• Connie Francis, the pop star of the 1950s and 1960s, has died at 87.
• She was known for hits including "Pretty Little Baby" and "Who's Sorry Now?"
• Francis's life was marked by personal tragedies and challenges.
• She was a significant performer during the pre-Beatles era, securing over a dozen top 20 hits.
• Her impact continued well beyond her original recordings, with a resurgence in popularity on social media.

Connie Francis, the beloved pop star whose career spanned the 1950s and 1960s, has passed away at the age of 87. Her death was announced by her friend and publicist, Ron Roberts, who described the news as bringing "extreme sadness" to her fans. Francis was a dominant figure in music during the pre-Beatles era, achieving a remarkable presence on the charts from 1957 to 1964, with popular hits such as "Pretty Little Baby," "Who's Sorry Now?" and numerous others that appealed to both young and adult audiences, according to SFGate, HuffPost, and CBS News.

Francis secured over a dozen top 20 hits, starting with "Who's Sorry Now?" and including No. 1 successes like "Don't Break the Heart That Loves You" and "The Heart Has a Mind of Its Own." In addition to her musical achievements, she starred in popular films such as "Where the Boys Are" and "Follow the Boys," solidifying her status as a leading figure in the entertainment industry, according to SFGate, HuffPost, and CBS News.

Despite her professional success, Francis’s personal life was marked by considerable turmoil. Her relationships were fraught with difficulties, notably with fellow teen idol Bobby Darin, which ended dramatically when her father intervened in a rehearsal. This incident contributed to a pattern of heartbreak throughout her life, as Francis later reflected in her autobiography, "Who’s Sorry Now?" stating, "My personal life is a regret from A to Z," according to SFGate, HuffPost, and CBS News.

Additionally, Francis faced physical and emotional challenges, including a traumatic incident in 1974 where she was assaulted in a hotel room. After a lawsuit, she received a significant settlement, yet that experience haunted her marriage and personal happiness, contributing to emotional struggles she faced later in life. Her brother’s tragic death in 1981 and her father’s actions leading to her psychiatric hospitalization further compounded her difficulties, highlighting a life filled with challenges that contrasted sharply with her public persona as a pop icon, according to SFGate, HuffPost, and CBS News.

Connie Francis was born Concetta Rosemarie Franconero on December 12, 1937, in Newark, New Jersey. Her musical journey started early, learning to play the accordion, which was instilled by her father, who would later manage her career. Francis's talent was nurtured from a young age, leading her to perform on television by the age of 9. Her time on shows like "Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts" and "American Bandstand" helped launch her career, allowing her to enchant audiences worldwide with her songs, including re-recordings in several languages, according to SFGate, HuffPost, and CBS News.