The gifted singer and songwriter Neil Sedaka passed away today. His own Breaking Up is Hard to Do hit twice on the charts. Once in its initial 1960's run and a second time in the 1970's as a ballad with the strings arranged by none other than Richard Carpenter of the beloved group Carpenters. According to co-writer Phil Cody, the duo's version of Sedaka's plaintive Solitaire was the best of almost 100 recordings of it by other artists. Sadly, things went sour between Sedaka and Richard Carpenter after a 1975 concert fiasco in Las Vegas (articles here and here and thankfully here), but Neil had nothing but kind words to say about sister Karen. Sedaka leaves behind a very impressive line of hits including his own comeback record Laughter in the Rain and perhaps most famously as songwriter for Captain & Tennille's ubiquitous Love Will Keep Us Together.
(Photograph by David Refern.)
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