Connie Francis, Beloved Singer Behind “Pretty Little Baby,” Dies At Age 87

Connie Francis Dies Two Weeks After Being Hospitalized For “Extreme Pain”

Connie Francis, the iconic singer behind pop staples such as “Pretty Little Baby,” “Everybody’s Somebody’s Fool,” “Who’s Sorry Now?” and “My Heart Has a Mind of Its Own,” has died. She was 87 years old.

Only July 2, Francis informed her Facebook followers that she was hospitalized after suffering from “extreme pain.” She was undergoing a series of tests to determine the cause of her discomfort.

Due to her hospitalization, Francis canceled her appearance at an Independence Day show. She previously had to cancel another appearance a few weeks prior after having a treatment performed on her hip.

Francis’ last Facebook post came two days later, on July 4. She seemed in good spirits and shared that she was “feeling much better” after a restful night. She wished everyone a happy Independence Day and thanked them for their prayers.

“Thank you all for your continued kind thoughts and prayers. A happy Independence Day to you and your loved ones. Love, Connie.”

Sadly, Francis passed away just two weeks later. Ron Roberts, her good friend and the President of her label, Concetta Records, shared the news on Facebook.

Francis’ official Facebook page shared Roberts’ post, adding further confirmation to the heartbreaking news of her death.

“It is with a heavy heart and extreme sadness that i inform you of the passing of my dear friend Connie Francis last night,” Roberts wrote in a post shared in the early morning hours of July 17. “I know that Connie would approve that her fans are among the first to learn of this sad news. More details will follow later.”

A few hours later, Roberts shared another post with more information about Francis’ passing. He said:

“In early July she had been transferred from ICU to a private room where, following ‘a good night’, she wished her fans a happy Fourth of July. Connie was readmitted into the ICU where further tests were conducted. On Tuesday (July 15) it was confirmed that she had pneumonia.”

Francis died the following day, July 16, at the North Broward Hospital in Pompano Beach, Florida.

Connie Francis Was One Of Pop Music’s Biggest Stars In The 1950s And 1960s

Francis was born Concetta Rosa Maria Franconero in Newark, New Jersey, on December 12, 1937. She started performing at a young age, and her father encouraged her to showcase her musical talents. Francis would sing and play the accordion in talent contestants and other events.

While rehearsing for Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts, Godfrey advised Francis to change her name to make it easier to pronounce. That’s how she ended up going by Connie Francis.

Francis released her first single, “Freddy,” in 1955. While that song and her first few singles failed to generate chart success, Francis didn’t give up.

She scored her first hit in 1958 when her single “Who’s Sorry Now?” reached #4 on the Billboard Hot 100.

In 1960, her single “Everybody’s Somebody’s Fool” reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, making her the first solo female singer to accomplish the feat.

Francis also went to #1 with “My Heart Has a Mind of Its Own” and “Don’t Break the Heart that Loves You.”

Music trends started to change, especially as the British Invasion began. With those changes, Francis’ popularity started to wane. She then experienced a series of traumatic events. In 1974, she was raped at a motel in New York, and her attacker was never found.

Then, in 1977, Francis underwent nasal surgery that resulted in the temporary loss of her voice. Heartbreakingly, in 1981, her brother, George, to whom she was close, was murdered.

Due to everything she’d been through, Francis struggled with her mental health. She became an advocate for rape victims and mental health awareness. During a 2017 interview with PEOPLE, she shared her hope she would one day be remembered, “not so much for the heights I have reached, but for the depths from which I have come.”

Connie Francis’ “Pretty Little Baby” Went Viral Just Months Before Her Death

Francis continued to perform for several years before retiring in 2018. Just months before her death, her 1962 single, “Pretty Little Baby,” went viral on TikTok, sparking a career resurgence.

A May 22 report from PEOPLE states the song was used in countless videos, generating 10 billion views. Due to its overwhelming popularity, it soared to the #1 spot on TikTok’s Viral 50 and Top 50 charts.

Francis recorded the track when she was 24, and admitted she forgot about it.

“To tell you the truth, I didn’t even remember the song!” Francis told PEOPLE. “I had to listen to it to remember. To think that a song I recorded 63 years ago is touching the hearts of millions of people is truly awesome. It is an amazing feeling.”

Thanks to “Pretty Little Baby,” millions of new fans were introduced to Francis’ music shortly before her death. She’s so dearly missed…