Long before superstar pop singers Cher, Madonna, Lady Gaga, Beyonce, and Taylor Swift there was Connie Francis. Francis was the first solo female pop singer to reach global iconic status and one of the most commercially successful singers of all time.
Connie Francis will greatly be missed and remembered by generations of adoring fans. She passed away peacefully in Pompano Beach, Florida on July 16, 2025, at age 87, survived by her son Joseph Garzilli, Jr. Always resilient, she excelled in talent and fame as well as overcoming abuse and personal tragedies.
“Who’s Sorry Now”
Francis took the world by storm. She was America’s Sweetheart with a voice like an angel, the ultimate ‘girl-next-door’, who captivated us with both her joyful and tearful love ballads. From 1958 to 1964 she was the third top selling singer behind Elvis Presley and The Beatles. Francis was the first woman in history to reach Number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. She had 35 Top 40 Hits with 3 Number One hits, 8 singles certified Gold, and 14 Top Ten Hits. She sold over 200 million records with 144 released singles and 53 albums. Francis was recognized as the most successful female artist in the U.S., England, Germany, Italy, Japan, and Australia.
“I Will Wait For You”
A blogger Joanne M. on the Bandstand Mailbox website said it best in her tribute to Connie Francis: “Every time I hear ‘Where the Boys Are,’ I feel like I’m 16 again. Connie Francis had a voice that could make you cry and smile in the same breath. There are voices that entertain. There are voices that inspire. And then, there are voices that understand. In the golden age of American pop, no voice did that more profoundly than Connie Francis. For every girl who ever wept into a diary, for every teen who waited by the telephone, Connie’s voice was the soundtrack of longing, love, and heartbreak. She wasn’t just a singer — she was a confidante, a sister, and in many ways, the secret narrator of America’s teenage soul.”
Early Career
Born in 1937 to an American-Italian family where Connie grew up in Newark, New Jersey. Her father saw her potential and orchestrated her career from a young age. She sang in talent shows and appeared on the Arthur Godfrey Talent Scouts in 1950 and the NBC Variety Show in 1953 and 1955. Then she signed with the MGM record label and released several singles. In addition, Hollywood used her as the singing voice of leading female actresses in several romance movies.
“Everybody’s Somebody’s Fool”
Frankie Avalon, Connie Francis, Dick Clark, and Fabian on “American Bandstand”
Her big break came when Dick Clark understood how teens were attracted to her music, so he promoted her “Who’s Sorry Now” song. Clark had her perform it on his American Bandstand national TV show in 1958. She became an instant hit with sales of her single flying off the shelves.
“My Happiness”
Global Stardom
Suddenly Francis had a series of single hits throughout the late 1950s and early 1960s. She performed as a headliner at the Sahara in Las Vegas and at the Copacabana in New York. She starred in her own ABC-TV special and appeared four times on the Ed Sullivan Show. In the 1960’s she performed for U.S. troops in the Vietnam War. Francis became a sensation in the U.S., Canada, United Kingdom, Italy, Germany, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand.
“Where the Boys Are” movie, 1960
“Where the Boys Are”
In 1960 Francis had a break in the movies starring in the popular box office hit “Where the Boys Are”, a romantic comedy. The film is about the love affairs of college girls on spring-break in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. She went on to star in three additional movies.
“You’re Gonna Miss Me”
Later Career
With the so-called ‘British Invasion’, American pop and rock music went through a significant change in the 1960’s. Leading artists like Elvis Presley, Bobby Darin, Roy Orbison, Frankie Avalon, Bobby Rydell, Paul Anka, and many others had to shift to soft rock, lounge, jazz, easy listening, and cabaret singing in Las Vegas, TV variety shows, and nightclubs. Connie Francis was no exception. She expanded her range into R&B, vocal jazz, Broadway show music, and cabaret. Fluent in several languages, she developed a niche in releasing albums in Italian, German, Spanish, and Yiddish which were popular in foreign markets.
“Al Di La”
Troubled by tragedies in her personal life and medical problems, Francis had a nervous breakdown. She became a recluse in the mid-1970s and 1980s.
In 1989 she achieved a comeback in her performing and recording career. She headlined in Las Vegas and performed at sold out concerts around the world. She retired in 2018.
“Love Me With All Your Heart”
Connie Francis Top Ten Hit Singles
- Who’s Sorry Now, 1957, Chart No. 4 U.S., No. 1 UK, composed by Ted Snyder, Bert Kalmer
- My Happiness, 1958, Chart No. 2 U.S., composed by Borney Bergantine
- Lipstick On Your Collar, 1959, Chart No. 5 U.S., No. UK, composed by Brill Building
- Among My Souvenirs, 1959, Chart No. 7 U.S., No.11 UK, composed by Edgar Leslie, Horatio Nicholls
- Everybody’s Somebody’s Fool, 1960, Chart No. 1 U.S., No. 5 UK, composed by Jack Keller, Howard Greenfield
- Many Tears Ago, 1960, Chart No. 7 U.S., No. 12 UK, composed by Winfield Scott
- Where the Boys Are, 1961, Chart No. 4, composed by Neil Sedaka, Howard Greenfield
- My Heart Has a Mind of Its Own, 1960, chart No. 1 U.S, No. 3 UK, composed by Howard Greenfield, Jack Keller
- Together, 1961, Chart No. 6 U.S., No. 7 UK, composed Ray Henderson, Buddy DeSylva
- When the Boy In Your Arms, 1961, Chart No. 10 U.S., composed by Sid Tepper, Roy Bennett
- Breakin’ In a Brand New Broken Heart, 1961, Chart No. 7, composed by Howard Greenfield, Jack Keller
- Don’t Break the Heart That Loves You, 1962, Chart No. 1 U.S., composed by Benny Davis, Murray Mencher
- Second Hand Love, 1962, Chart No. 7 U.S., composed by Phil Spector
- Vacation, 1962, Chart No. 9 U.S., No. 10 UK, composed by Gary Weston, Hank Hunter
Connie Francis and Bobby Darin on “The Ed Sullivan Show”, 1960
Connie Francis Movies
- Rock, Rock, Rock!, 1956, only singing voice for Tuesday Weld
- Jamboree, 1957, only singing voice for Freda Holloway
- The Sheriff of Fractured Jaw, 1958, only singing voice for Jayne Mansfield
- Where the Boys Are, 1960, acting in romantic comedy, with Paula Prentis, Yvette Mimeux, and George Hamilton
- Follow the Boys, 1963, acting in romantic comedy, with Paula Prentis
- Looking For Love, 1964, acting and singing in musical, with Ji Hutton
- When the Boys Meet he Girls, 1965, musical, with Harve Presnell
