Connie Francis facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Connie Francis
Francis in 1961
Background information
Birth name	Concetta Rosa Maria Franconero
Born	(1937-12-12)December 12, 1937 Newark, New Jersey, U.S.
Died	July 16, 2025(2025-07-16) (aged 87)
Genres	Traditional pop rock and roll country pop vocal jazz
Occupation(s)	Singer musician actress author
Instruments	Vocals accordion
Years active	1955–2018
Labels	MGM Polydor GSF Records Ivanhoe Records United Artists Malaco Herzklang Legacy Recordings Carlton Music Concetta Records
Associated acts	Bobby Darin Brenda Lee Patti Page Neil Sedaka Lesley Gore Carole King Ricky Nelson

Connie Francis (born Concetta Rosa Maria Franconero; December 12, 1937 – July 16, 2025) was an American pop singer and actress. She was one of the most popular female singers of the late 1950s and early 1960s. During her career, she is thought to have sold more than 200 million records all over the world.

In 1960, Connie was named the most successful female artist in many countries, including Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States. She was the first woman to have a No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart with her song "Everybody's Somebody's Fool".

Biography

Early Life and First Performances

Connie Francis was born in Newark, New Jersey, to an Italian-American family. As a child, she lived in a neighborhood with many Italian and Jewish families. Because of this, she learned to speak Yiddish fluently. She later recorded songs in Yiddish and Hebrew.

Her father encouraged her to perform in talent contests and local festivals. She would sing and play the accordion. When she was getting ready to appear on a TV show called Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts, the host, Arthur Godfrey, gave her some advice. He suggested she change her name to Connie Francis because it was easier to say. He also told her to stop playing the accordion, which she was happy to do because she didn't like the big, heavy instrument.

Connie attended Newark Arts High School and later graduated from Belleville High School in 1955. She continued to perform on TV shows for kids and teenagers.

A Slow Start in Music

In 1955, Connie signed a contract with MGM Records. But her first few songs were not successful. For a while, it seemed like her music career might not take off.

She did find some work singing for movies. She was the "singing voice" for actresses in the movies Rock, Rock, Rock (1956) and Jamboree (1957). In 1957, she had a small hit with a duet she recorded with singer Marvin Rainwater called "The Majesty of Love".

Breakthrough to Stardom

A Billboard magazine notice from 1958 celebrating Connie's success.

Even with the small success of her duet, MGM Records told Connie they would not renew her contract. She thought about giving up music to study medicine at New York University.

For what she thought was her last recording session, her father insisted she record a song from 1923 called "Who's Sorry Now?". He believed that adults would know the song and teenagers would like a new, modern version. Connie didn't like the song and argued with her father, but she recorded it anyway.

At first, the song didn't seem to be a hit. But on January 1, 1958, the famous TV host Dick Clark played it on his show American Bandstand. He told the audience that the singer was "headed straight for the number one spot." Soon, the song became a huge hit. It sold over a million copies and made Connie a worldwide star.

After "Who's Sorry Now?", Connie was looking for another hit. Songwriters Neil Sedaka and Howard Greenfield played her a fun, upbeat song they had written called "Stupid Cupid". Connie knew right away it would be her next hit. The song was a success and reached number 1 in the United Kingdom.

An International Star

Connie Francis on the cover of Cashbox magazine in 1959.

Connie's father had another great idea. In 1959, she went to London to record an album of Italian songs. The album, Connie Francis Sings Italian Favorites, was very successful and stayed on the charts for 81 weeks.

This success led Connie to become one of the first American artists to record her songs in different languages. She wanted people all over the world to understand and enjoy her music. Over her career, she recorded in 15 languages, including German, Spanish, and Japanese. Her German version of "Everybody's Somebody's Fool," called "Die Liebe ist ein seltsames Spiel", became a number 1 hit in West Germany.

Throughout the early 1960s, Connie had many more hits, including:

• "Where the Boys Are" (1961)
• "Breakin' in a Brand New Broken Heart" (1961)
• "Don't Break the Heart That Loves You" (1962)
• "Vacation" (1962)

The song "Where the Boys Are" was also the theme for her first movie. The film made the town of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, a popular spot for college students during spring break.

During the Vietnam War in 1967, Connie performed for American soldiers. She often talked about this experience at her concerts.

Later Career

A Billboard ad for Connie's hit song, "Vacation", in 1962.

In 1989, Connie returned to performing and recording. She released an album called Where the Hits Are, which included new recordings of her famous songs.

In 2018, Connie Francis retired from performing. In 2025, her 1962 song "Pretty Little Baby" became a surprise hit on the social media app TikTok. Many young people discovered her music for the first time. Connie said she was happy that a new generation was enjoying her songs.

She passed away on July 16, 2025, at the age of 87.

Personal Life

Relationship with Bobby Darin

Early in her career, Connie had a romantic relationship with singer and songwriter Bobby Darin. Her father strongly disapproved of their relationship and made them break up. Connie later said in her book that not marrying Bobby Darin was the biggest mistake of her life.

Helping Others

Connie used her fame to help with important causes. In the 1980s, President Ronald Reagan asked her to lead a group focused on crime victims. She also worked with organizations that helped American soldiers (the USO) and children around the world (UNICEF).

Film and TV Roles

Connie Francis starred in several movies and also provided the singing voice for other actresses.

Filmography

Television

Images for kids

• 

  Connie Francis around 1970

Recognition

• In 2001, her song "Who's Sorry Now?" was named one of the Songs of the Century.
• A street in her hometown of Belleville, New Jersey, was named "Connie Francis Way" in her honor.

See also

In Spanish: Connie Francis para niños