Paul Anka
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Hugely successful vocalist from 1957 into the '80s, as well as writer of several
venerable pop-music standards. The young native of Ottawa, Canada, took the
U.S. by storm in 1957 with his rock-slanted ballad "Diana," a number
one smash on ABC-Paramount Records. Dramatic renditions of "You Are My
Destiny," "Lonely Boy," "Put Your Head on My Shoulder,"
and "Puppy Love" elevated the youth to teen-idol status over the next
three years. Moving to RCA in 1962, the maturing Anka continued to chart regularly,
although some of his most notable '60s copyrights were bequeathed to others
-- he wrote "My Way" for Frank Sinatra as well as the theme for TV's
The Tonight Show. Anka returned to the top pop slot in 1974 with the controversial
million-seller "(You're) Having My Baby," cut in Muscle Shoals and
issued on United Artists, and he enjoyed several follow-up smashes, many featuring
vocalist Odia Coates.
The Ottawa-born Anka penned and performed such chart-topping hits as "Put
Your Head on My Shoulder," "Diana," "Lonely Boy," "Puppy
Love" and "(You're) Having My Baby." He composed the English
lyrics to "My Way" and the theme from "The Tonight Show with
Johnny Carson," and saw his songs performed by everyone from Elvis Presley
to Barbra Streisand
. He has collaborated with Carole Bayer Sager and Michael
Jackson (among many others), acted in a number of Hollywood films, and received
countless accolades including the coveted Chevalier in the French government's
Order of Arts and Letters.
Beginning his career by entering amateur contests and sneaking into clubs, Paul
Anka has gone on to become one of the greatest songwriters in history. This
year marks his 40th anniversary in show business, which he celebrates with a
new album for his millions of fans around the world. He has achieved unprecedented
success in every venue: stage, screen, television, and recording. His musical
compositions are internationally known and have been recorded by the greatest
names in the entertainment industry. Last year he set a milestone by being one
of only a few artists in history to have a record on Billboard’s Top 50
charts for five consecutive decades (Billboard statistic). Anka has also been
named the 21st most successful artist in Billboard’s history (Billboard
statistic). He received the honor of being named one of Billboard Magazine’s
most successful artists in history, putting him alongside music greats Elvis
Presley and the Beatles.
Since the inception of his career, Paul Anka songs have been performed well
over 90 million times (BMI statistic) worldwide. His LP and single sales collectively
number more than 42 million (BMI statistic). With well over 900 songs to his
credit, Paul Anka's most memorable are "Put Your Head On My Shoulder",
"My Way" and the now famous theme from "The Tonight Show Starring
Johnny Carson."
Paul Anka contributions to the entertainment industry have earned him numerous
awards and special recognition. In addition to performing for heads of state,
he has been honored by the French government, who awarded him the title: Chevalier
In The Order of Arts and Letters. Paul Anka is among only a handful of Americans
to receive this prestigious award. Recently, the National Academy of Popular
Music elected Anka into The Songwriter’s Hall Of Fame.
An indication of his versatility shows in his most beloved song "My Way."
It has been recorded not only by the likes of Elvis Presley, but also, Sid Vicious,
and most notably: Frank Sinatra, who the song was written for. The list of performers
recording Anka’s songs is an honor role of some of the most talented artists
of all time: Sinatra, Presley, Barbara Streisand, Buddy Holly, Tom Jones
, and
the Doobie Brothers. Anka has successfully collaborated with songwriters Davis
Foster, Carol Bayer Sage Richard Marx, Michael McDonald, Michael Jackson and
many others.
Paul Anka’s contribution to television is the most recognized theme song
in history. When Johnny Carson made his debut as host of "The Tonight Show"
in 1962, the Anka written theme was there too. Since the debut the theme song
has been performed over 1,400,000 times. Many memorable film and television
programs bear the hallmark of Anka’s unmistakable musical signature. In
addition to writing the theme music for "The Longest Day," Paul Anka
penned the theme music and the title song for Louis Malle’s "Atlantic
City" took top honors at the Venice Film Festival.
Throughout the world, the music of Paul Anka is loved and its creator admired,
in no small part due to his own adaptability. In addition to a host of American
hits abroad, Paul Anka has recorded more than ten albums in Japanese, German,
Spanish, French and Italian, composing songs culturally tailored to each country.
Having lived in Italy from 1964 to 1966, Anka claims a special love for that
country and its people. To date he has sold more than 15 million albums and
over 3 million singles of the Italian song "Ogni Volta." Seen in this
light, Paul Anka's international celebrity is easily understood – a combination
of his own hard work and his music’s universal appeal.
Solidifying his position as a top name in the U.S. gaming entertainment industry,
Paul Anka recently signed an unprecedented four-year deal with Bally’s
Grand Resorts in Atlantic City, and with Native American-owned Foxwoods Casino
in Connecticut for over 6 million dollars. In an industry where two-year contracts
are the norm, these contracts acknowledge the drawing power of the Anka name
on the marquee.
Paul Anka has been married for more than thirty-five years to former model Anne
de Zogheb and is blessed with five daughters: Amelia, Anthea, Alicia, Amanda
and Alexandra. Alexandra gave birth to her first child in December 1997. Paul
Anka continues to have roots in his hometown of Ottawa as a co-owner of the
National Hockey League franchise, The Ottawa Senators.
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