Ronnie Spector:

Singers Darlene Love and Ronnie Spector shared the stage for the first time in more than 15 years Thursday to play a benefit show for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Monmouth County at the Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank.

The legendary ladies performed separate sets during the show, titled "A Christmas Gift For You'' after the 1963 album "A Christmas Gift For You From Phil Spector.'' The album … and the show … contained rocking renditions of holiday favorites including "White Christmas,'' "Frosty the Snowman'' and ""Winter Wonderland.''

Love, in perfect voice, opened the concert with gospel-tinged songs such as "God Isn't Finished With Me Yet,'' followed by a medley of Marvin Gaye tunes including "Ain't That Peculiar'' and "What's Goin' On.'' At 68, she looked incredibly fit in her white pantsuit, red sparkle top and matching stiletto pumps, inspiring one audience member to shout out, "Love your shoes!''

Love's high-energy, nearly 90-minute set was a tough act for Ronnie Spector to follow. Spector's stage presence was stiff compared to Love's, but her inimitable voice was mesmerizing on crowd-pleasers such as "Be My Baby'' and "Baby, I Love You.'' Let's face it: Nobody sings songs with the word "baby'' in the title better than Ronnie Spector.

Love and Spector finally got together onstage at show's end, leaving the audience in a holiday mood.

"It ("A Christmas Gift For You') just keeps sounding better and better,'' Love told the Asbury Park Press, a sponsor of the event, in an interview conducted prior to the concert.

The sold-out, cheering audience at the Count Basie Theatre obviously agreed.