Connie Francis, the chart-topping pop singer of the 1950s and ‘60s known for hits like “Pretty Little Baby” and “Who’s Sorry Now?”, has died at 87. Her death was confirmed by publicist Ron Roberts, though no additional details were given. Earlier this month, Francis revealed she had been hospitalized with “extreme pain.”
Recently rediscovered by younger audiences thanks to TikTok, her 1962 hit “Pretty Little Baby” found new life, with celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Kylie Jenner helping it go viral. “To think that a song I recorded 63 years ago is captivating new generations is truly overwhelming,” Francis said in a TikTok video.
@connie_francis_official
First time I’ve lip-synched to this 63 year old recording of mine!
♬ Pretty Little Baby – Connie Francis
Connie Francis: The Voice of A Generation
Born Concetta Franconero in Newark, New Jersey, she began performing as a child and adopted the stage name Connie Francis on the advice of Arthur Godfrey. She was married four times and said only one was worth the trouble.
Connie Francis rose to fame before the Beatles era, scoring more than a dozen Top 20 hits including “Don’t Break the Heart That Loves You” and “The Heart Has a Mind of Its Own.” She also starred in popular teen films like Where the Boys Are. Her breakthrough came in 1958 when Dick Clark played “Who’s Sorry Now?” on American Bandstand—a turning point she later credited with saving her career.
Her personal life, however, was marked by pain. A romance with singer Bobby Darin ended after her father intervened with a gun. In 1974, she was raped in her hotel room—a traumatic event that led to a successful lawsuit but years of emotional recovery. She also endured the murder of her brother and was later institutionalized, surviving a suicide attempt and emerging as an advocate for crime victims.
“I don’t want people to feel sorry for me,” she told The New York Times in 1981. “I have my voice, a gift from God I took for granted before. He gave it back to me.”
Rest in Peace, Connie.
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