
Connie Francis, the acclaimed singer recognized for her 1962 hit “Pretty Little Baby” and chart-topping songs including “Everybody’s Somebody’s Fool,” has passed away at age 87, according to her manager.
Ron Roberts, Francis’ copyrights and royalties manager, announced her death through social media, stating: “It is with a heavy heart and extreme sadness that I inform you of the passing of my dear friend Connie Francis last night. I know that Connie would approve that her fans are among the first to learn of this sad news.”
“Pretty Little Baby” experienced a resurgence in popularity on TikTok, where Francis later established a presence. The song has been featured in over 17 million videos, accumulating more than 27 billion views worldwide on the platform.
Francis expressed her amazement at the song’s renewed success, saying, “I’m flabbergasted and excited about the huge buzz my 1962 recording of ‘Pretty Little Baby’ is making all over the world. To think that a song I recorded 63 years ago is captivating new generations of audiences is truly overwhelming for me.”
The track appeared on Francis’ 1962 album “Connie Francis Sings ‘Second Hand Love’ & Other Hits,” which achieved placement on the Billboard Top LPs chart. Additional singles from the album, “Together” and “Don’t Break the Heart that Loves You,” both reached number one on the Easy Listening chart.
In May 2024, “Pretty Little Baby” entered Spotify’s Global and U.S. charts for the first time in the song’s history.
Born Concetta Rosa Maria Franconero in Newark, New Jersey on December 12, 1937, Francis is estimated to have sold over 200 million records globally throughout her career.
Francis began her entertainment career as a child performer on television programs. Her breakthrough came in 1958 with “Who’s Sorry Now,” which became her first major hit. Two years later, at age 21, Francis achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first female artist to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100 with “Everybody’s Somebody’s Fool.”
Throughout her extensive career, Francis accumulated 53 hits on the Billboard charts, establishing herself as one of the era’s most successful recording artists.
The music industry recognized Francis’ contributions in 1964 when she received a special Golden Globe award for her impact on the recording world.
In 2001, “Who’s Sorry Now” received additional recognition when it was designated as one of the Songs of the Century by the Recording Industry of America and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Be the first to leave a comment