Pop Icon of the ‘50s and ‘60s Connie Francis, Dies at 87 

Connie Francis, one of the defining voices of the pre-Beatles pop era, has died at 87.

Her longtime friend, legendary radio DJ Bruce “Cousin Brucie” Morrow, confirmed that she passed away Wednesday at a hospital in Florida, where she’d lived for years. He didn’t mention a cause, but earlier this month, Francis had shared on social media that she’d been hospitalized with “extreme pain.”

For fans of that golden age of jukebox ballads and innocent heartbreak, Francis was the voice. From “Who’s Sorry Now?” to “Don’t Break the Heart That Loves You,” she owned the charts in the late ‘50s and early ‘60s — and somehow, she just made her way back into the spotlight one more time before saying goodbye.

Thanks to TikTok of all places, Francis was suddenly a trending name again. Her 1962 hit “Pretty Little Baby” exploded on the app, soundtracking countless videos — with even Kim Kardashian and Kylie Jenner joining the wave. Francis was stunned and delighted.

“I’m flabbergasted and excited about the huge buzz my 1962 recording of ‘Pretty Little Baby’ is making all over the world,” she said in a TikTok video. “To think that a song I recorded 63 years ago is captivating new generations of audiences is truly overwhelming for me.”

Francis was just 17 when she got her big break, signing with MGM Records after a few variety show appearances. Her early singles didn’t make much noise… until “Who’s Sorry Now?” flipped the script in 1958. Ironically, the song — originally written in the 1920s — ended up symbolizing a life that included both dazzling highs and deep personal heartbreak.

From 1957 to 1964, she was everywhere. Teens loved her. Parents loved her. Radio stations couldn’t get enough. She racked up more than a dozen Top 20 hits, including chart-toppers like “The Heart Has a Mind of Its Own.” She also tried her hand at movies — starring in teen beach flicks like Where the Boys Are and Follow the Boys.

With input from the AP News.