This one is a bit out there, as Neil Sedaka is a bit (or a lot) before my time, but his tunes are so memorable that they persist to this day in being favorites to many. His jumpy, catchy tunes in the 60s and late 70s made him a huge star, and his songwriting talent provided material for many other stars of his time. Neil Sedaka was born in 1939 and began to show aptitude, specifically for the piano, at an early age. His mother took an extra job to pay for a used upright piano, and wanted him to become a classical pianist. While Sedaka can play a wide variety of classical pieces, he is best known for his pop music and cheery, upbeat style. As part of this post, I thought I would share a few of my favorites, including a couple of Sedaka songs, and one that he wrote for another artist. As a bonus, Elton John (uncredited) sang the background vocals in the second video in the list. While I can’t listen to anything as upbeat as 60s pop while writing as it’s too distracting, I often enjoy turning on music when I am doing other things. I hope you enjoy this trip to the past!

All material for this post source from the Neil Sedaka Wikipedia page.