Paul Anka

Paul Anka
Singer

Paul Robert Anka was born on July 30, 1941 in Ottawa, Ontario. His father came to Canada from Damascus, Syria, and his mother was an immigrant from Lebanon. His mother died when he was 18. Anka sang with the St. Elias Antiochian Orthodox Cathedral choir. He attended Fisher Park High School, where he was in a vocal trio called the Bobby Soxers. Anka recorded her first single, "I Confess" in 1955, when he was just 14 years old.
In 1956, Anka moved to New York City and auditioned for Don Costa at ABC Records. He recorded "Diana" in May 1957 and it went to No. 1 on the Canadian and US music charts. He followed in 1958 with four songs that reached the Top 20. He toured Britain, then Australia with Buddy Holly. Anka wrote the English version of "My Way", Frank Sinatra's signature song (originally from the French song "Comme de Habitude"). He became one of the first pop singers to perform in a Las Vegas casino.
Anka appeared in the movies Girls Town (1959) and Look in Any Window (1961). His first major film was a cameo in "The Longest Day" (1962). He also composed the title song of the movie. Anka met half-English and half-Lebanese Anne de Zogeb in 1962 in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where she was a fashion model. Zogeb grew up in Egypt. The following year on February 16, 1963, the couple married in a ceremony at Paris-Orly Airport in Paris, France. They divorced in 2001.
Anka has released more than nine Italian songs in Italy. "Ogni volta" ("Every Time") was sung by Anka which scored No. 1 in 1962, and subsequently sold over a million copies in Italy alone, earning a gold disc. In 1964, he released an album "Paul Anka à Paris". Six tracks on the B-side were sung in French. A single release in Japanese ("Kokoro no Sase"/ "Shiawase e no Tabiji"). Anka has performed four times in Israel. In 1972, a street in Ottawa was named Paul Anka Drive.
"This Is It" was written by Paul Anka and Michael Jackson, and a demo version of the song was recorded by Anka and Jackson in 1980 at Anka's California recording studio. According to Anka, after recording the song, Jackson decided not to use it and the tune was recorded and released by Saw-Fire in 1991. 1981, Ottawa City Council named August 26 as "Paul Anka Day" to celebrate his quarter century in show business.
On September 6, 1990, Anka became a naturalized citizen of the United States. In 1993, he recorded a duet with Philippine singer Regine Velasquez, titled "It's Hard to Say Goodbye", included on his album Reason Enough. The song was re-recorded by Anka and Celine Dion and included on his 1998 album "A Body of Work". It is his first new US studio release since "Walk a Fine Line" in 1983.
In 2008, Anka married for the second time to her personal trainer Anna Aberg in Sardinia, Italy. Anna was born in Poland and reised in Sweden. She moved to the United States in 1994 to work as a model. They divorced in 2010. Anka is very popular in Finland. He performed three times at Linanmäki in Helsinki in 1959, in Lappeenranta in 1989, at the Pori Jazz Festival in Pori on 19 July 2007 and 2012, and in Tampere on 6 August 2008 and 9 and 10 August 2009.
In October 2016, Anka got married for the third time to Lisa Pemberton in Beverly Hills, California. They divorced in 2020.

Songs by Paul Anka

* Diana (1957)

* All of a Sudden My Heart Sings (1958)

* Just Young (1958)

* Midnight (1958)

* Teen Commandments (1958)

* It's Time to Cry (1959)

* Put Your Head on My Shoulder (1959)

* My Hometown (1960)

* Puppy Love (1960)

* Summer's Gone (1960)

News and Images of Paul Anka

Sixteen year old Paul Anka pictured rehearsing with the Gitsom Sisters for his appearance on an ITV television program at the London palladium, immediately after his arrival in Britain on 6th December 1957.

Paul Anka and Lucette Raillat, French singer and actress, in Paris, Olympia in December 1958.

Paul Anka and Colette Renard, French singer in Paris, Olympia in December 1958.

Paul Anka fans around him on 20 January 1959.

Paul Anka surrounded by admiring teen-age fans in Stockholm, Sweden on 18th August, 1959.

Paul Anka receiving gifts from his fans in November 1959.

PAUL ANKA with Annette Funicello on June 11, 1960.

Paul Anka and Dorothy Provine on show air-date December 3, 1960.

Actress Annette Funicello and Paul Anka in 1962.

Paul Anka with his wife Anne de Zogheb in Paris in 1963.

Paul Anka after his show at the Olympia with Sylvie Vartan,Johnny Hallyday and Richard Anthony on September 13th, 1963.

The Singing Tour Of Paul Anka At The Olympia, Paris with his wife Anne De Zogheb on March 25, 1970.

Paul Anka and wife Anne on 1st January 1972.

Paul Anka, Anne Anka promotional photo for the ABC tv special 'Paul Anka: Music My Way in Los Angeles, CA in 1977.

Paul Anka, Donna Summer and Suzanne Somers in a grand hotel in Monte Carlo on July 6, 1978.

Paul Anka with Suzanne Somers in Monte Carlo on July 6, 1978.

Mireille Mathieu, Paul Anka at TV-Show in 1979 in Deutschland.

Paul Anka kisses his wife Anne at their daughter's wedding. The couple's daughter Alexandra married Yorg Muller in a ceremony in Monaco on August 14, 1993.

Caroline Barclay, Paul Anka with his wife and daughters during Tony Murray celebrates his birthday in St Tropez on July 25, 1998.

Paul Anka and wife at Gala Of Red Cross In Monaco on August 07, 1998.

Paul Anka & the Casino dancers Julia Mc Farland and Stephanie Golemme at Las Vegas Premiere of R. Cohen's telefilm - Rat Pack on August 20, 1998.

Paul Anka during Celine Dion Opening Night Of A New Day - Arrivals at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States on March 25, 2003.

Paul Anka and friend attend the inaugural "Rodeo Drive Walk of Style" event honoring designer Giorgio Armani on September 9, 2003 in Beverly Hills, California.

Paul Anka and guest attend the film premiere of "Twisted" on February 23, 2004 at Paramount Pictures, in Hollywood, California.

Actress Stefanie Powers and Paul Anka pose at An Evening with Larry King and Friends benefiting The Larry King Cardiac Foundation at the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel on April 23, 2004 in Beverly Hills, California.

Paul Anka arrives to attend the annual Red Cross Ball or Bal de la Croix-Rouge at the Monte-Carlo Sporting Club in Monaco. The Red Cross Ball is one of the major charity events in Monaco on 06 August 2004.

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Paul Anka sing "My Way" as Schwarzenegger's wife Maria Shriver looks on at the Governor's Inaugural Ball at the Sacramento Convention Center January 5, 2007 in Sacramento California. Schwarzenegger was sworn-in today for a second term as governor.

Paul Anka, Anna attend the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame Gala at Le Royal Meridien King Edward Hotel in Toronto, Canada on February 29, 2008.

Paul Anka and Anna Yeager attend the 39th Annual Songwriters Hall of Fame Ceremony at the Marriott Marquis on June 19, 2008 in New York City.

Paul Anka and Anna Anka kiss during their wedding at Hotel Cala di Volpe on July 26, 2008 in Porto Cervo, Sardinia, Italy.

Paul Anka arrives at Stand Up For Cancer at the Kodak Theatre on September 5, 2008 in Hollywood, California.

Kathie Lee Gifford, Paul Anka and Hoda Kotb appear on NBC News' "Today" show on May 20, 2013.

Paul Anka attends the 2014 UNICEF Ball presented by Baccarat at the Beverly Wilshire Four Seasons Hotel on January 14, 2014 in Beverly Hills, California.

Paul Anka and guest attend the 2016 MusiCares Person of the Year honoring Lionel Richie at the Los Angeles Convention Center on February 13, 2016 in Los Angeles, California.