Tag Archives: Lois Sasson

Icon, Feminist, and Humanitarian, Lesley Gore Dies, Aged 68

Singer-songwriter Lesley Gore, died Monday, of lung cancer at New York University Langone Medical Center in Manhattan. She was 68.

The Brooklyn-born and New Jersey-raised, hit-maker singer / song-writer, topped the charts in 1963 at age 16 with her epic song of teenage angst, It’s My Party, and followed it up with the hits Judy’s Turn to Cry, and the epic anthem You Don’t Own Me. 

Part Time Pop Star

Her other hits include She’s A Fool, Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows, That’s the Way Boys Are and Maybe I Know.

Her partner of 33 years, Lois Sasson said

“She was a wonderful human being — caring, giving, a great feminist, great woman, great human being, great humanitarian.”

Lois Sasson

Gore was discovered by Quincy Jones as a teenager and signed to Mercury Records. She graduated from Sarah Lawrence College with a degree in English/American literature.

She officially came out to the public when she hosted several episodes of the PBS series, In The Life, which dealt with gay and lesbian issues.

During the 2012 presidential campaign, Gore turned You Don’t Own Me into an online video public service announcement demanding reproductive rights which starred Lena Dunham and Tavi Gevinson, among others.

In the last few years, she performed at Feinstein’s at the Loews Regency in New York and, along with Ronnie Spector and LaLa Brooks, headlined the She’s Got the Power concert outdoors at Lincoln Center in 2012.

In addition to Sasson, Gore is survived by her brother and mother, Ronny. Services will be held on Thursday at the Frank E. Campbell funeral home on Madison Avenue.