Connie Francis, the first solo woman to top Billboard, dies at 87 Pop icon Connie Francis passed away at the age of 87, her friend Ron Roberts confirmed. Francis was the first solo female artist to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Connie Francis, the beloved singer of “Who’s Sorry Now?” and “Pretty Little Baby,” has died. The heartbreaking news was confirmed early Thursday, July 17, by longtime friend Ron Roberts, president of Concetta Recrods.
In a touching Facebook post, Roberts wrote, “It is with a heavy heart and extreme sadness that I inform you of the passing of my dear friend Connie Francis last night.” The announcement was also shared on Francis’ official Facebook page.
Just two weeks earlier, Francis had informed fans she had returned to the hospital, undergoing tests to diagnose the source of severe pain. Despite briefly reassuring followers with a July 4th update that she felt “much better,” her condition worsened. The cause of death has not yet been disclosed.
What made Connie Francis a legend?
Connie Francis’ career was groundbreaking. Born Concetta Franconero in 1937 in Newark, New Jersey, she began performing in talent contests as a child and went on to sign the MGM Records in 1955. Although her early singles flopped, her father insisted she record the 1923 tune “Who’s Sorry Now?”, a move she initially resisted. The song bombed until it was played on American Bandstand 1958, skyrocketing Francis to fame in both the U.S. and U.K.
She followed with a string of hits like “My Heart Has a Mind of Its Own,” “Where the Boys Are,” and “Don’t Break the Heart That Loves You.” In 1960, she became the first solo female artist to hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with “Everybody’s Somebody’s Fool.”
Francis also recorded in multiple languages, helping her build an international fan base. Her 1959 album Connie Francis Sings Italian Favorites became biggest-selling LP.
Why did Connie Francis fade from the spotlight?
By the late 1960, musical tastes changed, and so did Francis’ life. In 1974, she was raped in a motel room, which marked the beginning of a dark period. She lost her voice temporarily in 1977 after surgery and endured the murder of her brother George in 1981. That same year, she launched a comeback that was hindered by mental health struggles. She was involuntarily hospitalized multiple times and misdiagnosed before being correctly treated for PTSD.
Despite these challenges, Francis became an outspoken advocate for rape victims and health awareness. She worked with President Ronald Reagan’s administration on violent crime policies and later released two memoirs, Who’s Sorry Now?(1984) and Among My Souvenirs (2017).
Her legacy saw a resurgence in recent years when her 1962 track “Pretty Little Baby” became a viral sensation on TikTok, 63 years after its release.
