Neil Sedaka, the singer-songwriter behind dozens of hits of the 1960s and '70s, dies at age 86

NEW YORK -- Neil Sedaka, the hit-making singer-songwriter whose boyish soprano and agleam melodies made him a apical enactment successful the aboriginal years of stone 'n' rotation and led to a 2nd tally of occurrence successful the 1970s, has died.

Sedaka, whose hits included "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do" and "Laugher successful the Rain," died Friday astatine property 86.

"Our household is devastated by the abrupt passing of our beloved husband, begetter and grandfather, Neil Sedaka," his household said successful a statement. "A existent stone and rotation legend, an inspiration to millions, but astir importantly, astatine slightest to those of america who were fortunate capable to cognize him, an unthinkable quality being who volition beryllium profoundly missed."

In this April 30, 2012 record photo, vocalist and children's publication writer Neil Sedaka poses for a representation successful New York.

AP Photo/Charles Sykes

No different details of his decease were instantly available.

A cardinal subordinate of the Brill Building songwriting factory, Sedaka teamed with lyricist and boyhood neighbour Howard Greenfield connected songs that reflected the teen innocence of the post-Elvis/pre-Beatles epoch of the precocious 1950s-early 1960s, including "Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen," "Calendar Girl" and "Oh! Carol," a lament for his precocious schoolhouse sweetheart, Carole King.

After a agelong adust spell, helium reemerged with specified smashes arsenic "Laughter successful the Rain" and "Bad Blood." The Captain & Tennille's screen of his "Love Will Keep Us Together" was a chart-topper successful 1975.

Short and dark-haired, with a large grin and high-pitched voice, helium was a Juilliard-trained, Brooklyn-born lad of a Jewish taxi operator who began performing arsenic a teen and kept astatine it for decades.

Sedaka inactive played dozens of concerts a twelvemonth good into his 80s. He retained the enthusiasm and wide vocal scope of his younker and ne'er bushed of the standards helium had sung hundreds of times.

"Past 70, Pavarotti told maine the vocal cords are not what they utilized to be. I'm precise fortunate that my dependable has held," helium told The Associated Press successful 2012. "It's bully to beryllium a legend, but it's amended to beryllium a moving legend."

Sedaka's songs sold millions worldwide and person been covered by a scope of performers, from Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra to The 5th Dimension and Nickelback. Sedaka helped propel the vocation of Connie Francis with "Stupid Cupid" and "Where the Boys Are," the second for the soundtrack of the movie with the aforesaid name. The Captain & Tennille received a best-album Grammy acknowledgment mostly to "Love Will Keep Us Together" and included a motion to Sedaka astatine the extremity of the song, erstwhile Toni Tennille exclaimed "Sedaka's back!"