Iconic American singer-songwriter Neil Sedaka has an incredible music career spanning over five decades. He is best known for composing some of the most catchy pop tunes, which include “Calendar Girl,” “Breaking Up Is Hard to Do,” and “Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen.”

Earlier, in May, Sedaka took to his Facebook account to post a video addressing his fans and letting them know he has joined the Cameo family. The star went on to say that he is excited to take requests for birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, or any other special occasion that warrants a special message for loved ones. He ended the video with a sweet rendition of one of his classic songs, “Breaking Up is Hard to Do.”

Neil Sedaka in a black and white portrait in 1955 | Source: Getty Images

To say fans were swooning over Sedaka’s video message would be an accurate summation of their reactions. Many were taken aback by how wonderful the artist still looked at 84 and praised him for not only sounding amazing but looking great too:

“Thank you…missed you. Looking and sounding great, sir! RESPECT.”

In addition to raving about how fantastic Sedaka looks, fans complimented the singer on his undeniable musical talent. Some on Facebook were smitten over his soothing vibrato, which immediately captured their attention and made them recall how fantastic he had always sounded back in the day and now:

“Love it! Sir Neil…U are amazing as always…”

In addition to looking and sounding great at 84, Sedaka has been married to his wife for six decades. The happy couple are also parents of two.

Sedaka met his wife, Leba Strassberg when she was 16 years old, and he was 19. At the time, Sedaka was performing at Strassberg’s mother’s hotel in upstate New York. The couple has since been married for 60 years and share a daughter, Dara Sedaka, and a son, Marc Sedaka, and three grandchildren.

Although Sedaka says his initial encounter with his wife was born out of love at first sight, Strassberg’s mother disapproved of their relationship and marriage. According to him, her mother was a businesswoman who did not see him as a reasonable prospect for her daughter. However, her father ended up being the saving grace, having seen his full potential and talent.

Neil Sedaka and Leba Strassberg on a romantic date at Coney Island in New York, 1959 | Source: Getty Images

Strassberg has also been her husband’s manager for over 40 years. However, before this, his mother, Eleanor Sedaka, controlled most of his rights as an artist, including his royalties and finances. Having initially wanted to pursue a career as a classical pianist, it was not until Sedaka was 13 that he started a co-writing partnership with a neighbor’s 16-year-old son, Howard Greenfield, who was an aspiring poet and lyricist.

The duo went on to write hits for New York’s famous Brill Building, where they would make $50 a week up until Greenfield’s unfortunate passing. In 1959, Sedaka became the first-ever songwriter to record his own songs and feature on the Top 10 charts.

Before gaining popularity as a singer, Sedaka disclosed that though he had always known he had a great voice, he was always embarrassed to share his talents in public until he sang at his bar mitzvah. His performance had brought his rabbi to tears that he implored Sedaka’s parents to consider having him become a cantor in the synagogue, to which Eleanor refused.

It was not until the “Oh! Carol” singer made a whopping $62,000 in royalties for his song “Stupid Cupid” that his mother changed her mind about him becoming a singer.

Sedaka’s mother was so involved in his career that she even controlled his money. He would give his mother his royalty cheques, and it started a financial drain chain reaction. Eleanor had taken a lover while still married to Sedaka’s father, Mac Sedaka, and entrusted her lover to manage her son’s career and finances.

Eleanor and her lover had drained hundreds of thousands of dollars that Sedaka had made from his songs to the point where he was unable to pay his taxes and was forced to start over with his wife. The ordeal caused a great rift between Sedaka and his mother, and he recalled not speaking to her for a year.