Leslie Gore Brings Her Party to Wildwood

NEW YORK – You’ve heard the term “overnight sensation” referring to a singer or band.
Leslie Gore said she was a “one week sensation.”
Gore recorded “It’s My Party,” and seven days later it was a hit on the radio. Her life became a whirlwind of television appearances and concerts, she told the Herald.
Gore will be opening the Sensational Spring Concert with Neil Sedaka at the Wildwoods Convention Center, April 28 at 7 p.m.
She is no stranger to Wildwood or Philadelphia where she made a number of appearances on American Bandstand.
Quincy Jones, her producer who later worked with Michael Jackson and Miles Davis, had his earliest hits with Gore. Jones had worked with Lena Horn, Billy Eckstein and Sarah Vaughn.
In those days, the recording studio was filled with musicians and background singers as opposed to today’s technique of recording instruments and vocals on numerous separate tracks.
“What I felt was a tremendous amount of excitement from them,” said Gore, about recording “It’s My Party.” It being her first session, she said she could not judge if the song was going to be a hit.
Gore’s demeanor performing on television was very calm and collected. She said she feels at home on stage but is a “nervous wreck until I get there.”
Phil Ramone, who went on to produce records for Billy Joel, Chicago, Paul McCartney and Paul Simon, engineered her records. She was 16 years old but Ramone treated her like an adult, said Gore.
“I think we had a bit of a crush on each other,” she said.
He encouraged her to try one more “take” of a song in the studio when she thought she could not do another.
The night she recorded “It’s My Party,” Ramone was also recording the same song with the Crystals. Her version was ready to release, the Crystals’ version was not.
After her quick rocket to fame, fans were calling her home in Tenafly and pitching tents on her front lawn.
In the era of Dick Clark’s caravan concert tours, Gore was protected from life on the road in a bus with a group of other singers and musicians, she said.
Gore was more likely to fly to a show and meet the caravan tour in a city.
She said she did not have a lot of experience when she first toured because he career began with a number one record.
“It was nothing I was prepared for or expected,” said Gore.
She is a part of rock ‘n roll history for her appearance on the T.A.M.I. Show, a television special that also featured James Brown, the Rolling Stones, Beach Boys, Chuck Berry, Jan and Dean, Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson and the Supremes.
Gore said the acts were “pretty much locked up in the Santa Monica Civic Center for about two or three days.”
“It was a miracle,” she said. “I credit it as my learning experience 101 because I just stood in the wings and watched some of the most incredible performers of that era get out there and do their thing.”
Her guest appearances on the Batman television show as Catwoman’s assistant “Pussycat,” are legendary. Gore said her father’s business partner’s brother was the producer of Batman.
Gore did not write her 60’s hits but began songwriting in the 70’s and 80’s including an Academy Award nomination for her composition, “Out Here On My Own,” from the “Fame” film soundtrack.
One of Gore’s cheeriest songs “Sunshine, Lollipops and Rainbows,” is not one of her favorite songs because “it says virtually nothing.” It was a surprisingly short record, 1 minute 37 seconds.
Universal Music recently licensed the song for a J.C. Penny commercial, she said.
“I’m loving that song this week,” said Gore.
She will perform it and all hits Saturday night including “You Don’t Own Me,” “Judy’s Turn to Cry,” and “She’s a Fool.”
Click to see Leslie’s video:
http://youtu.be/u5x8LCz7YBQ