VISTA, Calif. — The Me Too Movement has inspired women to speak their minds and stand up against inequality and one woman is making such a stand.
A few weeks ago I popped in on one of America's original pop stars, Dodie Stevens.
In 1959, her hit song "Pink Shoelaces" was one of the hottest songs in the world. Dodie was just 13 years old.
"Fun, exciting, grueling," said Dodie when asked to describe her teenage years.
Dodie moved from Chicago to Los Angeles with nothing to lose and was cast in three movies including Hound Dog Man playing Fabian's girlfriend.
"Heartthrob. He was an idol like Shawn Mendez is these days," Dodie said describing the pictures of famous faces that crowd the walls of her home.
"I opened the show for Bob Hope," said Dodie.
"This is Brenda Lee's birthday party her 16th birthday. This is Mike Love from the Beach Boys and I was doing a background gig for him."
Dodie's proud of her Dick Clark plaque and memorabilia presented by Vinyl City Broadcasting.
For the 60th anniversary of Pink Shoelaces, Dodie is launching new music at WildWood Crossing in Vista, as well as telling an old secret she's never shared.
"Oh yeah, we'll book you, but you've got to sleep with me," Dodie tells her friends and fans.
All these years later, Dodie's using her voice in a different way to offer this message to young women.
"Don't buy in to it, there is no need for that kind of stuff," she said.
The Me Too movement prompted Dodie to tell her truth and her fans love it.
"Women have always kept their mouths closed wearing lipstick and looking pretty and now it's time to speak up for themselves," said Robyn Farris.
The topic is heavy, but Dodie's hit song still lightens the mood.
"It makes me move and I think of her all of the time," said Peggy Lee.
"There was none other like it it was unique, there was no other song like it," said another fan, Andrew Gallaher.
Dodie's new album is called: 'Affirmasong: The Game of Life.'
She focuses on songs that are affirming or as she calls them affirmasongs. Her daughter Stephanie, provides backs up in more ways than one and is proud of her mother's strength.
"Oh God yes, every time, that is what you got to do in this world. You get knocked down you get back up. What are you going to do just crumble fall and stay down. You got to get back up and carry on with life," said Stephanie.
"People don't know about me. They don't know how my life went from 1959, when I was 13 years old to 1974, when I was 27, and I finally saw what I was doing wrong and how I could get out of the madness I was in," said Dodie.
At 73-years old, Dodie's come to peace with her past, and just like her care free song nothing can break the spirit of Dodie Stevens.
"How am I feeling? I am feeling good what is there not to feel good about?" said Dodie.
Dodie teaches singing lessons and stage performance. For more information about her services or new music, click here.