“We loved her and we are very sad. She was an incredibly powerful, incredibly beautiful talent,” he said.
According to People magazine, the cause of death was cancer.
Gore, born Lesley Sue Goldstein, had just turned 17 when “It’s My Party,” produced by Quincy Jones, topped the charts in June 1963. The song, about a girl whose party is ruined when she catches her boyfriend, Johnny, with a rival, became a pop classic, its catchy chorus often imitated.
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“If I’ve learned anything in this business, how stupid would it be not to do ‘It’s My Party’ when people come to hear it?” she said.
Gore is survived by her partner of more than 30 years, jewelry designer Lois Sasson.
CNN’s Tony Marco contributed to this story.
