Trailblazing Singer, Actress Connie Francis Dies
Connie Francis, the beloved American pop singer and actress whose voice defined an era, has died.
Connie Francis in 2011.
She was 87, and had been hospitalized the last two weeks.
Ron Roberts, the president of Francis’ label, Concetta Records, announced her death on Facebook.
“it is with a heavy heart and extreme sadness that i inform you of the passing of my dear friend Connie Francis last night,” wrote early Thursday morning, July 17. “I know that Connie would approve that her fans are among the first to learn of this sad news.”
Born Concetta Rosa Maria Franconero in Newark, New Jersey, Francis rose from neighborhood talent shows to become the top-charting female vocalist of the late 1950s and early 1960s.
She made history as the first woman to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with “Everybody’s Somebody’s Fool” in 1960, and was the first female artist to score three No. 1 hits on the chart.
Her signature songs include “Who’s Sorry Now?,” “Stupid Cupid,” “Lipstick on Your Collar,” and “Where the Boys Are,” the latter becoming an anthem for a generation.
Francis sold more than 200 million records worldwide and was named the most successful female artist in multiple countries, including the US, Germany, and Japan. Her career was marked by resilience, overcoming personal tragedy and health setbacks, and she was married four times.
Francis retired in 2018, but her music found new audiences, even going viral on TikTok in her final year.
She leaves behind a legacy as one of pop music’s most enduring and influential voices.
