Connors co-wrote the song ‘Gonna Fly Now’ for the 1976 movie 'Rocky'
Credit: Michael Kovac/Getty for Sony Pictures Television
NEED TO KNOW
- On April 13, 2026, Carol Connors attended a showcase of her documentary Elvis, Rocky & Me: The Carol Connors Story at the 26th annual Beverly Hills Film Festival
- During the event, Carol Connors reflected on earning her second career Grammy nomination for her memoir narration, nearly 50 years after her first nod for Rocky
- In 1977, Connors was nominated at the Grammys and the Oscars for co-writing the Rocky theme, “Gonna Fly Now”
Nearly five decades after her first Grammy nomination, Carol Connors earned her second career nomination in the Best Audio Book, Narration & Storytelling Recording category for her memoir Elvis, Rocky and Me: The Carol Connors Story.
In 1977, the 85-year-old singer-songwriter earned her very first nomination for co-writing “Gonna Fly Now” for the film Rocky. She was also nominated for Best Original Song at the Academy Awards that same year. However, she didn't take home either award.
While attending a showcase for her documentary, Connors reflects on that earlier milestone and reveals what she would have said in her Oscars acceptance speech had she won.
“My father was a jockey. So my father always said, ‘Only one horse goes over the finish line first,’” Connors tells PEOPLE exclusively. “And if I would've won for Rocky — ‘Gonna Fly Now,’ with Bill Conti and Ayn Robbins — I was going to say, ‘Daddy, I'm not a boy. I'm not a jockey, but I just won the Oscar.' But I never got to say it. Maybe one day, who knows?"
Credit: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty for Disney
Even without the win, “Gonna Fly Now” ended up taking on a life of its own.
The track became instantly tied to Rocky and its underdog story, leading it to stick with audiences long after the film ended. Over the years, it has been used in sports and motivational moments, turning it into something people recognize within seconds.
For Connors, being part of a song with that kind of staying power is still one of the defining highlights of her career.
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Although she also didn’t snag a win at the 68th Annual Grammy Awards in February 2026, Connors looks back on her long history with nominations with a sense of humor.
“I’ve been up for 11 major music awards. I'm the Susan Lucci of the music industry. I swear to God,” she jokes, referencing the All My Children actress who was famously nominated 18 times at the Daytime Emmy Awards before finally winning.
The 2026 Grammy award ultimately went to Tenzin Gyatso, who, at age 90, received his first Grammy for his spoken-word album, Meditations: The Reflections of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
Connors, however, took the outcome in stride. “I mean, we lost to the [14th] Dalai Lama, which is okay. It's His Holiness,” she tells PEOPLE. “If I would've lost to Milli Vanilli, I would've jumped off a cliff.”
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