Neil Sedaka was pictured grabbing dinner just two days before his death at the age of 86.
In what would be his last public sighting, the iconic singer-songwriter smiled and waved while heading for dinner at Craig’s restaurant in Los Angeles on February 25.
He was said to be ‘in good spirits’ according to photographers who captured his last outing.
Sedaka was a loyal patron of the eatery, often seen stopping by for a bite to eat.
The famed 1960s and 1970s singer died on Friday after he was rushed to the hospital. Sedaka’s family confirmed the news in a statement obtained by The Daily Mail.
‘Our family is devastated by the sudden passing of our beloved husband, father and grandfather, Neil Sedaka,’ they said.
Neil Sedaka was pictured smiling while heading to grab dinner at Craig’s restaurant in Los Angeles on February 25, just two days before his death at the age of 86
‘A true rock and roll legend, an inspiration to millions, but most importantly, at least to those of us who were lucky enough to know him, an incredible human being who will be deeply missed.’
Sedaka was taken to the hospital in an ambulance after he woke up Friday morning feeling unwell according to TMZ.
The velvet-voiced Grammy-nominated Sedaka got his start in the 1950s with the band The Tokens.
He is best known for the catchy 1960s tune Breaking Up Is Hard To Do which he recorded after he became a solo artist.
The Brighton Beach, New York native also sang Oh! Carol and Calendar Girl which skyrocketed on the charts.
He had two big hits in the 1970s with the beloved singles Laughter In The Rain and Bad Blood, the former of which helped revitalize his career.
‘It revived my career for a bunch of people who had never heard of me,’ he previously said of the track.
Sedaka was nominated for five Grammy awards throughout his career and was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1983.
The star is a prolific songwriter who has written or co-written over 500 songs for himself and other artists.
Sedaka was a loyal patron of the eatery, often seen stopping by for a bite to eat; Pictured outside the restaurant in 2022
The famed 1960s and 1970s singer died on Friday after he was taken to the hospital in an ambulance; Seen in the 1970s
Sedaka, pictured 1960, is the voice behind Breaking Up Is Hard To Do and Laughter In The Rain
He was nominated for five Grammy awards throughout his career and was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1983; Seen in 1964
Some of the top songs Sedaka wrote for other stars include Stupid Cupid for Connie Francis, Is This the Way To Amarillo for Tony Christie and Love Will Keep Us Together for Captain & Tennille.
He also served as a guest judge on season two of American Idol.
‘I think the reason that my music is so special is it was a combination of show music, pop music, evergreen standards and rock. It’s like me and Phil Cody and Carole Sager and Howie Greenfield — we had a combination of all of those styles,’ he told The Morning Call in 2019.
‘I saw Stevie Wonder not long ago on television and he was asked, “Who is your inspiration?” And he said, “Neil Sedaka. They used to call me ‘Whitey’ in Detroit because I liked and played Neil Sedaka record.”‘
Sedaka married wife Leba Strassberg in 1962. Together they welcomed two children: Dara and Marc.
Sedaka grew up with a taxi driver father and his parents struggled to make ends meet.
His mother worked a second job to save up for a piano so her son could practice when in the second grade after his teacher noticed he had talent.
The move paid off: In 1947, he auditioned successfully for a piano scholarship to the Juilliard School of Music’s Preparatory Division for Children, which he attended on Saturdays.
‘Without blowing my own horn, I have the musical training. I studied many, many years,’ he told The Morning Call. ‘Matter of fact, in 1956, Arthur Rubinstein, the great pianist, chose me [to be] on a radio program, and I won as the best New York City high school pianist. I was 16 years old.’
He started writing pop songs at age 13 with a poet neighbor. His first hit was 1961’s Calendar Girl.
The star pictured during the Men’s Singles Quarterfinal match between Andrey Rublev and Frances Tiafoe of the United States on Day Ten of the 2022 US Open
Sedaka, wife Leba Strassberg, daughter Dara Sedaka and son Marc Sedaka at the Sweet 16 Party for Dara Sedaka in NYC in 1979
Other early hits were Little Devil, Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen and Next Door to an Angel.
The year 1962 was one of the most successful of Sedaka’s career, with Breaking Up Is Hard To Do reaching number one and Next Door to an Angel getting to number five.
‘I had to keep pinching myself to believe it,’ he told Rolling Stone in 1975 of Breaking Up Is Hard To Do’s success, according to the New York Times.
Sedaka financed the recording, production, and distribution of new CDs and repackaging of his existing catalog of music through his own business, Neil Sedaka Music.
Because of disputes with RCA Records over the ownership of his original hits from the late 1950s and early 1960s, Sedaka in 1991 re-recorded those tunes.
Sedaka has said he lost opportunities at the beginning of his career due to his management.
‘Having an inadequate manager at the beginning of my career in 1958. I lost a lot of potential money and exposure. My wife Leba later took over and does an excellent job.’
