Neil Sedaka, the singer-songwriter behind dozens of hits from the ’60s and

NEW YORK (AP) — Neil Sedaka, the successful singer-songwriter whose youthful soprano and brilliant melodies made him a leading artist in the early years of rock ‘n’ roll and led to a second run of success in the 1970s, has died.

Sedaka, whose hits included “Breaking Up Is Hard to Do” and “Laugher in the Rain,” died Friday at age 86.

“Our family is devastated by the sudden passing of our beloved husband, father and grandfather, Neil Sedaka,” his family said in a statement. “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.”

No further details of his death were immediately available.

A key member of the Brill Building songwriting factory, Sedaka teamed with lyricist and childhood neighbor Howard Greenfield on songs that reflected the teenage innocence of the post-Elvis, pre-Beatles era of the late ’50s and early ’60s, including “Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen,” “Calendar Girl” and “Oh! Carol,” a lament for his high school sweetheart, Carole King.

Lisa Maree Williams via Getty Images

Bettmann via Getty Images

After a long dry spell, he re-emerged with hits like “Laughter in the Rain” and “Bad Blood.” Captain & Tennille’s version of their “Love Will Keep Us Together” topped the charts in 1975.

Short and dark-haired, with a big smile and a high-pitched voice, he was a Brooklyn-born, Juilliard-educated son of a Jewish taxi driver who began acting as a teenager and continued to do so for decades.

Sedaka still gave dozens of concerts a year well into his 80s. He retained the enthusiasm and wide vocal range of his youth and never tired of the standards he had sung hundreds of times.

“After I was 70, Pavarotti told me that the vocal cords are not what they used to be. I am very lucky that my voice has remained,” he told The News in 2012. “It’s good to be a legend, but it’s better to be a working legend.”

Sedaka’s songs have sold millions worldwide and have been covered by a variety of artists, from Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra to The 5th Dimension and Nickelback. Sedaka helped launch Connie Francis’ career with “Stupid Cupid” and “Where the Boys Are,” the latter for the soundtrack of the film of the same name. The Captain & Tennille received a Grammy for best album thanks in large part to “Love Will Keep Us Together” and included a nod to Sedaka at the end of the song, when Toni Tennille exclaimed “Sedaka is back!”