 79)·American singer·Birthday: June 20·Baby Boomers
Biography
Dolores 'LaLa' Brooks stepped into music history almost by accident. As a 14-year-old from Brooklyn, she was recruited to replace a departing member of the Crystals, the premier girl group for producer Phil Spector. With a voice that was remarkably mature—brassy, confident, and bursting with youthful energy—she became the lead vocalist on the records that would define the group's legacy. Her performances on 'Da Doo Ron Ron' and 'Then He Kissed Me' are pop perfection, capturing the giddy, cinematic thrill of young romance that was Spector's 'Wall of Sound' specialty. Though her time with the Crystals was brief, ending as Spector's focus shifted to other acts, her contribution was indelible. Those two songs became eternal jukebox staples, their influence echoing through decades of pop, rock, and soul, ensuring Brooks's voice remains a vibrant part of the American soundtrack.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Dolores was born in 1947, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Dolores Was Born
The biggest hits of 1947
#1 Movie
The Egg and I
Best Picture
Gentleman's Agreement
Dolores's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1947Born
India gains independence; the Dead Sea Scrolls found
Gas: $0.23/galHome: $6,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Near You" — Francis CraigBest Picture: Gentleman's Agreement
1952Started school
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1960Became a teenager
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1963Could drive
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1965Could vote
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1968Turned 21
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1977Turned 30
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1987Turned 40
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1997Turned 50
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2007Turned 60
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 70
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 79 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Provided the definitive lead vocals on the Crystals' classic hits 'Da Doo Ron Ron' and 'Then He Kissed Me.'
- Her recordings with Phil Spector are considered quintessential examples of the early 1960s 'Wall of Sound' production technique.
- Performed as a featured vocalist on records by other artists, including the Beatles' producer George Martin.
- Continued to perform her classic hits at rock and roll revival shows for decades.
Did You Know?
She was only 15 years old when she recorded 'Da Doo Ron Ron.'
After leaving music for a time, she worked as a legal secretary.
She converted to Islam in the 1970s and took the name Sakinah Muhammad.
She made a cameo appearance in the 1994 film *It Could Happen to You*.
“He's a rebel, and I'm gonna give him every ounce of love I got.”
