Connie Francis, the legendary pop singer whose voice defined a generation, has died at age 87.
Her death was confirmed by a close friend late Wednesday night.
“It is with a heavy heart and extreme sadness that I inform you of the passing of my dear friend Connie Francis last night,” Ron Roberts, the president of her music label, Concetta Records,wrote on Facebook.
“I know that Connie would approve that her fans are among the first to learn of this sad news.”
Her cause of death was not immediately shared. However, Francis had been hospitalized in an intensive care unit in recent weeks, where doctors were working to determine the source of her “extreme pain.”
She kept her fans informed throughout her stay via posts on her official Facebook page. Her final update, posted on July 4, said she was “feeling much better.”
Francis rose to stardom in the 1950s and ’60s with hits like “Who’s Sorry Now,” “Stupid Cupid,” and “Where the Boys Are.” She became one of the first female pop superstars, paving the way for women in the music industry.
But her personal life was marked by hardship. She was married and divorced four times. In the 1970s, she was raped in a hotel while on tour. She later won a lawsuit against the hotel.
The trauma led to years of drug dependency and more than a dozen stays in psychiatric hospitals.
Still, Francis remained a beloved figure, admired for her resilience, honesty, and unmatched voice.
