Lesley Gore - the singer behind such iconic 1960s hits as "It's My Party" and "You Don't Own Me" - will return to New York City for a special, one-night-only performance of her new show, "It's Still Her Party," in the Grace Rainey Rogers Auditorium at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (1000 Fifth Avenue at 82nd Street) at 7:00 PM, October 31st.
In addition to her own famous hits, she will offer new interpretations of modern classics by The Beach Boys ("God Only Knows"), Bob Dylan ("Blowing In The Wind"), Laura Nyro ("I Never Meant to Hurt You") and John Lennon ("Imagine"), in addition to pop/jazz standards by George Gershwin, Michael Legrand and Sergio Mendes. "My show is a collaboration of both worlds, the songs of the '60's and the ones that I am singing now in my 60's - If I were to get up on a stage and do a full show and not include 'It's My Party,' the audience would have at me. Fortunately, I love to sing the hits," says Gore. She will be joined onstage by five musicians and three background vocalists. "This is the greatest band I have ever worked with," Gore continues. "I call them The Dream Band."
Born in Brooklyn and raised in Tenafly, New Jersey, Gore was discovered by music legend Quincy Jones and recorded "It's My Party" when she was just 16 years old. In the years that followed, she helped create the soundtrack of the 1960s with over two dozen chart hits. The most commercially successful solo artist of the "Girl Group" era, Gore paved the way for future generations of independent female vocalists from Pat Benatar to Madonna and Gwen Stefani with such hits as "She's A Fool," "Maybe I Know," "California Nights" and "Judy's Turn to Cry".
After years of success as a chart-topping pop singer, Gore attended Sarah Lawrence College and eventually began writing her own music. She earned an Academy Award nomination for co-writing "Out Here On My Own" for the film Fame and co-wrote "My Secret Love" for Allison Anders's film Grace of My Heart, starring Brigit Fonda. In 2005, Gore returned to the recording studio to record Ever Since, which received critical acclaim from The New York Times, Rolling Stone and Billboard Magazine. In addition to extensive national radio coverage, music from the album was featured on "CSI: Miami," "The L Word," and the Jeff Lipsky-directed film Flannel Pajamas. Lesley's compositions have been recorded by Patti Austin, Bernadette Peters, Dusty Springfield, and Quincy Jones, among many others.
"It's Still Her Party" will begin at 7:00 PM Friday, October 31st in the Grace Rainey Rogers Auditorium at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (ground floor entrance at Fifth Avenue and 83rd Street). All tickets are $50. Please call (212) 570-3949 or visit www.metmuseum.org/tickets/ for more information.
