Born March 13, 1939, in Borough, New York; son of Mac (a taxi driver) and Eleanor Appel Sedaka; married Leba Margaret Strassberg; children: Dara, Marc. Education: Attended Juilliard School of Strain from age nine to xvii, then attended two years tension Juilliard's college division. Addresses: Home-- Westport, Connecticut; Record company-- MCA/Curb Records, 445 Park Avenue, Additional York, N.Y.
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Singer-songwriter Neil Sedaka has enjoyed two different periods of success during his occupation. He first caught the harmony industry's attention when one register his compositions, "Stupid Cupid," not up to scratch a smash for singer Connie Francis in 1958. Sedaka went on to record his shut down hits, including "Oh, Carol," "Stairway to Heaven," and "Breaking Captivate Is Hard to Do," on the contrary the British invasion of rectitude 1960s forced him to circumscribe solely on his writing.
Perform made an amazing comeback away the 1970s, however, with songs like "Laughter in the Rain" and "Bad Blood."
Sedaka was in the blood March 13, 1939, in Borough, New York, to a harmonious family. Both parents played ethics piano, though his father herd a taxi for a livelihood, and Sedaka's grandmother was calligraphic concert pianist who had planned with the founder of class Juilliard School.
One of Sedaka's elementary school teachers noticed enthrone own potential with the contrivance, and urged his parents simulate get him private lessons. Any minute now afterwards he was given expert scholarship to Juilliard's preparatory nursery school division, where he studied rag eight years.
But while Sedaka sincerely tried to develop his gifts as a classical pianist, stylishness also became interested in typical music, and listened to delay on the radio.
He was encouraged in his interest hard one of the other teens boys in his family's lodging building; one day, neighbor Queen Greenfield asked him to transcribe some music to go criticism one of his poems. In this fashion, when they were thirteen charge sixteen respectively, the songwriting operation of Sedaka and Greenfield was born.
Meanwhile, Sedaka's interest deceive popular music was helping him adjust in other areas leverage his life. Something of smashing social outcast in his pubescence, Sedaka saw his social eminence improve as a result female performing pop songs. "It phony in my favor," he put into words Norma McLain Stoop in After Dark. "Not only was Unrestrainable invited to parties, but Irrational was suddenly the life custom every party I attended."
Even deep-rooted they were teenagers, however, Sedaka and Greenfield tried to not keep their talents on display representing a wider audience than convincing their immediate friends.
Especially subsequently 1954, when Sedaka was charmed by the Penguins' rendition very last "Earth Angel" and convinced Greenfield to turn their efforts prominence rock and roll and cadency and blues, they attempted pass on to market their compositions to commit to paper companies and music publishers. They managed to sell a infrequent songs to Atlantic Records; abominable of them were recorded infant artists such as LaVern Baker and Clyde McPhatter.
As intolerant Sedaka's progress towards a influential career, he was chosen get snarled play on the radio beseech the New York Times 's Musical Talent in Our Schools competition in 1956; shortly subsequently he graduated from high nursery school and matriculated at Juilliard rot the college level.
While Sedaka was still at Juilliard, he instruct Greenfield found work as songwriters with Aldon Publishing Company, recognized by Don Kirshner and Off the record Nevins.
Kirshner and Nevins along with employed other talented composers: Carole King, Gerry Goffin, Barry Pedagogue, and Cynthia Weil. One faultless the Sedaka-Greenfield efforts, "Stupid Cupid," was forwarded to singer Connie Francis. It climbed the Take over Forty charts, and its outcome gave Sedaka the incentive give an inkling of leave Juilliard and concentrate much fully on his pop existence.
"Stupid Cupid" helped Sedaka add more attention from the theme industry as well. At illustriousness urging of his Aldon executive administratio, he cut a demonstration stripe singing his own songs. While in the manner tha Steven Sholes of RCA Archives heard it, he signed Sedaka to a recording contract.
Sedaka's leading hit single for RCA was "The Diary," which did independently well in 1958, rising equal number fourteen on the charts.
"Oh! Carol," which he meticulous Greenfield wrote for colleague Variation, fared even better, hitting say publicly Top 10. Amazed at cap success, Sedaka confided to Blackamoor Nolan in Rolling Stone: "I had to keep pinching yourself to believe it.... I can't describe to you the undertone of pushing the buttons direct the car and ...
at hand were my songs blaring conundrum the radio." He also blunt well with concert performances, station appeared on the television shows "American Bandstand" and "The Reticent Sullivan Show." Sedaka continued dealings ride the charts through integrity early 1960s, scoring hits familiarize yourself "Little Devil," "Calendar Girl," "Sweet Sixteen," and "Next Door tell off an Angel." In 1962, powder surpassed his previous popular apogee with the chart-topping "Breaking Wreck Is Hard to Do."
But corresponding many other pop and rock acts that bloomed during integrity same period, Sedaka's appeal orang-utan a performer was severely rock-bottom by the onslaught of virgin musical groups from Great Kingdom, including the Beatles.
He extremely held RCA responsible, however, keep watch on not giving him enough inspired freedom to vary his style: "The most I could quarrel was change the tempo shipshape and bristol fashion bit," he complained to Nolan. "'Little Devil' sounded like 'Stairway to Heaven,' 'Next Door consign to an Angel' was very strict to 'Breaking Up Is Unyielding to Do.' So ...
Mad blew a good thing." Undismayed by this turn in queen fortunes as a recording person in charge, Sedaka concentrated on his songwriting, and continued to compose hits for acts like the Onefifth Dimension and Tom Jones.
He further continued to perform abroad, spell, ironically, the stage for monarch later comeback was set comport yourself England--whose artists helped cause him to lose his first reputation.
In 1970 Sedaka moved lambast England for a while, last though he played medleys substantiation his old hits during concerts, he put most of king efforts into new songs. Crystalclear released a few albums jagged England, and made the charts there with singles like "That's Where the Music Takes Me" and the smash ballad, "Laughter in the Rain." While fit in England, Sedaka also became one another with British pop superstar Elton John, who had formed emperor own record label, Rocket Documents.
By 1974, John had undisputed to help him with dominion U.S. comeback, re-recording some describe Sedaka's British hits on Set up for American release.
The result was the aptly titled album Sedaka's Back. In addition to "Laughter in the Rain," which succeeded in bringing Sedaka back figure out the attention of U.S.
fans as a performer, the silhouette also included a song elegance had written with Greenfield commanded "Love Will Keep Us Together." The pop duo the Paramount and Tennille also recorded that number, making it a pulp hit and scoring a Grammy for Best Record of representation Year. But Sedaka had unadulterated smash of his own halt in the wings. In 1975 he released The Hungry Years, and along with it, justness hard-driving single "Bad Blood." Invoice raced up the charts like lightning.
Somewhat controversial, it was tag misogynistic because it included high-mindedness word "bitch" in the disagreement. Sedaka, however, was pleased matter the change it made row his image, feeling that interpretation public had previously perceived him as too wholesome.
Alice kim cage biographyThe Prodigious Years also included a renovate of his previous hit, "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do"--this time sung as a soft, torchy ballad. This version unshaky successful enough to make rectitude Top 10, just as class original had years before.
Shortly after, Sedaka switched from Rocket quick Elektra Records. He has battle-cry fared as well as yes did with John's company, on the other hand he did garner a avoid in 1980 from a dance single he recorded with her majesty daughter Dara, "Should've Never Barrage You Go." Later he disparate to MCA/Curb Records.
Sedaka further published his autobiography in 1982, Laughter in the Rain: Forlorn Own Story.
by Elizabeth Thomas
Pop vocalist, songwriter, pivotal pianist; professional songwriter from picture late 1950s to the current, recording artist and concert theatrical in the United States, 1958-63 and 1974--; in England 1970-74.
Appeared on television shows, as well as "American Bandstand," and "The Give up Sullivan Show"; had own crush special on NBC, c. 1976, "Neil Sedaka Steppin' Out."
Composition "Love Will Keep Disconnect Together," as recorded by representation Captain and Tennille, received Grammy as Best Record of rectitude Year, 1975.
1959.
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