Connie Francis's story really is the stuff of legends. A tale that has just about everything you could conceive from someone who has recorded over 70 albums, rivalled Madonna in record sales and has endured terrible tragedy along the way. It's the absorbing story of a woman who was the prototype US female pop singer.
Concetta Rosemarie Franconero was born of Italian American parentage and began playing accordion at the age of three. At ten years old, she was accepted on Startime, a New York City television show that featured talented child singers and performers. Its host, legendary TV talent scout Arthur Godfrey, had difficulty pronouncing her name and suggested something "easy and Irish," which turned into Francis. After three weeks on Startime, the show's producer and Francis' would-be manager advised her to dump the accordion and concentrate on singing. Francis performed weekly on Startime for four years.
At 16, Francis signed her first recording deal signing to the MGM label. Her debut single "Freddy" was released in 1955 and was followed by several follow-ups that all flopped.
She was contemplating a new career when, in 1957, she entered the studio for her final MGM recordings. She was due to record three songs, finished the first two and then prepared to leave before it was pointed out that the studio and musicians had been booked for three. The last song was her father's idea and originated from 1923. Called "Who's Sorry Now" she sang it in one take.
When Dick Clark played "Who's Sorry Now" on American Bandstand, he told its eight million viewers that Connie Francis was "a new girl singer that is heading straight for the number one spot." It did just that in May 1958, spending six weeks at the top of the US singles chart.
The Sixties were also incredibly productive for Francis. "Who's Sorry Now" was the pre-cursor to a long string of worldwide hits. By 1967, she had sold 35 million worldwide, with 35 U.S. Top 40 hits, and three number ones ("Everybody's Somebody's Fool," "My Heart Has a Mind of Its Own," "Don't Break the Heart That Loves You," and "Stupid Cupid") to her credit.
The public and Elvis adored her. She also recorded one of the earliest known charity records, 1963's "In The Summer Of His Years" was a tribute to John F Kennedy with all proceeds donated to dependents of the policemen shot during the assassination.
Francis also became one of the first pop singers to record her songs in other languages. 1961's title song from the movie Where the Boys Are was recorded in six different languages transforming her from a teenage idol to a mature performer at leading nightspots around the world.
The relationship with MGM finally ended in 1969, with Francis choosing not to renew her contract when MGM was taken over by Polydor. Francis opted to spend the next four years with her third husband Joseph Garzilli.
She returned to the studio in 1973 when long time friends L. Russell Brown and Irwin Levine (writers of "Tie a Yellow Ribbon") wrote "The Answer" especially for her. Encouraged by Garzilli, a year later she made her return to the stage but an appalling tragedy struck after the third comeback show in New York, Francis was raped at knifepoint back at her hotel.
Following nasal surgery caused by a sensitivity to air conditioning that rendered her voice unusable for four years, Connie was on the comeback trail in 1981 when her brother George was murdered by mobsters. The 7 years of horrendous personal grief had seen Francis addicted to prescription drugs and finally after years of manic depression, she was diagnosed with bi-polar disorder.
After writing her autobiography Who's Sorry Now in 1984, Connie Francis returned to recording and performance in 1989.
In late December 2004 she headlined in Las Vegas and still continues to wow audiences today with her beautifully intact vocal.
'The Very Best Of Connie Francis', set for UK release in December 2008, celebrates the legacy of this remarkable artist. 29 original tracks of expertly delivered female pop that ruled the airwaves when radio was king and beehives stood tall.
'The Very Best Of Connie Francis' tracklisting:
1. Lipstick On Your Collar
2. Carolina Moon
3. Everybody's Somebody's Fool
4. I'm Sorry I Made You Cry
5. I'm Gonna Be Warm This Winter
6. Together
7. Vacation
8. I'll Get By
9. Frankie
10. Many Tears Ago
11. Mama
12. Fallin'
13. Among My Souvenirs
14. Baby Roo
15. Who's Sorry Now
16. Stupid Cupid
17. Breakin' In A Brand New Broken Heart
18. Plenty Good Lovin
19. Baby's First Christmas - Connie Francis, Geoff Love
20. You Always Hurt The One You Love
21. Robot Man
22. Don't Break The Heart That Loves You
23. My Happiness
24. Valentino
25. Where The Boys Are
26. My Heart Has A Mind Of Its Own
27. Jealous Heart
28. My Child
29. Quando Quando Quando (Tell Me When)
30. Quando Quando Quando (Tell Me When)
The Very Best Of Connie Francis
Connie Francis Official Website
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