Neil Sedaka, who has been with the love of his life for nearly 61 years, doesn’t have much personal experience to draw from when he sings, “Breaking Up is Hard to Do.”
The delightful singer known for “down doobie do down down” recently turned 84. He’s full of love for his grandchildren and proudly says he’s been married to his wife since birth.
Neil Sedaka is truly lovable. Over the years, he has given us so much joy with his wonderful voice and presence.
Neil Sedaka, a talented musician who wrote and sang many famous songs, once confessed he used to be shy about singing in front of people when he was younger.
He said, “I knew I had a great voice, but I felt embarrassed because it was so high-pitched. However, the rabbi was moved to tears when I sang at my bar mitzvah.”
He started learning piano at a young age and attended the Juilliard Preparatory for Children on a Saturday scholarship when he was just 13. There, he met Howard Greenfield, who was 16 at the time. They teamed up to write songs for Sedaka’s school band, the Linc-Tones, which later became known as the Tokens.
The duo went on to write hit songs like Sedaka’s “Breaking Up is Hard to Do,” Captain & Tennille’s “Love Will Keep Us Together,” and Connie Francis’ “Stupid Cupid” while based at New York’s famous Brill Building.
Sedaka recalled, “There were no windows, just a piano and bench in our little room. After we had a hit song, we finally got a room with a window.” He mentioned they were earning $50 a week. They worked every day from 9 am to 5 pm, writing and performing songs for record label representatives. Though tough, it was great practice.
His famous song “Oh! Carol” (1959), inspired by his high school girlfriend Carole King, was the first from the Brill Building to hit the Top 10. Sedaka was also the first to record his own songs there.
Until the mid-1970s, Greenfield and Sedaka collaborated. Greenfield, who was openly gay, passed away in 1986 due to AIDS-related issues.
Meanwhile, Sedaka left The Tokens when he was 19, just as the group hit their peak in 1961 with songs like “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” and “Tonight I Fell in Love.”
His first three solo albums didn’t sell well, but one song got him a spot on American Bandstand with Dick Clark, and shortly after that, he landed a recording contract.
The song “The Diary,” which Sedaka wrote because he was curious about “looking into that little book,” became his first big hit, reaching number 14 on the Billboard Top 100 in 1958. It was inspired by Connie Francis’ diary. Sedaka’s fame grew even more with “Calendar Girl,” his sixth hit in just two years, recorded in 1960.
In 1962, Sedaka married Leba Strassberg, whom he met while performing at the Esther Manor resort in the Catskill Mountains of New York, which is now closed.
Leba’s mother, Esther, was a businesswoman who co-owned the resort. She didn’t initially approve of her daughter dating a musician.
The couple continued their relationship despite Esther’s disapproval, while dealing with Eleanor Sedaka, another meddling mother.
Eleanor had admitted riding roller coasters while pregnant with him in an effort to cause a miscarriage. She also wanted her son to be a classical pianist instead of a pop star.
“My father was a taxi driver and never made more than $10,000 a year,” Sedaka said. He made the mistake of giving his mother money, and she ended up controlling most of his rights as an artist, including his royalties and finances. “She changed her mind when I received a royalty check for $62,000 for ‘Stupid Cupid.'”
“After the initial shock, I forgave and accepted him because of my father,” he said. “In a way, I even understood it. My dad was very frugal, but the other man bought her jewelry and fur and took her to beautiful places. They only liked but had no more taxes to be paid by thousands of dollars and Loved
Sedaka kicked out his mother’s boyfriend and mentioned that Eleanor had almost taken too many sleeping pills “because she couldn’t handle the conflict between her son and her boyfriend.” She claimed she didn’t know they were using my money. I didn’t talk to her for a whole year.
At that time, his loyal wife took on the role of his new manager.
Sedaka’s career was on the rise, but then The Beatles came along and changed everything.
He kept writing songs for others, but his success on the charts in the U.S. was going down. So he decided to move Leba and their kids, Dara and Marc, to London, where many hit makers lived.
“I used to walk down the street, and people would ask, ‘Weren’t you Neil Sedaka?'” Sedaka said about his fading popularity. “I’d reply, ‘Well, you haven’t heard the last of me. I’m still Neil Sedaka.’ I had to change my approach. I first met Elton John in the early 1970s. Have you heard of him?”
Sedaka met the singer of “I’m Still Standing” at a party in London. He said he was encouraged to sign with the Rocket Record Company, Elton John’s former record label.
And, as the album’s title suggests, Sedaka’s career took off with the release of “Sedaka’s Back” in 1974. This was the first of three albums he made with Elton John, and it brought him success once again on the American charts.
He was honored by being inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1983 and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
In 2003, Sedaka was a guest judge on American Idol, and later, the runner-up from season two, Clay Aiken, recorded and released “Solitaire,” a song by Neil Sedaka from 1972, which became the best-selling single of the following year.
During COVID-19, Sedaka started posting mini-concerts on social media to entertain his fans. In September, he released a special concert to celebrate his 60th wedding anniversary with Leba, featuring three songs he wrote just for her.
Sedaka also announced his involvement with Cameo in a video on Facebook in May. He expressed excitement about accepting requests for birthdays, anniversaries, or any special occasion where he could send a personalized message.
Ending his performances with a few bars of “Breaking Up is Hard to Do,” Sedaka received praise from his audience. One person commented, “I’ve loved your music since I was a teenager, and I’m 75 now. Please don’t stop!”
Another fan wrote a heartfelt message that many can relate to: “Dear Neil, your songs brighten my day. I find myself singing your melodies often. They’ve become a part of me. Thank you for bringing happiness to the world.”
Despite his music career, Sedaka’s main priorities are his wife and family. He’s a loving grandfather to three children, including twins.
Reflecting on his career, Sedaka remarked, “I could have been bigger, but I wasn’t controversial enough. I avoided drugs and scandals. There were no controversies in my personal life. You can’t say I didn’t achieve fame because I had talent and a strong drive for it.”
It’s really admirable how Neil Sedaka and Leba have stayed together for so long without letting fame affect their happy marriage.
He’s a truly talented musician whose music will surely influence future generations. It’s great to hear about his life and music. What’s your favorite song of his, whether he wrote or performed it?
