Neil Sedaka, the rock ‘n’ roll singer and songwriter best known for hits like “Laughter in the Rain” and “Breaking Up Is Hard to Do,” died Friday at 86.
“Our family is devastated by the sudden passing of our beloved husband, father and grandfather, Neil Sedaka,” his family said in a statement, without giving a cause of death. “A true rock and roll legend, an inspiration to millions, but most importantly, at least to those of us who were lucky enough to know him, an incredible human being who will be deeply missed.”
A Juilliard-trained pianist, Sedaka was born in New York to a Jewish taxi driver and was short, dark-haired with a high-pitched voice. His music career began in the late 1950s as a songwriter. He was a key figure at the Brill Building, the songwriting hub of American pop in the 1950s and 1960s, where he partnered with boyhood friend and lyricist Howard Greenfield.
One of his early successes as a writer was “Stupid Cupid,” recorded by Connie Francis. Sedaka emerged as a performer in the 1960s with hits including “Breaking Up Is Hard to Do,” “Calendar Girl,” and “Oh! Carol,” the latter written about a high school sweetheart. His popularity waned in the late 1960s as rock bands like the Beatles rose, but he staged a comeback in the 1970s with chart-toppers “Laughter in the Rain” and “Bad Blood,” adding to his earlier No. 1 with “Breaking Up Is Hard to Do.”
Although he fell off the charts by the 1980s, Sedaka remained active in showbusiness and continued performing into his 80s.
Edited by: Wesley Dockery