Born:
July 30, 1941, he is of Lebanese-Canadian descent
Birthplace:
Ottawa, Ontario (Canada)
Early Years:
Paul Anka showed interest in music at a young age. As a child he sung in a choir and studied piano. When he was 13 he formed a singing group called the Bobbysoxers. At 14 he was writing his own songs and, without his mother's knowledge, entering amateur singing contests. When he was 15 Anka traveled to Los Angeles in hopes of getting an audition. This resulted in his first single, "Blau-Wile Deverest Fontaine" under Modern Records.
Becoming Famous:
Anka's first single wasn't a hit but a year later, in 1957, he auditioned for Don Costa from ABC-Paramount Records. Costa was impressed with the young singer's material, including the song "Diana". "Diana" was recorded shortly thereafter and it became a huge hit making Anka a teen sensation in the late 1950's.
Other Songs:
Paul Anka's hits include:"Lonely Boy" "Put Your Head on My Shoulder" "You Are My Destiny" "Crazy Love" "It's Time To Cry" "Puppy Love" "(You're) Having My Baby" "One Man Woman/ One Woman Man" "I Don't Like to Sleep Alone" "Times of Your Life" "Hold Me 'Til the Morning Comes"
Songs He Wrote for Other Performers:
At the height of his career Anka wasn't only recording his own songs, performing onstage or touring the United States and internationally, he also wrote songs for other notable performers such as Buddy Holly, Connie Francis, Barbra Streisand, Mitch Miller, The Doobie Brothers, Frank Sinatra ("My Way") and Tom Jones ("She's A Lady").
Other Accomplishments:
Anka also appeared on several movies including The Longest Day for which he wrote the title song that earned him an Academy Award nomination. Other films he wrote the title theme for include "No Way Out" and "Atlantic City". He also wrote the theme song for The Tonight Show, hosted by Johnny Carson. Anka likewise hosted several tv shows such as the variety show Spotlight. "Ogni Valta", his Italian composition, won at the San Remo Song Festival. In France during the 1990's he was made Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters. He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1993.
Love Life:
Paul Anka has been married to Annie de Zogheb, a former model he met while on one of his performance tours. The couple has 5 daughters whose names all begin with the letter "A" (Amelia, Anthea, Alicia, Amanda and Alexandria).
Interesting Facts:
The song "Diana" was inspired by Anka's former babysitter.
More Information:
For more news on Paul Anka, visit his official website.