Entertainment
Neil Sedaka: An appreciation – CBS News
Neil Sedaka was one of America’s most popular singer-songwriters, twice!
As a boy growing up in Brooklyn, his talent was hard to miss. “I was a child prodigy,” he told “Sunday Morning” in 2020. “I started at nine years old. Got a scholarship to the prep school of Julliard.”
When he was 13, he met a kid in his apartment building named Howard Greenfield. He’d found his lyricist, and they quickly hit it big.
When we met six years ago, Sedaka told me about the song that made him a star, “Oh, Carol,” inspired by his relationship with high school classmate Carole King: “I did date Carole King for about two minutes,” he laughed. “Yes. I had a crush on Carole King.”
In the next few years, Sedaka composed-and performed one hit teen anthem after another, including “Calendar Girl” and “Stupid Cupid,”
Asked if there is a throughline as to what makes songs popular, Sedaka replied, “It always goes back to, ‘Oh, that song could be my life. That’s my story.'”
He landed his first #1 single in 1962, “Breaking Up Is Hard to Do.”
Neil Sedaka had become a superstar. Between 1958 and 1963, he sold 40 million records “I pushed three buttons on my car radio, and I heard ‘Oh Carol’ on three stations at the same time,” he said.
And then, suddenly it was over. In 1963, a new group arrived: The Beatles. Sedaka’s brand of bouncy pop quickly fell out of favor. He’d become a has-been at age 24. For 13 years, he was mostly forgotten. “I had 13 years of being off the charts – no plays, nothing,” he said.
And then, one night, at a party in England, he met a fellow musician named Elton John. “He said, ‘You know, I could make you a star again.'”
In 1974, John’s record company released a new album called “Sedaka’s Back.” That record included his first #1 hit in 12 years: “Laughter in the Rain.”
But even that song wasn’t as big a hit as the one recorded by the Captain and Tenille: “Love Will Keep Us Together.”
“I went from making $50,000 a year in 1974, to $6 million a year in 1975, with one record, one LP, and one song,” he said.
The second act of Sedaka’s career had begun. If you had any doubt, you just had to listen closely. In 1976, a new, slower version of “Breaking Up is Hard to Do” hit the charts again. “I think I’m the only person who did the same song twice, in a different tempo, number one both times,” he said.
On Friday, after a 70-year career, Neil Sedaka died at age 86. To him, making a song was a joyful, even mystical act.
“I think you’re chosen spiritually at that particular moment,” he said, “and you’d better sit very quietly, because you can actually feel the song being written by itself. And the song passes through your throat and through your fingers. It’s an extraordinary feeling!”
Story produced by Gabriel Falcon. Editor: Jennifer Falk.
Prince Edward, the Duke of Edinburgh spent the day immersed in the Isle of Wight’s creative heartbeat on Thursday, touring cultural hubs across the island that stretched from galleries to grassroots initiatives.
Beginning at Quay Arts in Newport he was joined by Lord Lieutenant Susie Sheldon as he explored exhibitions and met local arts organisations.
Groups including Shademakers, The New Carnival Company, and IW Open Studios spoke with him about the growing range of artistic activity taking shape across the region.
Wandering through exhibitions by Andrew Dutton, Del Seymour, and Ian Whitmore, the Duke engaged with artists and heritage groups featuring work rooted in island life and identity.
The visit also took him inside the Anthony Minghella Theatre, where attention turned to the “CAN YOU HEAR US?” programme, a creative community initiative delivered with Creative Island and Creative Lives.
The project is designed to support local expression through micro-grants, funding everything from craft workshops and music sessions.
Running from March to October 2026, it aims to amplify community voices and encourage wider participation in the arts.
During the visit, Edward met participants from a broad mix of groups, including Young Farmers, the IW Indonesian Community, In Focus, and HMP Isle of Wight, hearing how creative projects are helping people connect.
The itinerary continued beyond Newport, with further stops planned at Ventnor Exchange, Ventnor Arts Club, Brading Youth Club, and Brading Roman Villa.
He is expected to meet museum representatives and present the King’s Award for Voluntary Service at the village hall.
Pakistani actors Ramsha Khan and Khushhal Khan on Friday confirmed their marriage on Friday, saying they were “incredibly grateful” to be stepping into a new chapter together.
The newlyweds made the announcement in a joint post on Instagram, showing Ramsha wearing a red outfit, while Khushhal donned a black attire.
However, their faces were not visible in any of the picture shared in the post.
“Bismillah, with full hearts, we’re so happy to share that we’re married, Alhamdulilah. We feel incredibly grateful to be stepping into this new chapter together,” they wrote in the caption of the post.
“To everyone who has supported us and shown us love along the way, thank you. It truly means more than we can put into words. As we celebrate this moment, we kindly ask for your understanding and respect for our privacy,” the post read.
Ramsha and Khushhal also thanked fans and well-wishers “for being part of our journey” and for always “sending us so much love”.
Royal family released a statement personally penned by the Queen after facing a devastating loss.
On April 17, Queen Mary of Denmark expressed her immense gratitude towards her well-wishers for sending their support after her father’s death.
For the unversed, Denmark’s royals announced the death of Mary’s father, John Dalgleish Donaldson, on April 12. He passed away at the age of 84.
Sharing an emotional message, Queen Mary wrote, “My heartfelt thanks for the overwhelming number of messages, flowers and warm thoughts regarding my father’s death.
“The enormous amount of empathy has touched us deeply and means more than words can say. HM The Queen.”
Earlier, Queen Mary revealed that her heart is very heavy after his father departed from the world.
In a heartfelt note, she expressed that the love and gratitude her father imparted will always stay with her as she bids him farewell.
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