Neil Sedaka is an American pop singer, pianist, and songwriter. He was born on March 13, 1939 in Brooklyn, New York.

He first demonstrated musical aptitude in his second-grade choral class, and when his teacher sent a note home suggesting he take piano lessons. In 1947, he auditioned successfully for a piano scholarship to the prestigious Juilliard School of Music's Preparatory Division for Children, which he began to attend on Saturdays. He also maintained an interest in popular music, and when he was 13, a neighbor heard him playing and introduced him to her 16-year-old son, Howard Greenfield, an aspiring poet and lyricist; the two began writing songs together.

The best-known “Billboard Hot 100” hits of his early career are "Oh! Carol" (no 9, 1959), "Calendar Girl" (no 4, 1960), "Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen" (no 6, 1961), and "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do" (no 1, 1962). Between 1960 and 1962, Sedaka had eight Top 40 hits. He was among the early 1960s performers whose careers were waylaid by the British Invasion and other sea changes in the music industry. His singles began to decline on the US charts, before disappearing altogether.

Come the 1970s, Sedaka was reinventing himself. After recording the unsuccessful album in England "Solitaire" for UK RCA, he began working with 10cc, who were co-owners of a successful recording studio in Stockport Strawberry Studios. 10cc produced and played on his album "The Tra La La Days Are Over" for UK Polydor, which jump started the second phase of his career. He then worked with Elton John, who signed him to his Rocket Records label.

In 1976, Sedaka recorded a new version of "Breaking Up is Hard to Do." The chart-topping 1962 original was fast-tempo and bouncy teen pop, but the remake was much slower and in the style of a Jazz/Torch Piano centered arrangement. It reached no 8 on the pop charts.

Sedaka is also the composer of the popular "Is This The Way to Amarillo", a song he wrote for Britain's Tony Christie. It reached no 18 on the UK charts in 1971, but hit no 1 when reissued in 2005.

In 2007, Sedaka continues to perform regularly. He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and was inducted into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame in October 2006.

www.neilsedaka.com