How could anyone not love Neil Sedaka? He’s given us so much—the exceptional singer has delighted us with his voice and presence for many years.
A natural talent, Neil Sedaka—who’s written and recorded some of the catchiest tunes in pop history—said that when he was a child, he was embarrassed to sing in front of an audience.
“I knew I had a remarkable voice, but I was embarrassed because it was so high,” Sedaka shared. “But when I sang at my bar mitzvah, the rabbi was in tears.”
When he was only 13, the classically trained pianist, who attended a Saturday scholarship program at Julliard’s Preparatory for Children, formed a partnership with 16-year-old Howard Greenfield. Together, they composed songs for Sedaka’s school band, the Linc-Tones, a band that would later become the Tokens.
Working from New York’s historic Brill Building, the duo went on to write chart-topping hits like Sedaka’s “Breaking Up is Hard to Do,” Captain & Tenille’s “Love Will Keep Us Together,” and Connie Francis’ “Stupid Cupid.”