By Samantha Yu
MANILA — Neil Sedaka, whose upbeat songs and unmistakable high voice made him a pop sensation in the 1950s and 1970s, has died at age 86.
Born in Brooklyn to a Jewish taxi driver, Sedaka studied music at Juilliard and began performing as a teenager. With lyricist Howard Greenfield, he crafted enduring hits like Oh! Carol, Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen, and Calendar Girl, capturing the teenage spirit of early rock ‘n’ roll.
After a mid-career lull, he achieved renewed success with songs such as Laughter in the Rain and Bad Blood. His song Love Will Keep Us Together, popularized by The Captain & Tennille, won a Grammy and cemented his reputation as a songwriter whose work crossed generations.
Sedaka remained active on stage well into his 80s, performing with energy and maintaining the vocal clarity that first made him famous. Artists from Elvis Presley to Frank Sinatra covered his songs, and his work helped shape the careers of performers like Connie Francis.
His family remembered him as “a beloved husband, father, and grandfather, a true rock and roll legend, and an incredible human being.”
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