Lesley Gore
b. 2 May 1946, New York City, USA and raised in Tenafly, New Jersey. Having secured a recording contract with Mercury on the basis of a privately financed demonstration disc, Gore enjoyed a sensational debut when It's My Party topped the US chart, reached number 9 in the UK and grossed sales in excess of one million. This tale of adolescent trauma has retained its timeless appeal—the singer's birthday celebrations are irrevocably marred on losing boyfriend Johnny to Judy—and it remains one of the era's most memorable releases. The vengeful follow-up, Judy's Turn To Cry, earned another gold disc, but successive releases, including You Don't Own Me, a powerful call for independence, and Maybe I Know, confirmed that the singer was not simply a novelty act. Gore made several appearances in teen-oriented films and television shows, including BATMAN, but her career was marred by periods of inactivity. She re-emerged in 1972 with SOMETHING ELSE NOW, released on Motown's Mowest subsidiary and three years later was briefly re-united with producer/songwriter Quincy Jones, who had produced her early Mercury recordings, which resulted in the exceptional Immortality. Despite the frailty exhibited on her debut single, Lesley Gore's is now viewed by commentators as an early champion of women's rights.