Hi, everyone. Welcome to this week’s edition of Music Monday.

(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

Concetta Rosa Maria Franconero, known professionally as Connie Francis, passed away on July 16, 2025 at age 87. Born December 12, 1937 in Newark, NJ, her career officially began in 1957 with her first hit record. According to Billboard, she was the first woman to have a #1 song on their newly established Hot 100 chart (which started in 1958) when “Everybody’s Somebody’s Fool” reached the top spot 65 years ago on July 2, 1960. She had 15 Top Ten songs in her career along with three #1 records.

While my maternal grandmother introduced me to Italian male singers like Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin, it was my paternal grandmother who always marveled about Francis’ voice, especially the emotion she expressed on 1959’s “Mama”. Other stand out songs include 1958’s “Stupid Cupid” and “Lipstick On You Collar”, 1959’s “Among My Souvenirs” and 1960’s “Where The Boys Are”.

Like many successful artists of the late 1950’s-early 1960’s, Francis’ career took a downturn when The Beatles ushered in the British Invasion. Her life took a turbulent turn in 1974 when she was the victim of a sexual assault while on tour on Long Island, NY. That along with a failed relationship with singer Bobby Darin (she later said her father forbad the relationship), the violent death of her brother in 1981 and four divorces over 20 years led to Francis’ struggle with mental health issues. She basically became a recluse for 15 years but fought her way back to performing in 1989. She officially retired in 2018.

If there is an upside to most of the noise and self-adulation on TikTok, it is that occasionally songs & artists from other generations are rediscovered. Francis’ 1962 B-side song, “Pretty Little Baby”, went viral on the platform this year, amassing an estimated 10 billion cumulative streams as of May 2025. Talk about going out on top.

Concetta Rosa Maria Franconero (Connie Francis): December 12, 1937 – July 16, 2025.

Top: Connie Francis circa 1960. Bottom: Her 2017 autobiography named after her 1959 song. (Images found online.  Original sources unknown.)

Fifty years ago in July 1975 Gary Wright released The Dream Weaver album. It peaked in the #7 position in August 1975. The title track peaked at #2 in January 1976. Four months later, his second single also reached the #2 position. He hit the Top 20 again in July 1981 with the track, “Really Wanna Know You”.

Wright, who was previously a member of the band, Spooky Tooth, also played on George Harrison’s epic 1970 album, All Things Must Pass. Wright started writing movie soundtracks in 1982. A decade later, he re-recorded “Dream Weaver” in 1992 for the movie, “Wayne’s World”, which gave the mid 1970’s classic tune a well-deserved second moment in the sun.

(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

Whitney Houston released her self-titled debut album 40 years ago on February 14, 1985. To say it was a massive hit would be an understatement.  A year after its release, it was the #1 album in the country & stayed in that spot for 14 non-consecutive weeks (March 8 – April 19, 1986 then again from May 17 – July 4, 1986). It produced three #1 singles: “Saving All My Love for You”, “How Will I Know” & “Greatest Love Of All”.

My favorite is the first single which I remember from her first video. I was immediately drawn to her soulful R&B sound but her physical beauty was undeniable as well. She was an incredibly vibrant 21 year old young woman with a bright smile & an exquisite voice. Her poise, her presence and her prowess standing behind the microphone was undeniable. It was the beginning of her phenomenal reign as one of the best singers in the world.

According to Billboard, she placed 40 songs on its Hot 100 chart during her career with 23 Top Ten hits & 11 #1 hits, with the most famous one-“I Will Always Love You”-in the top spot for 14 consecutive weeks from Nov 28, 1992 until March 5, 1993. It was from her first movie, 1992’s “The Bodyguard”, and the soundtrack album was #1 for 20 non consecutive weeks between December 1992 and June 1993. But for me, I remember her best from that debut album and the happiness she exuded from its phenomenal success before the trappings of her enormous fame became a burden.   

(Image found online.  Original source unknown.)

Connie Francis: “Who’s Sorry Now” (1957, written by Bert Kalmar, Harry Ruby and Ted Snyder).

Connie Francis: “Everybody’s Somebody’s Fool” (1960, written by Howard Greenfield and Jack Keller).

Gary Wright: “Dream Weaver” (1975, written by Gary Wright).

Gary Wright: “Love Is Alive” (1975, written by Gary Wright).

Whitney Houston: “You Give Good Love” (1985, written by La Forrest “La La” Cope).

Whitney Houston: “How Will I Know” (1985, written by George Merrill, Shannon Rubicam and Narada Michael Walden).

Stay safe & well.