Posted on 02/27/2026 2:28:18 PM PST by SeekAndFind
Legendary singer-songwriter Neil Sedaka was taken to the hospital early Friday and later died, according to reports.
Legendary singer-songwriter Neil Sedaka, popular for hits like "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do" and "Calendar Girl," “Laughter in the Rain,” and many others has died. He was 86.
“Our family is devastated by the sudden passing of our beloved husband, father and grandfather, Neil Sedaka,” the family told Variety. “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.”
The former member of The Tokens, who sang a popular rendition of "The Lion Sleeps Tonight," was reportedly taken to the hospital early Friday and later died, according to TMZ.
His cause of death is not known at this time.
(Excerpt) Read more at 10tv.com ...
Great songwriter in a much more innocent time. Boys liked girls, girls liked boys.
That was Robert John.
From what I understand he was not a member of the Tokens yet when they made this song so he doesn't sing on the recording.
My favorite song by him was his 1974 comeback hit, the sweet "Laughter in the Rain":
Very sad, great song writer and singer, RIP.
______________________________
Neil had regular informal piano/singing sessions on YouTube that I subscribed to. He would sing and play his piano and record short medley sessions of his songs in his New York apartment living room. Neil was a very up beat talented musician to the very end. I think he started those living room sessions during Covid just to lift peoples’ spirits. I will miss him.
Remember Karen Carpenter singing “Solitaire”? That was one of Neil’s.
Sad news, Neil was an avid poster on Facebook. Showing off old and new stuff. Had a large following there. I have intended to ask him about a song, but the threads were always a couple hundred posts long by the time I saw them.
You are correct, sir.
Mine, too. Followed by Love Will Keep Us Together.
great musician, singer and songwriter. wrote 60’s pop rock hits with lyrics good enough to be rearranged for slow ballad chart toppers years later. RIP Neil.
86.
Sedaka never wrote one bad song! All his songs were pleasant to hear and melodious and singable. We need more singer-songwriters like him today.
I saw his concerts twice, once in Australia and once in Long Island ( where he did “Love will Keep Us Together” with his daughter ). Very entertaining!
At 86, those two years matter.
-PJ
RE: Some of his 70s stuff scared me as a kid
Just curious, which of his 70s songs were scary?
Songs like “Laughter in the Rain” and “Love Will Keep Us Together” were standard melodious, singable love songs.
RE: His song “I Miss The Hungry Years” was AWESOME!
Absolutely! One Hollywood insider told me that the producers of the movie WALL STREET starring Michael Douglas and Charlie Sheen had wanted to use “The Hungry Years” as one of its background songs but negotiations fell through for some reason. It never made it. It would have been an awesome theme song for that movie.
RE: Remember Karen Carpenter singing “Solitaire”? That was one of Neil’s.
Yes. It’s very hard to top the vocals of Karen Carpenter and the arrangements of her brother. But for this particular song, Sedaka’s melancholic rendition worked better for me.
“A pop far too sweet for my taste.”
Yep. Commercial slop for the masses. Not for me.
Here is a list of his compositions.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Songs_written_by_Neil_Sedaka
Very talented creative guy. RIP
Yeah
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