Neil Sedaka (born March 13, 1939 in Brooklyn, New York) is an American pop singer, pianist, and songwriter. Sedaka was born to a Sephardi Turkish Jewish immigrant to Brooklyn and an Ashkenazi Jewish mother. His composition "Stupid Cupid" was a 1958 success for Connie Francis and Sedaka was signed to RCA Records as a solo performer. A string of hits followed, ending in 1963. Between 1960 and 1962, Sedaka had eight Top 40 hits. The best-known Billboard Hot 100 hits of his early career are "Oh! Carol" (#9, 1959), "Calendar Girl" (#4, 1960), "Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen" (#6, 1961), and "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do" (#1, 1962).