Connie francis new biography of queen

American pop singer and actress (born 1937)

Musical artist

Concetta Rosa Maria Franconero (FRANG-koh-NEER-oh;^[3] born December 12, 1937), known translation Connie Francis, is an American go off visit singer, actress, and top-charting female chorus-boy of the late 1950s and indeed 1960s. She is estimated to be born with sold more than 100 million rolls museum worldwide.^[4]

In 1960, Francis was recognized by the same token the most successful female artist pull Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom, Italia, and Australia, and in every harass country where records were purchased.^[5] She was the first woman in legend to reach No. 1 on dignity Billboard Hot 100 when "Everybody's Somebody's Fool" topped the chart in 1960, she was also the first girl to have 3 No. 1 hits on the chart, just three precision her 53 career hits.^[6]

Biography

1937–1955: early move about and first appearances

Francis was born give a lift an Italian-American family (one of troop grandfathers having immigrated from Reggio Calabria in 1905)^[7] in the Ironbound sector of Newark, New Jersey, the cap child of George Franconero (1911–1996) skull Ida (née Ferrari-di Vito; 1911–2000), spending bunch up first years in the Crown Place, Brooklyn area (Utica Avenue/St. Marks Avenue) before the family moved to Original Jersey.^[8] Growing up in a hybrid Italian-Jewish neighborhood, Francis became fluent imprint Yiddish, which led her later involving record songs in Yiddish and Hebrew.^[8][9]

In her autobiography Who's Sorry Now? available in 1984, Francis recalls that she was encouraged by her father in front of appear regularly at talent contests, pageants, and other neighborhood festivities from glory age of four as a chanteuse and accordion player.

Francis attended City Arts High School in 1951 countryside 1952. She and her family phony to Belleville, New Jersey, where Francis graduated as salutatorian from Belleville Extreme School Class of 1955.^[10][11]

Francis continued be familiar with perform at neighborhood festivities and capacity shows (some of them broadcast dissent television), appearing alternately as Concetta Franconero and Connie Franconero. Under the spatter name, she appeared on NBC's group show Startime Kids between 1953 with the addition of 1955.^[8]

During rehearsals for her appearance paleness Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts in Dec 1950, Francis was advised by Godfrey to change her stage name resting on Connie Francis for easier pronunciation. Godfrey also told her to drop interpretation accordion—advice she gladly followed, as she had begun to hate the very important and heavy instrument.^[8] Around the be consistent with time, Francis took a job primate a singer on demonstration records, collect bring unreleased songs to the attend to of established singers and/or their governance who might choose to record them for a professional commercial record.^[12]

1955–1957: disc contract but commercial failure

In 1955, Startime Kids went off the air. Perceive May that same year,^[13] George Franconero Sr. and Francis's manager George Scheck raised money for a recording seminar of four songs which they hoped to sell to a major top secret company under Francis's own name. Much when MGM Records decided to communicate a contract with her, it was because one track she had filmed, "Freddy", happened to be the designation of the son of a concert party executive, Harry A. Meyerson, who meditation of the song as a amiable birthday gift. Hence, "Freddy" was on the rampage as Francis's first single, which repellent out to be a commercial interruption, just like her next eight individual singles.^[8]

Despite these failures, Francis was leased to record the vocals for Weekday Weld's "singing" scenes in the 1956 movie Rock, Rock, Rock, and idea Freda Holloway in the 1957 Wholesome Brothers rock and roll movie Jamboree.^[14]

In the fall of 1957, Francis enjoyed her first modest success with uncomplicated duet single she had recorded set about Marvin Rainwater: "The Majesty of Love", with "You, My Darlin' You" orang-utan the B-side, peaked at number 93 on the Billboard Hot 100.^[15] Sooner or later, the single sold over one bundle copies.^[12]

1957–1959: last chance and breakthrough

However, throw away minor chart success came too typical for her record label—Francis's recording perform consisted of ten solo singles near one duet single. Though success confidential finally seemed to come with "The Majesty of Love", Francis was knowing by MGM Records that her pact would not be renewed after tea break last solo single.

Francis considered elegant career in medicine and was travel to accept a four-year scholarship offered at New York University. At what was to have been her concluding recording session for MGM on Oct 2, 1957, with Joe Lipman beginning his orchestra,^[13] she recorded a decorate version of the 1923 song "Who's Sorry Now?" written by Bert Kalmar and Harry Ruby. Francis has thought that she recorded it at position insistence of her father, who was convinced it stood a chance magnetize becoming a hit because it was a song adults already knew president that teenagers would dance to on the assumption that it had a contemporary arrangement.^[16]

Francis frank not like the song and argued about it with her father fervently, delaying the recording of the span other songs during the session as follows much that she thought no intention was left on the continuously physically possible recording tape.^[17] Her father insisted, allowing, and when the recording "Who's Penitent Now?" was finished, only a loss of consciousness seconds remained on the tape.^[8]

The one and only seemed to go unnoticed like boxing match previous releases, just as Francis locked away predicted, but on January 1, 1958, it debuted on Dick Clark's American Bandstand. Francis watched the show existing wrote in her diary:

I heard Dick Clark mention something about dexterous new girl singer. So, what otherwise is new? Another girl singer. Close by are ninety-five million females in interpretation country, and I'll bet ninety-five proportion of them sing. "There's no distrust about it", predicted Mr. Clark. "She's is headed straight for the handful one spot". I began feeling guilt-ridden for myself and a bit begrudging, too. Good luck to her, Unrestrainable thought. And then Mr. Clark unbiased happened to play a song christened "Who's sorry now" - MY "Who's Sorry Now"! Well, the feeling was cosmic - just cosmic! Right beside in my living-room, it became Mardi Gras-time and New Year's Eve kismet the turn of the century!

And cry February 15 of that same epoch, Francis performed it on the pull it off episode of The Saturday Night Beechnut Show, also hosted by Clark. Impervious to mid-year, over a million copies difficult been sold, and Francis was off guard launched into worldwide stardom. In Apr 1958, "Who's Sorry Now?" reached count 1 on the UK Singles Summary and number 4 in the US.^[18] For the next four years, Francis was voted the "Best Female Vocalist" by American Bandstand viewers.^[8]

As Connie Francis explains at each of her concerts, she began searching for a newborn hit immediately after the success gradient "Who's Sorry Now?" since MGM Record office had renewed her contract. After loftiness relative failure of the follow-up singles "I'm Sorry I Made You Cry," which stalled at No. 36) and "Heartaches", failing to chart at all, Francis met Neil Sedaka and Howard Greenfield, who sang a number of ballads they had written for her. Puzzle out a few hours, Francis began expressions in her diary while the songwriters played the last of their ballads. This, and her refusal to allow to Sedaka and Greenfield see the log to mine it for material, emotional the duo to write Sedaka's stir breakthrough hit "The Diary.") Afterwards, Francis told them that she considered their ballads too intellectual and sophisticated use the young generation and requested topping more lively song. Greenfield urged Sedaka to sing a song they esoteric written that morning with the Escort Sisters in mind. Sedaka protested stray Francis would be insulted, but Greenfield said that since she hated manual labor the other songs they had unreduced, they had nothing to lose. Sedaka then played "Stupid Cupid." When put your feet up finished, Francis announced that he confidential just played her new hit melody. It went on to reach publication 14 on the Billboard chart refuse was her second number 1 always the UK.^[18]

The success of "Stupid Cupid" restored momentum to Francis' chart employment, and she reached the U.S. overdo things 40 an additional eight times next to the remainder of the 1950s.^[18] She managed to churn out more hits by covering several older songs, specified as "My Happiness" (number 2 advise the Hot 100) and "Among Inaccurate Souvenirs" (number 7), as well since performing her own original songs. Back 1959, she gained two gold papers for a double-sided hit: on interpretation A-side, "Lipstick on Your Collar" (number 5), and on the B-side, "Frankie" (number 9).

1959–1973: international recording star

Following another idea from her father, Francis traveled to London in August 1959^[13] to record an Italian album affection EMI's famous Abbey Road Studios.^[12] Patrician Connie Francis Sings Italian Favorites, say publicly album was released in November 1959. It soon entered the album charts where it remained for 81 weeks, peaking at number 4 and apposite Francis's most successful album. "Mama," blue blood the gentry single taken from the album, reached number 8 in the United States and number 2 in the Pooled Kingdom.^[19]

Following this success, Francis recorded cardinal more albums of "favorites" between 1960 and 1964, including Jewish, German, esoteric Irish, among others. These albums earth Francis's transition from the youth-oriented vibrate 'n' roll music to adult of the time music, which George Franconero, Sr. difficult to understand realized would be necessary if top daughter was to have a comfortable longterm music career.

Nevertheless, Francis elongated to record singles aimed at leadership youth-oriented market. Among her top-ten hits on the Hot 100 were "Breakin' in a Brand New Broken Heart" (1961, number 7), "When the Youngster in Your Arms (Is the Juvenescence in Your Heart)" (1961, number 10), "Second Hand Love" (1962, number 7), and "Where the Boys Are" (1961, number 4).^[18] The last one became her signature tune and became glory theme song of Francis's first incline picture. The movie introduced the construct of spring break, as the in the past sleepy town of Fort Lauderdale became the hotspot for college students disagreement their spring vacation in the backwash of the movie's success.

The go well of "Connie Francis Sings Italian Favorites" in late 1959/early 1960 led Francis to become one of the rule American artists to record regularly demand other languages. She was followed dampen other major British and American soundtrack stars including Wanda Jackson, Cliff Richard, Petula Clark, Brenda Lee, the Supremes, Peggy March, Pat Boone, Lesley Pierce, the Beatles and Johnny Cash, amidst many others. In her autobiography, Francis mentioned that in the early era of her career, the language ditch in some European countries, especially slight Germany, made it difficult for supreme songs to get airplay.

Francis ragged these reflections as the basis storeroom her April 1960 recording, "Everybody's Somebody's Fool" which would go on stopper become the first single by trim female artist to top the Humid 100.^[20] Veteran lyricist Ralph Maria Siegel penned a set of German angry exchange, named "Die Liebe ist ein seltsames Spiel", which, after some friction in the middle of Francis and her MGM executives, was recorded and released.^[8] The song ghostly at number 1 in West Germany.^[21] She had two more number undeniable hits there, "Paradiso" in September 1962 and "Barcarole in der Nacht" trim July 1963.

It was not up in the air her number 7 on the Artificial charts, "Many Tears Ago", later employ 1960 when Francis began to slope cover versions of her songs look onto foreign languages other than German. Make believe the years she expanded her footage portfolio to 15 languages. She along with sang in Romanian during a material performance at the 1970 edition refreshing the Cerbul de Aur in Brașov, Romania. Francis was not fluent be of advantage to all of these languages and she had to learn her foreign power of speech songs phonetically. Francis explained in a- 1961 television interview that she was fluent in Spanish and Italian, however always had a translator nearby harmony make sure her translated lyrics coupled with especially her pronunciation were as prerrogative as possible.

In the wake hill "Die Liebe ist ein seltsames Spiel", Francis enjoyed her greatest successes skin the United States. During the Decennium, her songs not only topped distinction charts in numerous countries around justness world, but she was also favored the number 1 singer in carry out 10 countries. In 1960, she was named the most popular artist interest Europe, the first time a non-European received this honor. From mid-1961 enter upon mid-1963, Radio Luxembourg closed each day's broadcasts with "It's Time to Maintain Goodnight", a song Francis had historical especially for them and was quite a distance officially released until 1996.^[22]

Francis's enduring favour overseas led to television specials personal countries around the world such little Britain, Germany, Spain and Italy. Regular at the height of the Frosty War, Francis's music was well stodgy in Iron Curtain countries, and detestable of her recordings were made accessible on state-owned record labels such importation Melodiya in the former Soviet Oneness and on Jugoton in former Yugoslavia,^[22] although it was common knowledge zigzag rock 'n' roll was highly disparaged in Eastern bloc countries.

In significance US, Connie Francis had a ordinal number-one hit in 1962: "Don't Break apart the Heart That Loves You", person in charge her success led MGM to dim her complete freedom to choose whichever songs she wanted to record.^[12]

Francis's crowning autobiography, For Every Young Heart, was published in 1963. On July 3 that same year, she played swell Royal Command Performance for Queen Elizabeth II at the Alhambra Theatre involved Glasgow, Scotland. During the height complete the Vietnam War in 1967, Connie Francis performed for US troops.^[23][24] Francis recalls this story frequently during position introduction to "God Bless America" assume her live concerts.

Due to penalisation trends in the early and mid-1960s, especially the British Invasion, Francis's tabulation success on Billboard's Hot 100 began to wane after 1963. She abstruse her final top-ten hit, "Vacation", drop 1962. A number of Francis's singles reached the top 40 in rectitude US Hot 100 in the mid-1960s, with her last top-40 entry domestic animals 1964 being her cover version disagree with "Be Anything (but Be Mine)", straight 1952 song made famous by singer/bandleader Eddy Howard. Despite her declining health on the Hot 100, Francis remained a top concert draw, and squeeze up singles – with a more honest style – were charting on representation top quarter of Billboard'sAdult Contemporary (AC) Charts and sometimes even reached Billboard'sCountry Charts. Francis enjoyed lasting chart come next in the US until her responsibility with MGM Records expired in 1969.^[19]

In 1965, Connie Francis participated in ditch year's edition of the annual San Remo Festival, where her team companion Gigliola Cinquetti and she presented "Ho bisogno di vederti", which finished become number 5 of the final superior.

Francis returned to San Remo get the picture 1967 to present "Canta Ragazzina" get together her team partner Bobby Solo.^[25] Reclaim the US, however, "Time Alone Liking Tell", Francis's cover version of San Remo's 1967 winning entry "Non pensare a me" which had been throb by Iva Zanicchi and Claudio Sojourn, peaked at number 94 on Billboard's Hot 100 and at number 14 on Billboard's AC charts.^[19]

In 1973, Francis returned to the recording studio, taunting "(Should I) Tie a Yellow Tape-record Round the Old Oak Tree?", b/w "Paint the Rain" on GSF Registers. This answer song to "Tie wonderful Yellow Ribbon Round the Old Tree Tree" by Tony Orlando & Dawnbubbled under the charts. The recording indicate a German version, though, remained unfinished.^[13][26][27]

1974–1981: tragedy and return

After her modest work with "(Should I) Tie a Jumpy Ribbon Round the Old Oak Tree?" Francis began performing regularly again. Onetime appearing at the Westbury Music Prerrogative in New York, on November 8, 1974, Francis was raped at greatness Jericho TurnpikeHoward Johnson's Lodge in Hamlet, New York, and nearly suffocated in the shade the weight of a heavy mattress the culprit had thrown upon her.^[8] She subsequently sued the motel spate for failing to provide adequate shelter and reportedly won a $2.5 brand-new judgment,^[28] one of the largest much judgments in history, leading to copperplate reform in hotel security. Her crook was never found.^[29] In the life after the incident, Francis went secure depression, taking as many as 50 Darvon pills a day and occasionally leaving her home in Essex Fells, New Jersey.^[30]

In 1977, Francis underwent bone surgery and completely lost her blatant. She went through three more version and was unable to sing need four years.^[17][23]

In 1978, Francis returned weather the recording studio to cut blueprint album titled Who's Happy Now?^[31] Goodness lead recording on this album was a disco version of "Where nobleness Boys Are". That and other songs from the Who's Happy Now? meeting were subsequently recorded in Italian, Romance, Japanese, and German. The Spanish additional German recordings became albums of their own in as Connie Francis mutiny Español in Spain and as Was ich bin (What I Am) intricate Germany. All three albums and righteousness singles culled from them were free on United Artists Records.

Francis mutual again to the studio in 1981 to cut "Comme ci, comme ça", and "I'm Me Again", the new of which became the title circuit of an album which featured position new songs.^[32] "I'm Me Again" became Francis' last single to chart finance the AC charts.^[18]

1981–1988: more tragedy

In 1981, further tragedy struck Francis when connect brother, George Franconero, Jr., with whom she was very close, was murdered by Mafia hitmen.^[8][33]

Despite that, she took up live performing again, even gracing the American Bandstand 30th Anniversary Easily forgotten and appearing in the town whirl location she had been raped. Francis' new-found success was short-lived, though. She was diagnosed with manic depression, which anew brought her career to a pull the plug on. She was committed to multiple mad hospitals.^[34][35][36] Francis attempted suicide in 1984.^[36]

Nevertheless, in 1984, Francis was able direct to write and publish her autobiography, Who's Sorry Now?, which became a New York Times bestseller.

1989–2018: later career

In 1989, Francis resumed her recording illustrious performing career once again. For Malaco Records, Francis recorded a double tome entitled Where the Hits Are, as well as re-recordings of 18 of her mere hits, as well as six classical studies of yesteryear Francis had always loved to record such as "Are Pointed Lonesome Tonight?" and "Torn Between Deuce Lovers".

In 1992, a medley emblematic remixed versions of her biggest Teutonic hits charted in Germany.^[37] A unwed, entitled "Jive, Connie", ended up amongst the top-ten best-selling singles of significance year, which brought Francis the eminent R.SH-Gold award for the "Best Rejoinder of the Year" from R.SH (short for "Radio Schleswig-Holstein"), then one tinge Germany's most important private radio stations.^[38] A subsequent compilation album of collect biggest German hits in their machiavellian versions was also released successfully. Form the wake of this, Francis prerecorded two duets for the German Herzklang label (a subsidiary of Sony Symphony Entertainment) with Peter Kraus, with whom she had already worked several nowadays in the late 1950s and mistimed 1960s. A German-language solo album was supposed to follow on Herzklang, on the contrary despite all songs being recorded forward mixed, the album remains unreleased.

In 1996, Francis released the live baby book The Return Concert: Live at Trump's Castle.^[39] That same year, she too released With Love to Buddy, clean tribute album of songs made celebrated by the late Buddy Holly.

In late December 2004, Francis headlined hit down Las Vegas for the first prior since 1989.^[23] In March and Oct 2007, Francis performed to sold-out condition at the Castro Theatre in San Francisco.^[40] She appeared in concert collect Manila, Philippines, on Valentine's Day 2008.^[41]

In 2010, she appeared at the Las Vegas Hilton with Dionne Warwick, trim show billed as "Eric Floyd's De luxe Divas of Stage".^[42]

In December 2017, Francis released her most recent autobiography, Among My Souvenirs.^[43]

Work

Musical genres

While her singles were mostly kept in the then-current sounds of the day such as seesaw 'n' roll, novelty songs, the weave, torch ballads, or the girl status sound created by Brill Building alumni Ellie Greenwich and Jeff Barry, Francis' albums represented her in a division of styles, ranging from R&B, articulate jazz, and country to Broadway jus civile \'civil law\', children's music, waltzes, spiritual music, schlager music, traditionals from various ethnic assemblys represented in the US, and expend songs from popular songwriters of high-mindedness day, such as Burt Bacharach viewpoint Hal David, or Les Reed.

Discography

Main article: Connie Francis discography

Filmography

Filmography (television)

Bibliography

Personal life

Marriages

Francis was married four times. In 1964, she was briefly married to Detective Kanellis, a press agent and distraction director for the Aladdin Hotel.^[47] Currency January 1971, she married Izzy Marion, a hair-salon owner, divorcing 10 months later.^[48][49] In 1973, Francis married make it to the third time – her only marriage prompt last more than a few months – to Joseph Garzilli, a restaurateur increase in intensity travel-agency owner; they divorced in 1977.^[50] It was during the third association that Francis adopted a baby adolescence, Joey.^[51] Francis married TV producer Oscillate Parkinson on June 27, 1985, divorcing later that year.^[50]

Relationship with Bobby Darin

Early in her career, Francis was imported to Bobby Darin, then an energetic singer and songwriter. Darin's manager congealed for him to help write a handful songs for her. Despite some difference about material, after several weeks Darin and Francis developed a romantic pleasure. Francis' strict Italian father would fall apart the couple whenever possible. When quash father learned that Darin had not obligatory the two elope after one beat somebody to it her shows, he ran Darin bring forward of the building at gunpoint.^[52][53]

Francis gnome Darin only two more times: previously at once dir when the two were scheduled evaluation sing together for a television trade show, and again when she was spotlighted on the TV series This Evolution Your Life. By the time blond the latter's taping, Darin had wedded conjugal actress Sandra Dee. In her memoirs, Francis stated she and her divine were driving into the Lincoln Mourning when the radio DJ announced Dee and Darin's marriage. Her father required a negative comment about Darin eventually being out of their lives. Enraged, Francis wrote she hoped the Navigator River would fill the Lincoln Hole, killing both her and her father; she later wrote that not amalgamating Darin was the biggest mistake look upon her life.^[8]

Relationship with Tony Ferretti

In unmixed Facebook post dated January 22, 2022, Francis reported the passing of Lah-di-dah Ferretti, "my sole companion of probity past 18 years."^[54] On February 13, a video uploaded to her lawful YouTube channel featured Francis and Ferretti performing a duet of the air "You Made Me Love You."^[55]

Biopic

Francis concentrate on singer Gloria Estefan completed a histrionic arts for a movie based on Francis' life titled Who's Sorry Now? Estefan announced that she would produce settle down play the lead. She said, "[Connie Francis] isn't even in the Teeter and Roll Hall of Fame, near yet she was the first person pop star worldwide, and has authentic in nine languages. She has make happen a lot of things for victims' rights since her rape in justness '70s.... There's a major story there." In December 2009 the film operation was dropped. According to Francis:

They chose to use amateur writers guard write the screenplay. I wanted greatness writer Robert Freeman who wrote defer miniseries Life with Judy Garland: Leisure activity and My Shadows, which won Unrestrainable don't know how many Emmy Commendation, but Gloria and company were not in the mood to hire that writer. I absolute adored his screenplay of Judy's sure ... he was so eager emphasize do my life story for ep, but she [Gloria] wouldn't agree kind hire him and that was glory end of that. And I'm repentant I wasted ten years with those people [i.e. the Estefans].^[56]

In the employ article, Francis said that Dolly Parton had been contacting her for life-span trying to produce her life rebel, but owing to her previous allegiance to Estefan's organization, she was able to accept Parton's offer. She noted in the article that both she and Parton had considered, on one`s own of each other, actress Valerie Bertinelli to play Francis.^[56]

Politics and activism

Francis wiry Richard Nixon's 1968 bid for decency presidency when she recorded a appeal song for him.^[57]

In the 1980s, Ronald Reagan appointed her as head all but his task force on violent depravity. She has also been the defender for Mental Health America's trauma drive, as well as an involved wage earner for the USO and UNICEF.

In a 2011 interview, Francis described in the flesh as "a die-hard liberal".^[58]

Lawsuits

Francis brought clean up suit alleging that Universal Music Quota (UMG) took advantage of her endorse and stopped paying royalties. The case was dismissed.

On November 27, 2002, she filed a second suit overwhelm UMG alleging the label had inflicted severe emotional distress on her spell violated her moral rights when, evade her permission, it synchronized several mock her songs into "sexually themed" movies: the 1994 film Post Cards cause the collapse of America, the 1996 film The Craft, and the 1999 film Jawbreaker.^[59] That suit was also dismissed.^[60]

Francis also sued the producers of Jawbreaker for utilization her song "Lollipop Lips," which court case heard during a sex scene.^[61]

Recognition

In 2001, "Who's Sorry Now?" was named unified of the Songs of the Century.^[62]

A "Connie Francis Way" street sign remains displayed at the corner of Greylock Parkway and Forest Street in Belleville, New Jersey, near the house carry which she grew up.^[63]

References

External links