Neil Sedaka facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Neil Sedaka
Sedaka on TopPop in 1974
Background information
Born	(1939-03-13)March 13, 1939 New York City, U.S.
Died	February 27, 2026(2026-02-27) (aged 86) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Genres	Pop Brill Building rock and roll doo-wop
Occupation(s)	Singer songwriter pianist
Instruments	Vocals piano
Years active	1957–2026
Labels	RCA Victor MGM Polydor Rocket Elektra Neil Sedaka Music Razor & Tie

Neil Sedaka (born March 13, 1939, passed away February 27, 2026) was a famous American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He started his music journey in 1957. Neil sold millions of records around the world. He wrote or helped write over 500 songs. Many of these were for himself and other popular artists. He often worked with lyricists Howard Greenfield and Phil Cody.

Neil Sedaka was briefly a member of a doo-wop group called the Tokens. He then became a solo star in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Some of his big hits included "Oh! Carol" (1959), "Calendar Girl" (1960), "Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen" (1961), and "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do" (1962). His fame slowed down in the mid-1960s. However, it came back strong in the mid-1970s. Songs like "Laughter in the Rain" and "Bad Blood" were number one hits in 1975. Neil also wrote many songs for other artists. These included "Stupid Cupid" for Connie Francis and "Love Will Keep Us Together" for Captain & Tennille. He joined the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1983. He continued to perform, even holding online mini-concerts during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Neil Sedaka's Early Life and Musical Start

Neil Sedaka was born in Brooklyn on March 13, 1939. His father, Mac Sedaka, was a taxi driver. His family had roots in Lebanon and Turkey. Neil's mother, Eleanor, had Polish and Russian family history. He grew up in a neighborhood called Brighton Beach.

Neil showed a talent for music in second grade. His teacher suggested piano lessons. His mother worked extra hours to buy him a piano. In 1947, he won a scholarship to the Juilliard School of Music. He studied classical piano there on Saturdays. His mother hoped he would become a classical pianist. Neil always loved classical music.

But Neil also discovered pop music. At 13, he met Howard Greenfield, a 16-year-old who wrote song lyrics. They became a songwriting team. They worked in a famous place called the Brill Building in New York City. Many hit songs were created there.

Neil graduated from Abraham Lincoln High School in 1956. He and Howard wrote many songs together. They wrote hits for Neil and other artists. Later, when bands like the Beatles became popular, Neil's music style changed. He moved his family to the United Kingdom in the early 1970s. He then started writing songs with a new partner, Phil Cody.

Neil Sedaka's Music Career

Rising to Fame with RCA Victor

After high school, Neil and friends formed a band called the Linc-Tones. They had some small local hits. Neil left the group in 1957 to start his solo career. The band later became the Tokens and had their own hits.

Neil's first few solo songs were not big hits. But they showed he could sing alone. So, RCA Victor signed him to a record deal. His first hit for RCA Victor was "The Diary" in 1958. It reached the top 15 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

His next song, "I Go Ape", was popular in the United Kingdom. RCA Victor almost dropped him because some songs didn't do well. Neil studied other hit songs to learn their secrets. This led to "Oh! Carol" in 1959. It became a top 10 hit in the U.S. and number one in Italy. The song was inspired by Carole King, a friend from high school.

Big Hits in the Early 1960s

From 1960 to 1962, Neil Sedaka had many more hits. These included "Stairway to Heaven" (1960) and "Calendar Girl" (1961). "Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen" (1961) was another favorite. His most famous song, "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do", hit number one for two weeks in 1962. He also made early music videos for some of these songs. Neil often appeared on TV shows like American Bandstand.

Writing Songs for Other Stars

Neil Sedaka and Howard Greenfield also wrote songs for other singers. One of their most famous clients was Connie Francis. They wrote "Stupid Cupid" for her, which became a big hit. They also wrote "The Diary," which inspired Neil's own first hit. Another big song they wrote for Connie Francis was "Theme from Where the Boys Are".

They also wrote songs for Jimmy Clanton, like "Another Sleepless Night". Neil even played piano on Bobby Darin's 1959 hit, "Dream Lover".

International Success

Neil was very popular in Italy. He recorded many of his songs in Italian. "La terza luna" ("Waiting for Never") was a number one hit there in 1963. He also recorded songs in Yiddish, Spanish, German, Hebrew, Japanese, and French. His English songs were also big hits in Japan.

Challenges in the Mid-1960s

Neil Sedaka in 1965

After 1962, Neil's popularity began to slow down. The arrival of the Beatles and the British Invasion changed music. Many American artists, including Neil, found it harder to have hits. From 1964 to 1966, only a few of his songs made it onto the charts.

He also faced some tough times. His record company, RCA Victor, did not renew his contract in 1966. This left him without a recording label. Neil decided to stop performing for a while. However, he continued to write songs for other artists. He wrote hits for the Monkees and the 5th Dimension.

In 1965, Neil appeared on a TV show called I've Got a Secret. His secret was that he was going to compete in a classical piano competition. But his pop music career led to his disqualification. He still impressed everyone with his classical piano playing.

Comeback in the 1970s

Finding Success in Australia

Neil worked hard to restart his solo career in the early 1970s. He was still very popular in the UK and Australia. He thanked Australian fans for supporting him during these "hungry years." His song "Star-Crossed Lovers" became a number one hit in Australia in 1969. This helped him make a new album there.

New Albums and Collaborations

In 1971, Neil released the Emergence album. It didn't do well in the U.S. market. Neil then moved to the UK. In 1972, he recorded the Solitaire album with the band 10cc. The title track, "Solitaire", became a hit for other artists like the Carpenters. This album marked the start of his songwriting partnership with Phil Cody.

Return to the Top of the Charts

Sedaka performing in 2005

Neil's career really took off again in the mid-1970s. He signed with Elton John's record company, Rocket Record Company. Elton John was a big fan of Neil's music. In 1974, Neil released Sedaka's Back. This album included songs from his UK albums. "Laughter in the Rain" became a number one hit in 1975. This brought Neil back into the spotlight in America. He followed this with "The Immigrant", which was also very popular.

Writing Hits for 1970s Artists

Neil Sedaka and Howard Greenfield wrote "Love Will Keep Us Together". This song became a number one hit for Captain & Tennille in 1975. Singer Toni Tennille even sang "Sedaka is back" in the song! Neil also helped write the English lyrics for ABBA's first hit, "Ring Ring".

More Number One Hits

In late 1975, Neil released The Hungry Years album. The song "Bad Blood" became a number one hit for three weeks. Elton John even sang backing vocals on it. Neil also re-recorded his hit "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do" as a slow ballad. This new version also reached the top 10 in 1976. This made him the only artist to have two different versions of the same song reach the top 10.

Later Career and Achievements

New Music and Awards

Neil continued to release albums with different labels like Elektra Records and Curb Records. In 1980, he had a top-40 hit called "Should've Never Let You Go" with his daughter, Dara.

Neil Sedaka inspired many other musicians. Singer-songwriter Ben Folds said Neil was an inspiration for his own career. Neil's songs were also used in the Japanese anime TV series Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam. He even voiced a character named Neil Moussaka in the Epcot attraction Food Rocks.

Musicals based on his songs, like Breaking Up Is Hard to Do and Laughter in the Rain, have been performed.

Honors and American Idol

Neil Sedaka received many honors. He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1983. He also has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 2003, Neil appeared on American Idol as a guest judge. Contestant Clay Aiken sang Neil's song "Solitaire". It became a huge hit for Clay, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot Singles Sales chart.

Guinness World Record for "Amarillo"

The Amarillo National Bank Plaza One building

Neil co-wrote the song "(Is This the Way to) Amarillo?" in 1971. It became a hit for Tony Christie in the UK. In 2006, the song became popular again. Neil was performing in London when he received an award. A representative from Guinness World Records presented him with an award. It was for composing "Amarillo," the most successful UK single of the 21st century at that time. Tony Christie then joined him on stage for a duet.

New Recordings and Performances

Since the 1980s, Neil Sedaka managed his own music business. He re-recorded his early hits in 1991 due to disputes over ownership. In 2007, he signed with Razor and Tie Records. His album The Definitive Collection was one of his highest-charting albums ever. He also released a children's album called Waking Up Is Hard to Do.

Neil continued to perform and collaborate with other artists. He premiered a new classical piece called "Joie de Vivre" in Australia in 2008. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he shared free mini-concerts online for his fans. He continued to create online content with his grandson and other artists. In 2024, Neil signed a deal with Primary Wave to reintroduce his music to new audiences. He shared in a 2025 interview that he had retired from songwriting in 2022.

Personal Life and Passing

Neil Sedaka married Leba Strassberg in 1962. They had a daughter and a son.

Neil Sedaka last appeared in public on February 25, 2026. He was dining at his favorite restaurant. On the morning of February 27, 2026, Neil was hospitalized in Los Angeles. He passed away later that day at the age of 86.

Discography

Number One Hits

As a Performer

"Oh! Carol" (Italy, Netherlands and Wallonia), 1960
"One-Way Ticket to the Blues" (Japan), 1960
"Calendar Girl" (Canada & Japan), 1961
"Breaking Up Is Hard to Do" (1962 version) – (Canada), US Billboard Hot 100, 1962
"La terza luna" (Italy), 1963
"Star Crossed Lovers" (Australia), 1969
"Laughter in the Rain" – US Adult Contemporary, 1974; US Billboard Hot 100, 1975
"The Immigrant" – US Adult Contemporary, 1975
"Bad Blood" – US Billboard Hot 100, 1975–76
"Breaking Up Is Hard to Do" (1975 version) – US Adult Contemporary, 1976

As a Songwriter

"Ring Ring" by ABBA (English translation co-lyricist) – Belgium, 1973
"Solitaire" by The Carpenters (composer) – US Billboard Adult Contemporary, 1975
"Lonely Night (Angel Face)" by Captain & Tennille (1975) (composer and lyricist) – (Canada), US Billboard Easy Listening
"Love Will Keep Us Together" by Captain & Tennille (1975) (composer) – US Billboard Hot 100

Film and TV Appearances

1973: The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour (as himself)
1976: Saturday Night Live (as himself)
1977: The Carol Burnett Show (as himself)
1980: The Toni Tennille Show (as himself)
2005: The King of Queens (as himself)
2020–2026: Today's Mini-Concert (online musical performance series)

Autobiography

Laughter in the Rain: My Own Story. New York: Putnam, 1982. ISBN: 0-399-12744-5