Veteran singer-songwriter Neil Sedaka tells Laura Davis about famous fans, performing with his grandchildren and six decades in showbusiness

“I wanted to make money,” announces Sedaka.

“It’s one thing to play concert piano and another thing to be able to go around the world singing my own songs. It’s much more lucrative, and it’s much more satisfying.

“ I had a lot of drive – I was from a very poor family so I wanted it very badly.”

His frankness and gentle manners make Sedaka instantly likeable, and surely have contributed to his six decades of success.

He puts his enduring popularity down to ever evolving. As well as his many rock ’n ’roll hits, he has recently written a salsa album, a piano concerto and a symphony as well as an album for children.

His six-year-old twin granddaughters sing the backing vocals on new versions of tracks such as Waking Up Is Hard to Do, Where the Toys Are and Lunch Will Keep Us Together.

There is also a musical of his early career due to open in the Autumn, and he plays 60 concerts every year.

“The travelling is difficult but once I’m on the stage I love it. It’s something that I was put here on Earth for,” he says. “As long as my voice holds out and the people pay to see me – I’ll continue.”

Incredibly, Sedaka remembers every song he has ever written.

“The new ones sometimes I write two or three lines down on the piano so I can have some kind of a reference because they’re so new I haven’t done them that often,” he says. “But all of them I do remember. I’ve done them so often they’re part of me”.

NEIL SEDAKA plays the Philharmonic Hall on Monday, June 22.