Neil Sedaka, the classically educated piano prodigy who conquered the pop charts within the Sixties and Seventies, has died. He was 86.
The legendary singer-songwriter handed away on Friday in Los Angeles after the pop pioneer was rushed to an area hospital by ambulance earlier that morning.
“Our household is devastated by the sudden passing of our beloved husband, father and grandfather,” the Sedaka household confirmed in a press release.
“A real rock and roll legend, an inspiration to tens of millions, however most significantly, at the very least to these of us who had been fortunate sufficient to know him, an unbelievable human being who can be deeply missed.”
The Monkees’ Micky Dolenz took to social media on Friday to mourn the songwriter. Sedaka, he mentioned, was “a kind of uncommon songwriters who might do all of it”.
“He gave the world so many nice hits of his personal, and Monkees followers will know his work, too – he co-wrote When Love Comes Knocking at Your Door with Carole Bayer Sager, together with a couple of different songs that discovered their method into our world.”
Carole King paid tribute to her former highschool beau: “Neil Sedaka was so gifted, and he impressed me to observe my dream of being a songwriter.”
Born in Brooklyn in 1939, Neil Sedaka studied classical piano on the prestigious Juilliard College of Music prep faculty in Manhattan from the age of 9. Nonetheless, his life took a pointy flip towards the recording studio within the late Fifties when he and his neighbour, longtime collaborator Howard Greenfield, started crafting songs that will outline the period.
He saved their music making secret from his mom, who had a lot increased aspirations for him.
In 1958 at age 19, he and Greenfield had a large hit with Silly Cupid, sung by Connie Francis, the success of which catapulted him right into a solo profession. Through the early Sixties, Sedaka grew to become a fixture on the Billboard charts with upbeat melodies as Oh! Carol, written for Carole King in addition to Calendar Lady, Pleased Birthday Candy Sixteen, and his first No. 1 hit, Breaking Up Is Arduous To Do.
Sedaka’s profession stagnated with the arrival of Beatles, however he managed to orchestrate one of the crucial profitable comebacks in music historical past in the course of the Seventies with the help of Elton John, who had signed him to Rocket Data.
He returned to the hit parade with Love Will Preserve Us Collectively for Captain & Tennille.
Sedaka was inducted into the Songwriters Corridor of Fame in 1983 and continued to carry out effectively into his 80s, even internet hosting mini-concerts from his lounge for followers in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sedaka mentioned performing was the engine that saved him going.
Simply days earlier than he died, the performer shared a video on social media selling a brand new monitor, Good Occasions, Good Music and Good Associates, telling followers the title summed up his private philosophy. The monitor is featured on a brand new streamed recording, Steppin’ Out, which was to be out there in April.
He’s survived by his spouse of over 60 years, Leba Strassberg, and their two kids, Marc and Dara.
Wires and Linda Morris
