Paul Albert Anka is regarded as one of the best songwriters, singers, and actors of his generation. He began singing when he was 12 years old and became renowned when he was 15 years old. He was one of the best teenage pop sensations by the age of 17. He has recorded over 120 CDs to date, with songs sung in a variety of languages including Spanish, German, French, Italian, and Japanese, and has sold over 10 million copies worldwide. Songs such as ‘Faibles Femmes’ in French, ‘Diana’ in Italian, ‘Kokoro No Sasae/ Shiawase E No Tabiji’ in Japanese, and many others were featured. He has written over 900 songs that have charted in the top 50 in the United States over the course of five decades. Corey Hart, David Clayton-Thomas, and Michael Buble are just a few of the artists he found. He shifted his singing style from pop to rock as people became more interested in hard rock. In addition, he composed a lot of songs. He never sat on his laurels and worked as long as he could because he believed that working would keep him in the spotlight.
Childhood and Adolescence
Paul Anka was born in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, on July 30, 1941. Andrew Emile ‘Andy’ Anka, Sr., his father, was a restaurant owner. Camelia Anka was his mother. His parents were also Lebanese immigrants. He was the oldest of three children, with a brother and sister. He went to ‘Fisher Park High School,’ where he created the ‘Bobbysoxers,’ a vocal group. He studied music with Frederick Karam during his school years and sung in the choir at the ‘St Elias Antiochian Orthodox Church.’ At the age of 14, Paul Anka recorded his first solo song, “I Confess,” in 1955. In 1956, he released a single called ‘Blau-Wile Deverest Fontaine,’ but it did not chart. In 1957, Anka returned to New York and sung ‘Diana,’ a song he wrote for ABC-Paramount Records, which made him famous by reaching the top of the American and Canadian music charts.
His following four tracks, including ‘It’s Time to Cry’ and ‘My Heart Sings,’ were released in 1958 and peaked at #4 and #15 in the charts, respectively. He wrote the Buddy Holly song “It Doesn’t Matter Anymore,” which was recorded in 1959. In 1959, he released the songs ‘Lonely Boy’ and ‘Put Your Head on My Shoulders,’ and in 1960, he released ‘Puppy Love.’ In 1959, he appeared in the films ‘Girls Town,’ ‘Look in Any Window,’ and ‘The Longest Day,’ among others. His song ‘Dove Sei’ reached the top of the Italian music charts in 1960. In the same year, he secured a contract with RCA Italy. In 1963, he bought the rights and ownership of his catalog, which had previously been owned by ABC-Paramount. As a result of the British groups ‘Beatles,’ ‘Rolling Stones,’ and others briefly stalling his success in the late 1960s, he switched to adult contemporary.
From July 13, 1964 through July 20, 1964, he played Sammy Glick in the musical “What Makes Sammy Run?” In the early 1970s, he signed with Buddah Records. He composed the lyrics for John Carson’s ‘The Tonight Show,’ Frank Sinatra’s ‘My Way,’ and Tom Jones’ ‘She’s a Lady,’ all of which were released in 1969 and 1971, respectively. ‘(You’re) Having My Baby,’ a controversial duet with Odia Coates, topped the charts in 1974. ‘One Man Woman/One Woman Man’ and ‘I Don’t Like to Sleep Alone,’ his following two duets with Coates, ranked seventh and eighth on the charts, respectively. ‘I Believe,’ their third duet, came in fifteenth place.
His duet with Peter Cetera, “Hold Me ‘Til Morning Comes,” was a huge smash in 1983. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, he continued to release concert recordings and compilations. In 1998, he and his daughter Anthea performed the duet “Do I Love You” off the album “A Body of Work.” He appeared in an episode of ‘The Simpsons’ in 1989. On September 6, 1990, he became an American citizen, and he has been a dual citizen of Canada and the United States ever then. In 1996, he published his Spanish-language album ‘Amigos.’
He released the album ‘A Body of Work’ in 1998, which featured reworked singles as well as duets with Patti Labelle and Celine Dion. The albums ‘Rock Swings’ and ‘Classic Songs: My Way,’ released in 2005 and 2007, respectively, featured reworked songs performed by different singers. In 2006, he had a hit with ‘Diana,’ a duet with Adriano Celentano that had Italian lyrics. When the album ‘This is It,’ co-written with Michael Jackson, was released in 2009, it once again demonstrated Anka’s musical range. In 2013, Paul Anka released his autobiography, which he co-wrote with David Dalton.
Achievements & Awards
In 1972, Paul Anka’s name was given to a street in Ottawa. A star on the ‘Hollywood Walk of Fame’ has been bestowed upon him. On June 29, 2007, the Canadian postal service released a commemorative postage stamp featuring him. In 2008, he was named to the ‘Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame.’
Personal History and Legacy
On February 16, 1963, Paul Anka married Anne de Zogreb, whom he divorced on October 2, 2000. On July 26, 2008, he married Anna Anka, his second wife, and divorced her in 2010. From his first marriage, he has five daughters named Alexandra, Amanda, Alicia, Anthea, and Amelia, and one son named Ethan from his second marriage.
Estimated Net Worth
Paul Anka has an estimated net worth of $80 million. He is a Canadian singer, composer, and actor. Paul Anka has made a name for himself in the music industry by singing and writing some of the most well-known singles in musical history.
Trivia
Paul Anka wanted to be a journalist or a lawyer since he was a child.