Neil Sedaka

b. 13 March 1939, Brooklyn, New York, USA. Pianist Sedaka began his songwriting career with lyricist Howard Greenfield in the early '50s. During this high school period, Sedaka dated Carol Klein (later known as Carole King). For a brief period, Sedaka joined the Tokens, then won a scholarship to New York's Juilliard School of Music. In 1958, the pianist joined Don Kirshner's Brill Building school of instant songwriters. Sedaka's first major hit success came with Stupid Cupid, which was an international smash for Connie Francis. The following year, Sedaka signed to RCA as a recording artist and enjoyed a minor US hit with The Diary. The frantic follow-up I Go Ape was a strong novelty record, which helped establish Sedaka. This was followed by one of his most famous songs, Oh Carol, a lament directed at his former girlfriend Carole King, who replied in kind with the less successful Oh Neil. Sedaka's solid voice and memorable melodies resulted in a string of early '60s hits, including Stairway To Heaven, Calendar Girl, Little Devil, King Of Clowns, Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen and Breaking Up Is Hard To Do. These songs summed up the nature of Sedaka's lyrical appeal. The material subtly dramatized the trials and rewards of teenage life and the emotional upheavals resulting from birthdays, break-ups and incessant speculation on the qualities of a loved one. Such songs of neurotic love had their distinct time in the early '60s, and with the decline of the clean-cut teen balladeer and the emergence of groups, there was an inevitable lull in Sedaka's fortunes. He abandoned the pop star role but continued writing a fair share of hits over the next 10 years, including Venus In Blue Jeans (Jimmy Clanton/ Mark Wynter), Working On A Groovy Thing ( Fifth Dimension), Puppet Man ( Tom Jones) and Is This The Way To Amarillo? ( Tony Christie). In 1972, Sedaka effectively relaunched his solo career with EMERGENCE and relocated to the UK. By 1973, he was back in the British charts with That's When The Music Takes Me from SOLITAIRE. The third album of the comeback, THE TRA-LA DAYS ARE OVER, was highly regarded and included Our Last Song Together, dedicated to Howard Greenfield. With LAUGHTER IN THE RAIN, Sedaka extended his appeal to his homeland. The title track topped the US charts in 1975, completing a remarkable international comeback. That same year, the Captain And Tennille took Sedaka's Love Will Keep Us Together to the US number 1 spot and the songwriter followed suit soon after with Bad Blood. The year ended with an excellent reworking of Breaking Up Is Hard To Do in a completely different arrangement which provided another worldwide smash. He enjoyed his last major hit during 1980 in the company of his daughter Dara on Should've Never Let You Go. Sedaka continues to tour regularly, performing hits from two different decades.