American Pop veteran Neil Sedaka dies aged 86
Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Sedaka was a trained pianist who began performing professionally as a teenager. He became a key figure in the Brill Building songwriting scene alongside longtime collaborator Howard Greenfield, penning hits that captured the youthful spirit of the pre-Beatles era.
Los Angeles: Neil Sedaka, the acclaimed American singer-songwriter whose career spanned more than six decades and produced enduring pop classics, has died at the age of 86. His family announced his passing on Friday after he was rushed to hospital in Los Angeles following a sudden medical emergency.
Sedaka shot to fame in the late 1950s and early 1960s with a string of hits including “Breaking Up Is Hard to Do,” “Oh! Carol,” “Calendar Girl” and “Laughter in the Rain.” He also enjoyed a major comeback in the 1970s, writing and performing songs such as “Bad Blood” and “Love Will Keep Us Together,” the latter becoming a No 1 hit for Captain & Tennille.
Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Sedaka was a trained pianist who began performing professionally as a teenager. He became a key figure in the Brill Building songwriting scene alongside longtime collaborator Howard Greenfield, penning hits that captured the youthful spirit of the pre-Beatles era.
Despite a period out of the spotlight during the British Invasion, Sedaka reinvented his sound and enjoyed renewed success in the 1970s with the support of Elton John’s Rocket Records. Over his career he scored three No 1 hits in the United States and had multiple Top 10 singles, both as a solo artist and songwriter for others.
Sedaka’s family described him as a “true rock and roll legend” and an inspiration to millions. He is survived by his wife Leba, whom he married in 1962, and their two children.
