Connie Francis, the beloved singer of the 1950s and ’60s, known for timeless hits like “Pretty Little Baby” and “Stupid Cupid,” passed away on Wednesday. She was 87.
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Ron Roberts, president of Concetta Records and a close friend of Francis, shared the sad news early Thursday in a heartfelt Facebook post.
“It is with a heavy heart and extreme sadness that I inform you of the passing of my dear friend Connie Francis last night,” Roberts wrote.
“I know that Connie would approve that her fans are among the first to learn of this sad news. More details will follow later,” he concluded.
News of her death follows Francis’s sharing in a Fourth of July Facebook post that she was “feeling much better after a good night,” following news of her hospitalization two days earlier.
The singer announced on July 2 that she was back in the hospital, saying she had been “undergoing tests and checks to determine the cause(s) of the extreme pain I have been experiencing.”
Francis Sold Over 40 Million Records by Age 25
Born Concetta Franconero in Newark, New Jersey, she became “Connie Francis” at 13, a name suggested by TV host Arthur Godfrey, according to NPR. Her breakthrough came in 1957 with a cover of “Who’s Sorry Now?”
The track reached number four on the Billboard Hot 100 and stayed on the charts for months. “Who’s Sorry Now?” went on to become one of her signature songs and the title of her autobiography.
Francis’s career soared with follow-up hits like “My Happiness,” “Lipstick on Your Collar,” and “Among My Souvenirs.” Her 1959 album, Connie Francis Sings Italian Favorites, became her most successful release, while 1960’s “Everybody’s Somebody’s Fool” marked a historic milestone as her first No. 1 hit in the United States—and the first ever by a solo female artist on the Billboard Hot 100, which debuted in 1958. By the time she turned 25, Francis had sold over 40 million records.
Connie Francis Suffered a String of Personal Tragedies
Francis’s career declined with the changing music scene of the late 1960s, followed by devastating personal tragedies. In 1974, she was raped in a Long Island motel. A failed nasal surgery in 1977 left her temporarily voiceless. By 1981, her brother George was murdered by the mafia.
That year, she attempted a career comeback but faced challenges due to mental health struggles. Her father had her admitted to psychiatric hospitals, and she survived a suicide attempt in 1984. That same year, she published her first memoir, Who’s Sorry Now?
She later collaborated with Ronald Reagan’s administration on a violent crime task force. She also advocated for rape victims and, in 2010, partnered with Mental Health America to raise awareness about trauma and its treatments.
Meanwhile, Francis recently gained attention as her 1962 song “Pretty Little Baby” became a hit on TikTok, 63 years after its release.
Francis didn’t have the best luck in love, marrying four times. Her first marriage to Dick Kanellis in 1964 lasted five months. In 1971, she married Izzy Marion, but that ended after 10 months. She tied the knot with Joseph Garzilli in 1973, adopting a son together before divorcing in 1977. Her fourth marriage to Bob Parkinson in 1985 was also short-lived, lasting just a few months.
Francis is survived by her son.