Neil Sedaka

Neil Sedaka (born March 13, 1939) is an American pop/rock singer, pianist, composer and record producer. Since his music career began in 1957, he has sold millions of records as an artist and has written or co-written over 500 songs for himself and others, collaborating mostly with lyricists Howard Greenfield and Phil Cody.

Early life: Juilliard and the Brill Building

Sedaka was born in Brooklyn, New York. His father, Mac Sedaka, was a taxi driver and a Sephardi Jew of Turkish origin ("Sedaka" and "Sadaka" are variants of "tzedakah", which translates in both Hebrew and Arabic as the word charity). Neil's mother, Eleanor (née Appel), was an Ashkenazi Jew of Polish/Russian origin. Neil's grandparents came to the United States from Constantinople, then the capital of Ottoman Turkey, in 1910. He grew up in Brighton Beach, on the shore of the Atlantic Ocean. Sedaka is a cousin of the late singer Eydie Gormé.

He demonstrated musical aptitude in his second-grade choral class, and when his teacher sent a note home suggesting he take piano lessons, his mother took a part-time job in an Abraham & Straus department store for six months to pay for a second-hand upright. In 1947, he auditioned successfully for a piano scholarship to the Juilliard School of Music's Preparatory Division for Children, which he attended on Saturdays. His mother wanted him to become a renowned classical pianist like the contemporary of the day, Van Cliburn, but Sedaka was discovering pop music. When Sedaka was 13, a neighbor heard him playing and introduced him to her 16-year-old son, Howard Greenfield, an aspiring poet and lyricist. They became two of the legendary Brill Building's composers.

This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia - https://wn.com/Neil_Sedaka

Latest News for: Neil Sedaka

Edit

Olive Branch to perform ‘Breaking Up Is Hard to Do’

The Signal 20 Mar 2025

The nonprofit Olive Branch Theatricals is bringing the music of Neil Sedaka to its performance space on the Patios at Valencia Town Center. “Breaking Up Is Hard to Do” pays homage to Sedaka, ...

Edit

From Vinton Band Student to the World Stage

Oelwein Daily Register 15 Mar 2025

He mentioned meeting Neil Sedaka and that Neil had composed a new piano concerto but was looking for someone to conduct it. Without hesitation, I told my friend that I’d play his piece if he could get Neil Sedaka to Bowling Green, Kentucky .”.

Edit

BIRTHDAYS FOR MARCH 13

Calhoun Times 13 Mar 2025

Song writer Mike Stoller is 92. Singer-songwriter Neil Sedaka is 86. Singer Candi Staton is 85. Actor William H. Macy is 75.Comedian Robin Duke is 71. Actor Dana Delany ("Body of Proof," "China Beach") is 69. Bassist Adam Clayton of ....

Edit

Today in History: March 13, Francis becomes first non-European pope in over 1,250 years

Lima Ohio 13 Mar 2025

TODAY IN HISTORY. In 1781, the seventh planet of the solar system, Uranus, was discovered by astronomer William Herschel ... (Gov ... Tennessee ultimately repealed the law in 1967.). In 1946, U.S. Army Pfc ... BIRTHDAYS ... Singer-songwriter Neil Sedaka is 86 ... Sen ... .

Edit

Today in History: Francis becomes first non-European pope in over 1,250 years

Chicago Tribune 13 Mar 2025

Today is Thursday, March 13, the 72nd day of 2025. There are 293 days left in the year. Today in history.. On March 13, 2013, Jorge Bergoglio of Argentina was elected pope, choosing the papal name Francis ... (Gov ... Singer-songwriter Neil Sedaka is 86 ... Sen ... .

Edit

Horoscopes March 13, 2025: William H. Macy, leave nothing to chance this yea

The Daily Democrat 13 Mar 2025

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY. Adam Clayton, 65; Dana Delany, 69; William H. Macy, 75; Neil Sedaka, 86. Happy Birthday. Leave nothing to chance this year. Map out your journey and have a checklist in place ... Your numbers are 3, 11, 22, 28, 31, 36, 45 ... 22) ... .

Edit

50 songs you won't believe are turning 50 this year

WPXI 04 Mar 2025

Neil Sedaka performs live at Hilversum Studios ... 'Laughter in the Rain' by Neil Sedaka. Neil Sedaka penned six top 10 hits from the late-'50s through the mid-'60s, then hit a dry spell on the U.S.

Edit

Celebrity birthdays for the week of March 9-15

Wtop 04 Mar 2025

Celebrity birthdays for the week of March 9-15.. March 9. Actor Joyce Van Patten is 91. Actor Trish Van Devere is 84. Singer John Cale (The Velvet Underground) is 83 ... March 10 ... Actor Tricia O’Neil (“Genghis Khan”) is 80 ... Singer-songwriter Neil Sedaka is 86.

Edit

Celebrity birthdays for the week of March 9-14

Wtop 03 Mar 2025

Celebrity birthdays for the week of March 9-14.. March 9. Actor Joyce Van Patten is 91. Actor Trish Van Devere is 84. Singer John Cale (The Velvet Underground) is 83 ... March 10 ... Actor Tricia O’Neil (“Genghis Khan”) is 80 ... Singer-songwriter Neil Sedaka is 86.

Article Search

tools

You can search using any combination of the items listed below.

Language:

Sort:

Indexed:

Search:

Duplicates:

Neil Sedaka

Early life: Juilliard and the Brill Building

Rock with Sedaka

Track listing

Podcasts:

Neil Sedaka

ALBUMS

Forty Winks Away

Latest News for: Neil Sedaka

Article Search

Sponsored Link