Connie Francis

Connie Francis Artistfacts

  • December 12, 1938
  • The pop singer was born Concetta Rosa Maria Franconero in Newark, New Jersey. By age four, she was performing around the neighborhood as a singer and accordion player.
  • She was a fledgling artist at MGM Records and released nine failed albums and a string of disappointing singles before she landed her first hit with a 1957 duet with Marvin Rainwater: "Majesty of Love."
  • She became a teen sensation after father convinced her to record the 1923 Tin Pan Alley number "Who's Sorry Now," which Dick Clark introduced to millions of eager teenagers on American Bandstand.
  • Her love affair with fellow singer Bobby Darin was cut short when her strict father learned they planned to elope and threatened Darin with a shotgun. Francis only saw Darin twice more before his untimely death in 1973. In her 1984 autobiography, Who's Sorry Now, she wrote that not marrying him was the biggest mistake of her life. Francis would marry four times, the longest being her first marriage to restauranteur Joseph Garzilli, which lasted five years.
  • She successfully sued the Howard Johnson motel chain for $2.5 million when she was raped in her room and her assailant left her trapped under a heavy mattress following her appearance at the 1977 Westbury Music Fair in New York. The suit led to a reform in hotel security, and the attack inspired Francis to become an advocate for rape victims. Her own attacker was never found.
  • Her brother, George Franconero Jr., was murdered by Mafia hitmen in 1981.
  • With 56 charted singles, 35 Top 40 hits, and 16 Top 10 hits, Francis was one of the top singers of the late-'50s and early-'60s.
  • She became a national spokesperson for Mental Health America's trauma campaign after being involuntarily committed to mental institutions throughout the '80s for what she says was a misdiagnosis of manic-depressive disorder. She says her real issue is post-traumatic stress disorder stemming from a string of traumatic events in her life, such as her rape and her brother's murder.
  • Connie Francis sued her record label, Universal Music Group, for $45 million on March 11, 2002. As well as demanding back royalties, the singer also sought compensation for their allowing her songs to be used over explicit sex scenes in the movies Jawbreaker and Postcards From America. The lawsuit was dismissed.

Comments: 1

  • Constanza Friday from UsaI love Connie Francis.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Michael Franti

Michael FrantiSongwriter Interviews

Franti tells the story behind his hit "Say Hey (I Love You)" and explains why yoga is an integral part of his lifestyle and his Soulshine tour.

Queen

QueenFact or Fiction

Scaramouch, a hoople and a superhero soundtrack - see if you can spot the real Queen stories.

Keith Reid of Procol Harum

Keith Reid of Procol HarumSongwriter Interviews

As Procol Harum's lyricist, Keith wrote the words to "A Whiter Shade Of Pale." We delve into that song and find out how you can form a band when you don't sing or play an instrument.

James Williamson of Iggy & the Stooges

James Williamson of Iggy & the StoogesSongwriter Interviews

The Stooges guitarist (and producer of the Kill City album) talks about those early recordings and what really happened with David Bowie.

Commercials

CommercialsFact or Fiction

Was "Ring Of Fire" really used to sell hemorrhoid cream?

Pam Tillis

Pam TillisSongwriter Interviews

The country sweetheart opines about the demands of touring and talks about writing songs with her famous father.