I don't do this often, but Neil Sedaka is a special case.
I've joked before that my mother waited two months before she came to see me on Idol in LA and that she only came then because she had heard that Neil Sedaka was going to be the guest judge. That's about 85% true. She loved him as a teenager and if you asked her what was more exciting for her that night: seeing me perform? or meeting Neil? I think she'd hesitate for a minute and then say "Well I've heard Clayton sing for years"
As teen idols go, my mother chose a great one. And he was not only an idol to teens in the 60s and 70s. He was a mentor and idol to me as well. The judges weren't always that easy on me back on that show. Neil was. He was one of the kindest and most supportive of all of the great folks we got to work with on the show. He charted, by hand, the sheet music to every one of his songs that we sang on the show and gave each of us a framed version. The copy he made for me of "Solitaire" is still one of my most treasured possessions. He was generous and thoughtful that way. He and his wife, Leba, had me over as a guest at their (giant) apartment on Park Avenue several times over the years. Neil even graciously supported my fundraising for my charity when I did Apprentice in 2012.
And every time Neil performed anywhere in NC over the past 20 years, he always reached out to Mom to offer her tickets and bring her backstage.
He wasn't only one of the greatest songwriters in America, he was an incredible human, always full of light and joy. I'm so lucky to have gotten to know him.
To Leba and Dara and Marc: My heart aches for you at this time, but it's so grateful to you also for sharing your amazing husband and father with the world for 70 years!
Neil, you were wrong. It will FOREVER be a NEIL SEDAKA song. I was simply blessed that you let me borrow it for a moment. Rest well, my friend.