Leslie Gourse

Roberta Leslie Gourse (January 1, 1939 – December 23, 2004) was an American writer and biographer who was a prolific writer on jazz music and musicians. In 1991, the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers awarded her the Deems Taylor Award for a series of seven articles in the magazine JazzTimes focusing on female jazz musicians.

Gourse was born in Fall River, Massachusetts, to Harva Zelda Fisher Gourse and Harry Andrew Gourse. She attended Columbia University. Shortly after her graduation in 1960, Gourse published her first novel, With Gall and Honey, a romantic novel set in Israel. Gourse wrote several books for children, and many biographies of notable jazz musicians.

Gourse died as a result of respiratory problems in 2004.