American singer and songwriter (1946-2015). Born in Brooklyn, New York. Most successful as a teenage pop star in the early 1960s; later became a noted songwriter, LGBTQ activist, and PBS host.
Released eight studio albums between I'll Cry If I Want To (1963) and Ever Since (2005). Commercial peak: her 1963 debut featuring the #1 single "It's My Party," produced by Quincy Jones (his first commercial breakthrough as a producer). Other notable singles include "Judy's Turn to Cry" (1963), "She's a Fool" (1963), and the feminist anthem "You Don't Own Me" (1963). Co-wrote songs for the film Fame (1980), including the Oscar-nominated "Out Here on My Own."
