Connie Francis Dies at 87, Legendary Singer with 200 Million Records Sold

Connie Francis, a pioneering female pop icon of the late 1950s and early 1960s, passed away at the age of 87. She was the first woman to top the Billboard Hot 100 chart and sold more than 200 million records worldwide, with timeless hits like "Who's Sorry Now?", "Everybody's Somebody's Fool," and "Where the Boys Are." Francis’s career was marked by both incredible success and personal challenges, including a violent attack and family tragedies, but her influence on music and her fans endured through her recordings and film appearances. Her legacy includes being the female artist with the most top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 during the 1960s, second only to Elvis Presley among solo performers. Beyond her music, she connected with audiences through her multilingual recordings and her warm rapport shared in benefits and live performances, such as the notable "Star Night" concert in Chattanooga. Connie Francis's voice and career continue to be celebrated as emblematic of a transformative era in pop music history.