Lesley Gore

“You Don’t Own Me” was more than just the title to one of Lesley Gore’s irresistibly defiant hits from the early ‘60s. It was a statement about how this teen-pop pioneer lived her life. Born in New York in 1946, Gore was 16 when she had her first No. 1 single in 1963 with “It’s My Party”. The song was the first of many chart-toppers that captured the turmoil of adolescent existence in ways that felt unprecedented. Even though Gore’s star faded when the British Invasion sent American pop in another direction, she showed more of that defiant spirit with stylistic forays into soul and jazz. Later achievements before Gore’s death in 2015 included an Oscar nomination for her work on the soundtrack for Fame, her advocacy on behalf of the LGBTQ+ community, and her 2005 album, Ever Since, a return to form that included a poignant new version of the hit that doubled as her credo.