Lesley Gore Dead: 'It's My Party' and 'You Don't Own Me' Singer Passes Away at 68 in New York

It's okay, you can cry if you want to. Today (Feb. 16), legendary pop singer and songwriter Lesley Gore of "It's My Party" and "You Don't Know Me" died of cancer in New York City. She was 68 years old.

Fox News reports that Gore passed away at New York-Presbyterian Hospital in Manhattan of an undisclosed type of cancer. Shewas surrounded by her partner of 33 years, Lois Sasson, who announced her death to the Associated Press.

"She was a wonderful human being -- caring, giving, a great feminist, great woman, great human being, great humanitarian," Sasson said of her partner in a statement.

Gore is best known for her contribution to the '60s pop landscape. She was born on May 2, 1946, as Lesley Sue Goldstein and discovered at the age of 16 by Quincy Jones, who signed her to Mercury Records.

Then, Gore broke through into the mainstream with the classic hit "It's My Party," which topped the Billboard Hot 100 in 1963. The track helped launch both Gore and Jones to stardom.

Gore experienced massive success in the 1960s, following up "It's My Party" with numerous singles, including "Judy's Turn to Cry" and "She's a Fool," both of which cracked the top five of the charts.

Gore's next big single came in the form of a feminist anthem: the 1964 track "You Don't Own Me." The biting song tears down possessive men, subverting popular musical themes of the era. It sat behind The Beatles' "I Want to Hold Your Hand" at No. 2 on the Hot 100 for three weeks.

Gore leaves behind her partner Sasson, her brother and her mother. Fox News reports that she was working on a stage play of her life at the time of her death.