Paul Albert Anka Canadian-American singer, songwriter and actor. Date of Birth: 30.06.1941 Country: USA

Paul Albert Anka: Biography

Paul Albert Anka is a Canadian-American singer, songwriter, and actor. He began his musical journey by singing in an Orthodox church choir under the guidance of Frederick Karam, where he also learned music theory. Anka also took piano lessons from Winnifred Rees. He rose to fame in the late 1950s and 1960s, becoming a teen idol with hits such as 'Diana', 'Lonely Boy', and 'Put Your Head on My Shoulder'. He continued to compose music, including writing the musical theme for 'The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson', Tom Jones' hit 'She's a Lady', and the English lyrics for Frank Sinatra's iconic song 'My Way'.

In 1983, Anka co-wrote the song 'I Never Heard' with Michael Jackson, which later became known as 'This Is It' in 2009. He also collaborated with Jackson on the song 'Love Never Felt So Good', included in Johnny Mathis' 1984 release. Born on June 30, 1941, in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, Paul Albert Anka grew up in a Lebanese immigrant family who owned the restaurant 'The Locanda'.

At the age of 14, Anka recorded his first single, 'I Confess'. In 1957, he auditioned for Don Costa at ABC in New York City, performing the song 'Diana', which he claimed to have written about his own babysitter. However, in a 2005 interview with Terry Gross, Anka revealed that the song was actually dedicated to an unknown girl from his church. 'Diana' instantly catapulted him to popularity, reaching the top spot on Canadian and American music charts. This Canadian artist's single became the best-selling record, followed by four songs that entered the 'Top 20' in 1958, including 'It's Time to Cry' and '(All Of a Sudden) My Heart Sings'.

Anka embarked on tours in England with Buddy Holly and visited Australia. He also wrote 'It Doesn't Matter Anymore' for Holly shortly before the rock and roll pioneer's death in 1959. In the 1960s, Anka began appearing in films and writing songs for movies, notably the musical theme for the historical war film 'The Longest Day'. He also played a small role as a US Army Ranger in the same movie. His work in the film industry led to the creation of some of his best hits, such as 'Lonely Boy' and 'My Home Town'.

Anka was one of the first artists to perform pop repertoire in Las Vegas casinos. He regularly returned to Canada to give sold-out concerts in Ontario. In 1960, Anka played himself in the television series 'Dan Raven' alongside Skip Homeier and performed on the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood. That same year, he signed a deal with RCA Records, but, like many North American artists, his career stagnated due to the wave of British performers.

By the end of the 1960s, Anka's career revolved around music for people aged 25-45 in the 'adult contemporary' style, largely dependent on big band standards. In the early 1970s, Paul signed a contract with Buddah Records and, after nearly 10 years without a hit, began working with United Artists music company. In 1974, he recorded the number one hit '(You're) Having My Baby' in collaboration with Odia Coates. He then released two more hits with Coates, 'I Don't Like to Sleep Alone' and 'One Man Woman/One Woman Man', both reaching the 'Top 10'.

In 1975, Anka recorded a jingle for Kodak called 'Times of Your Life' (lyrics by Bill Lane, melody by Roger Nichols). The jingle became popular, prompting Paul to release it as a full-fledged song, which reached the 7th spot on the US pop chart in 1976. His most recent hit to date, breaking into the 'Top 40', was the song 'Hold Me Till The Morning Comes', debuted in the summer of 1983.

Paul Anka became a naturalized US citizen on September 6, 1990. After eight years, he released his first new studio recording since 'Walk a Fine Line' in 1983, titled 'A Body of Work'. The album featured collaborations with Celine Dion, Kenny G, Patti LaBelle, and Skyler Jett. In 2005, his album 'Rock Swings', which featured modern big band arrangements, marked Anka's return to the mainstream music scene, earning him a star on the Canadian Walk of Fame in Toronto.

In 2003, Anka performed an exclusive concert in Bologna organized by the Italian company Mapei. He also recorded a new version of his song 'My Way' specifically for his sponsors. In 2006, he collaborated with Italian hitmaker Adriano Celentano on a new cover of 'Diana', which quickly climbed to the 3rd position in the charts. Anka was previously married to former model Anne de Zogheb, daughter of Lebanese diplomat Charles de Zogheb, from February 16, 1963, until September 28, 2000. Anne left her fashion career when she gave birth to their second child.

The couple had five daughters: Amelia, singer and writer Anthea Anka, Alicia, Alexandra, and Amanda, who is married to actor Jason Bateman. Anka also has a son named Ethan with Swedish model and actress Anna Anka. Paul and Anna got married on Sardinia in the summer of 2008 and divorced in 2010. In the spring of 2008, Paul Anka performed in Moscow at the 'B1 Maximum' club. During the concert, he improvised, shared facts about his personal life, danced with wealthy ladies, took photos with fun companies, and performed songs while standing on a table.