When was Lou Christie engaged to Timi Yuro? What we know about the Pennsylvania hitmaker’s past relationships as he dies at 82
American pop and soft rock singer-songwriter Lou Christie passed from a brief, unspecified illness at his home in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on June 17, 2025. He was 82 at the time of his death and is survived by his wife, Francesca Winfield, and their daughter, Bianca Christie.
Francesca confirmed the news to The Hollywood Reporter on Wednesday while Lou's representative, Mary Fox, shared the same with USA Today.
Before marrying his wife of 54 years, Lou Christie was engaged to late Italian-American singer and actress Timi Yuro in 1966. However, it was short-lived, and the pair soon went their separate ways.
Exploring Lou Christie’s personal life and his connection to Timi Yuro
Lou Christie, whose real name was Lugee Alfredo Giovanni Sacco, was born in February 1943 in Glenwillard, Pennsylvania, and grew up in suburban Pittsburgh.
While touring in London, England, in May 1966, Christie announced his engagement to Timi Yuro. At the time, it was reported that the couple would wed in August of the same year in Los Angeles, on Yuro’s birthday.
Lou and Timi had known each other for years, but they reunited in London and decided to get married randomly during a dinner date. However, the pair broke off their engagement soon after, and the wedding was called off.
Later, Christie married Francesca Winfield, a former British beauty queen, in 1971. They went on to have two children, a son named Christopher and a daughter named Bianca. Christopher passed away in 2014 at the age of 46 from a motorcycle accident.
Meanwhile, Timi Yuro, born Rosemary Victoria Yuro in Chicago, Illinois, in August 1941, went on to marry Robert Selnick in 1969. The couple was together until her demise in March 2004 in Las Vegas, Nevada, after a years-long battle with throat cancer. She was 62 at the time of her death.
Lou Christie last performed in 2023
Lou Christie will be best remembered for his Billboard number 1 songs, Lightnin’ Strikes (1966) and Rhapsody in the Rain (1966), as well as the UK number 2 chart topper, I’m Gonna Make You Mine.
In 2016, Lou told The Beaver County Times, while touring in Wales and England, that he was still performing into his 70s, as he was a teetotaller, didn’t go to places with loud music, and lived a “peaceful life.”
"I'm not a liquor drinker, and I don't smoke or go out to places where the music is so loud you have to shout to have a discussion. That doesn't interest me. I live a peaceful life, and I think that helps," he stated.
The Gypsy Cried crooner also gave a shoutout to his fans. He added that his "incredibly devoted fans" were the "nices part" of his career.
His family shared a statement announcing his death on his Instagram page @gypsylou19 on June 18, 2025. The post was accompanied by a black and white picture of young Lou and one from later years.
“It is with deep sorrow that we share the passing of our beloved brother, Lou Christie, who left us after a brief illness. He was cherished not only by his family and close friends, but also by countless fans whose lives he touched with his kindness and generosity, artistic and musical talent, humor, and spirit,” the caption read.
Signed by The Sacco Family, the message also shared, “His absence leaves a profound void in all our hearts. He will be greatly missed, always remembered, and forever loved.”
According to USA Today, Christie was last seen performing live in 2023 at the age of 80.
