Connie Francis, one of pop music’s most iconic voices and the trailblazing star behind “Who’s Sorry Now?” and “Vacation,” has died at 87. The news comes just weeks after the artist found unexpected viral fame on TikTok. Her longtime friend and label president, Ron Roberts, confirmed the heartbreaking news in a Facebook post on Thursday, July 17, calling it “a heavy loss” and a moment her devoted fans deserved to hear first.
“It is with a heavy heart and extreme sadness that I inform you of the passing of my dear friend Connie Francis last night,” Roberts, president of Concetta Records and a former journalist, wrote. “I know that Connie would approve that her fans are among the first to learn of this sad news.”
Connie’s Final Days
Francis had shared in a July 2 Facebook post that she was “back in the hospital” for tests to determine the cause of “extreme pain.” Despite sounding hopeful two days later, noting she was “feeling much better after a good night’s rest”, her condition continued to worsen.
“We were expecting it, unfortunately,” Roberts told People, explaining that doctors couldn’t pinpoint the source of the pain. She had assumed it was related to ongoing hip issues. In their final conversation on July 4, Roberts said, “She was obviously in pain and she was very weak… She was tired. [Having all the tests done] is debilitating.”
‘She Slipped Away Peacefully’
(Photo by Mychal Watts/Getty Images for SiriusXM)Although Francis managed to leave the hospital for a short time, her health deteriorated quickly. Roberts shared that she had been unconscious for at least two days before her passing. “She slipped away peacefully,” he said, reflecting on her final days. Despite the pain, he emphasized how resilient she had been. He said, “She was a fighter.”
Inside Robert-Connie’s Lifetime of Friendship
As per People, Roberts first met Francis in 1962 as a young reporter for the Daily Express. What began as a career milestone — “the interview of a lifetime” — turned into a decades-long friendship. “From that moment on, we became friends for life,” he said.
He remained by her side throughout her life’s ups and downs, including the final chapter. “It’s been two months of the most extreme high, then the most extreme low,” he told People, referencing the emotional rollercoaster Francis endured — a mix of physical pain and viral fame.
‘Pretty Little Baby’ TikTok Revival Brought Her Joy
Just weeks before her death, Francis found herself back in the spotlight when her 1962 B-side “Pretty Little Baby” unexpectedly became a massive hit on TikTok.
“That is the incredible story, I think: That she left this world as big a star [as she ever was],” Roberts said. He believes the renewed fame would have had her “smiling.”
How She’d Want to Be Remembered
Despite her chart-topping success, Roberts says Francis never lost her humility. When asked how she’d like to be remembered, she simply said: “I hope I did okay.” “She’d get a kick out of seeing that [written],” he shared.
Connie Francis is survived by generations of fans who never stopped loving her music — and a legacy that now reaches even newer ones, thanks to the power of a TikTok revival.
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Connie Francis’ Close Friend Calls Her a ‘Fighter’ in Touching Tribute