Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Q+A: NEIL SEDAKA

Who: Neil Sedaka

When: 8 p.m. today through Sunday

Where: Orleans Showroom

Tickets: $39.95 and up SEDAKA'S TOP 40 HITS

"The Diary" (1959)

"Oh! Carol" (1959)

"Stairway to Heaven" (1960)

"Calendar Girl" (1961)

"Little Devil " (1961)

"Happy Birthday, Sweet Sixteen" (1961)

"Breaking Up Is Hard to Do" (1962)

"Next Door to an Angel" (1962)

"Laughter in the Rain" (1974)

"Bad Blood" (1975)

"Breaking Up Is Hard to Do" (remake, 1976)

"Love in the Shadows" (1976)

"Should've Never Let You Go'" (1980)

It's hard to believe that the man who wrote and performed such 1960s hits as "Calendar Girl," "Happy Birthday, Sweet Sixteen" and "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do" is still in show business after 50 years.

But Neil Sedaka, 68 , defies aging and continues to grow as an artist.

The singer/songwriter/concert pianist was honored recently at New York's Lincoln Center with a celebration of his half-century as an entertainer. Among the performers paying tribute were Natalie Cole, Connie Francis, Clay Aiken, Dion, Captain & Tennille, Paul Shaffer and David Foster.

Sedaka, who will perform tonight through Sunday at the Orleans, recently talked with the Sun.

The voice has held. I take care of my voice. I don't go to very crowded places, very noisy places, where I have to shout over the noise. I don't drink iced drinks and I get enough sleep. I never smoked and that helps.

Did you ever think you would be in show business for 50 years?

My dad always told me the songs would live on. I didn't start out as a performer, you know. I started out as a concert pianist. I began performing at 18, and I've loved it ever since.

Reflect on your 50 years in the business. What's your legacy?

My songs will, hopefully, outlive me. I have 20 or 30 that have become standards. I am now happy to tell you I am writing classical music. I had a symphony piece debut recently at the Kansas City Symphony. So I have started a new direction in my career. I am writing for the symphonies, classical music.

So that's your first love?

Yes. That's what I like, but the reason I've been around so long is the fact that I'm always writing new pieces. I had, over the years, a classical album, where I put words to classical melodies, and then I had a Yiddish album and a Christmas album.

A Yiddish album?

Yes. That was my background, and I'm very proud of where I came from. I did a Yiddish album that was very successful, and now I'm working on a children's album for my grandchildren called "Papa Neil's Penthouse." I've changed the words to my original rock 'n' roll songs, so I've written "Waking Up Is Hard to Do," "Lunch Will Keep Us Together," "I Love, I Love My Dinosaur Pet." My granddaughters are doing the background vocals. I always try something new. I think the reason I've been around 50 years is I never get stuck doing the same thing - I develop and grow.

Success seems to have come easily for you. Is that true?

I had what I call my "hungry years" period, where between 1963 and 1975 I was out of work. The music business is very trendy. The Beatles and Rolling Stones came in, so I just wrote for a publishing firm. That was a difficult period. But the biggest rock star in the world, Elton John, (is) a fan of mine. We met in London. He was starting a record company and signed me in 1975 to his Rocket Records, and lo and behold, after 12 years I hit No. 1 with "Laughter in the Rain" and "Bad Blood" and "Solitaire" and many new songs. I thank Elton for that. In fact, the money raised by the ceremony at the Lincoln Center honoring my 50 years in show business will be donated to Elton John's AIDS Foundation.

What changes have you seen in the industry over the past 50 years?

It's very difficult for a new artist. You need a couple of million dollars to launch a new artist now. If I were starting out today, I don't know if I would have made it. There are many thousands of people who write and sing. In my day I started with just a few : Buddy Holly, Roy Orbison, Sam Cooke. There were just a few of us singer-songwriters. I was lucky enough to audition for RCA. Steve Sholes, who brought Elvis to RCA, signed me. I sold 40 million records between 1958 and 1963, to my parents' shock, because everyone expected me to be a concert pianist. I was at Juilliard, studying piano.

Were your parents disappointed you didn't pursue the concert career?

Not after a couple of hits and my mother got her mink stole and my father got a new car.

You still seem quite busy these days. Not bad for 50 years in the business .

There's been a big resurgence of interest in Neil Sedaka. I've been interviewed by USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, "The Today Show," "The View." A lot of things are really hopping for me.

What else are you doing?

A few months ago we released "Sedaka, 50 Years of Hits, the Definitive Collection." It debuted on the Billboard chart at No. 22. I haven't done that in years. It has some old songs and some new songs and some demonstration records. When you write a song you make a small demo with just a rhythm section , and the album has some of those on it - "Where the Boys Are," "Love Will Keep Us Together " - so it's a very interesting album.

Do you think you'll do another 50 years in the business?

From your mouth to God's ears.

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