Connie Francis, the singer whose 1962 song “Pretty Little Baby” recently saw a resurgence, has passed away at the age of 87.
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Family and friends are mourning the loss of a legendary singer.
Connie Francis—the vocalist who topped the charts in the 1950s and ‘60s and whose music recently saw a resurgence on social media—has died at the age of 87, the president of her label announced July 17.
“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 said in a statement shared on Facebook. “I know that Connie would approve that her fans are among the first to learn of this sad news.”
Francis’ passing comes a little more than two weeks after she was hospitalized following a bout of intense pain, with the Who’s Sorry Now? author expressing regret of over having to cancel an appearance.
“I am back in the hospital where I have been undergoing tests and checks,” she wrote on Facebook July 2, “to determine the cause(s) of the extreme pain I have been experiencing.”
She added, “I had hoped to take part in Brucie [Cousin Brucie” Marrow]’s show for Independence Day, having had to cancel a previous slot a few weeks ago when receiving treatment on my hip. Sadly, I had to let him know that I again had to withdraw.”
However, hours later, Francis noted that she was on the mend and thankful for the support.
“I am pleased to advise that following a series of tests and examinations in Intensive Care [Unit], I have now been transferred to a private room,” she shared in a separate post. “Thank you all for your kind thoughts, words and prayers. They mean so much!”
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The “Pretty Little Baby” singer, whose 1962 track has recently gone viral on TikTok, retired from the music industry in 2018. But she reentered the spotlight earlier this year as her song, which she recorded at age 24, entered Billboard’s Global 20 and Spotify’s Daily Top Songs USA more than six decades later.
In the wake of her song making waves, the New Jersey native—who in 1960, became the first woman to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with her single “Everybody’s Somebody’s Fool”—was thrilled about her music being reintroduced to a new generation.
“I am flabbergasted and excited about the huge buzz my 1962 recording of ‘Pretty Little Baby’ is making all over the world,” she said in a June 6 TikTok video. “To think that a song I recorded 63 years ago is captivating new generations of audiences is truly overwhelming for me.”
And though Francis admitted that she hadn’t thought about “Pretty Little Baby” for quite some time, she remained grateful for the outpouring of love.
“It’s truly awesome,” she explained to People in May. I never thought it was possible. It’s a dream come true.”
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