In the late 1950s and early 1960s, singer Connie Francis reigned as America's top-selling female vocalist and the female counterpart to teen idols such as Frankie Avalon and Fabian. Cute, as opposed to glamorous, the diminutive brunette with the perky demeanor typified the girl next door. Teenage girls wanted to be her best friend; teenage boys dreamed of dating her. The media called her "America's sweetheart."

Born Concetta Rosa Maria Franconero in Newark, New Jersey, Francis was just three years old when her roofing-contractor father presented her with an accordion. A year later she was performing at family events, churches, and hospitals. She was eleven when her father took her to Manhattan to meet the producer of the TV show Startime, which featured child performers; she appeared on the program for the next four years. She was later showcased on TV variety shows, including...