NEIL SEDAKA, Happy Birthday Sweet 79

Brooklyn-born Neil Sedaka is 79 today. He began as a teenager writing songs for artists such as the Clovers, LaVern Baker, Clyde McPhatter, but eventually began singing his own compositions and scored so many hits such as "Little Devil," "Oh Carol," "The Diary," "Stairway to Heaven," "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do," "Next Door to an Angel," "Calendar Girl," "Happy Birthday Sweet 16," and "Alice in Wonderland." The Beatles did a number of his career, and Sedaka was out of the spotlight for about a dozen years until his big comeback in 1974 on Elton John's Rocket Record label. A new string of hits came in the mid 70s, such as "Laughter in the Rain," "Bad Blood," "Love in the Shadows," and a slow version of "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do." He has been married to the same woman since 1962, and has two grown children - Marc and Dara. Neil continues to perform his many hits today. He has graciously granted me many interviews over the years. Below is a photo from one of those interviews.