I recently talked with Grammy Award winning super amazing Neil Sedaka!
Who may sing Waking up is Hard to do but I can guarantee he makes each day a bright and busy day!


Q. “You started out learning the piano really young and performing when you were really young and then you were at Julliards. Did you always love performing? And when you got famous you were still young - how did you stay grounded because kid performers now -sometimes that can be tough.”

A. “Well, I never performed at school, I was always the pianist for the plays. I was never on the stagea and I was still young when I did get a hut record and I stay grounded because I was a very disciplined musician at the Juliards.
I haven’t taken anything for granted. And my success was not an overnight success. It was gradual.”


Q. “ There’s been a lot of songs you’ve written - over 1000! And a lot were
For other singers like Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley and The Monkees. Do you
Have a favorite song? And performers that you really loved working with?”

A. “You know, I’ve written over a 1000 songs and they are all very special to me! They are like my children in many ways and you can’t really separate them. And the performer that I loved working with was Elton John. We had a hit record together with a song I wrote called Bad Blood - before you were born!” (He laughs).


Q. “ I’ve talked to some other really awesome people and asked them if
You could say to kids one thing that has helped you, Brenda Lee &
Gloria Gaynor said “Always Be True to yourself” and Tony Butala said
You got to love what you do.” Vince Carter said if someone is mean to
Turn the other cheek. What’s sort of been your motto that you would tell
Kids?”
A. “I would tell talented kids to keep developing and growing to improve their craft of singing or songwriting or dancing and try to push yourself each time: raise the bar so that you can get better and better.”

Q. “You have a book called, “Waking up is Hard to Do” and I actually have it
In front of my right now! (With the big yawning alligator on the cover that looks like he’s having a tough time waking up!) What had you deciding to do a kids book?”
A. “Well, I have 3 grandchildren that love my old rock and roll songs so a couple of years ago I made a cd which is “Waking up is Hard to Do,” I change the words to some of my old songs- rock and roll songs from the 50’s and 60’s and I always sang them with my grand kids at the piano and they came up with the idea that I should do a children’s book that is called “Waking up is Hard to do” and it’s doing very well. It’s an illustrated book that talks about the alligator who has trouble getting up in the morning.”

Q. “There’s been a lot that you’ve done..songwriting, singing,and over 60million records sold, plus the broadway show about your life story,
Laughter in the Rain, and writing books - is there one you like the most or
You feel the most proud about that maybe people didn’t think you could do
But you did anyway?”
A. “Well, I started as a classical pianist and just recently I wrote a symphony and wrote concerto I recorded in England with the London Philharmonic Orchestra and that will be coming out next month and I think people will be very surprised that a singer, songwriter can do classical music too.“

Neil Sedaka spent a few days performing throughout Florida. He told me he likes to do about 20-25 concerts/ year. And it’s pretty cool talking to someone that has done so much!