Neil Sedaka, singer-songwriter of 1960-70s fame, dies at 86

DW News · Feb 28, 2026 · Collected from RSS

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Neil Sedaka, the hit rock 'n' roll singer and songwriter who achieved fame in the 1960s and 1970s with hits like "Laughter in the Rain" and "Breaking Up Is Hard To Do," died on Friday. Sedaka was 86. "Our family is devastated by the sudden passing of our beloved husband, father and grandfather, Neil Sedaka," his family said in a statement, without giving a cause of death. "A true rock and roll legend, an inspiration to millions, but most importantly, at least to those of us who were lucky enough to know him, an incredible human being who will be deeply missed." One of Sedaka's first hits as a songwriter was 'Stupid Cupid'Image: Charles Sykes/AP Photo/picture alliance Early life and career Short, dark-haired with a high-pitched voice, Sedaka was an Julliard-trained pianist born in New York to a Jewish taxi driver. While he performed for decades before, Sedaka's career truly began in he late 1950s as a songwriter. He was a key member of Brill Building, a studio widely regarded as the epicenter of American pop music in the 1950s and 1960s. There, he partnered with boyhood neighbor and songwriter Howard Greenfield. Successful songs One of his first successes was writing "Stupid Cupid," for Connie Francis, one of the most popular female singers of the era. The song has often been reprised in hit movies like "The Princess Diaries." In the 1960s, he became a vocalist in his own right with hits like "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do," "Calendar Girl," and "Oh! Carol," which was a lament for his high school sweetheart. His popularity dipped in the late 60s as bands like The Beatles held more attention. But he made a comeback in the 1970s with hits like "Laughter in the Rain" and "Bad Blood." Both topped the Billboard hits chart, adding to the previous No. 1 hit in "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do." While Sedaka dropped out of the charts by 1980s, he remained a showbiz fixture and performed at concerts well into his 80s. Edited by: Wesley Dockery