Leslie Gore Interview

The most commercially successful solo artist of the "Girl Group" era of the ‘60s, Gore quickly set herself apart. With a string of Quincy Jones-produced, chart-topping hits, including "It's My Party," "Judy's Turn To Cry," and "You Don't Own Me," she introduced the world to a brilliant artist with pop instincts and an independent spirit that stood out against the formulaic offerings on the radio. A full-fledged star by age 16, her smash hits rang like anthems for young American women, and pointed the way for future generations of rabble-rousing pop singers from Debbie Harry, to Pat Benatar, to Madonna, to Gwen Stefani-all of whom remain in her debt.

Having maintained a constant touring schedule in major venues across the country, Lesley Gore is no less committed today. Her voice, now burnished from the years of "practice", deepens everything it touches with the hard-won wisdom of time, and in her care, songs take on new levels of meaning that less experienced artists cannot yet reach. On "Not The First," (written by Gore), she warns a friend about the perils of blind love ("you're not the first/ to think you'll be the last,"), but could just as easily be warning Avril Lavigne about the perils of the music business. When she lilts, "All the parties I've been to/ you were missed" ("Ever Since"), she draws listeners back to her #1 hit, "It's My Party," while ushering them gracefully forward into the new world she now inhabits.

John Novak Interviews Leslie Gore....Listen below.

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