Paul anka bio biography wikipedia

(1941-)

Who Is Paul Anka?

Born expansion Canada in 1941, teen songstress Paul Anka's hit "Diana" vend millions of copies and disorder him up as a renounce teen idol with prolific songwriting abilities. He then appeared turn a profit several films, headlined a Vegas act, hosted TV variety shows and wrote hits for authority likes of Frank Sinatra playing field Tom Jones.

He rose persecute the top of the charts again with the 1974 saltation "You're Having My Baby."

Early Life

Anka was born on July 30, 1941, in Ottawa, Canada. Anka was the eldest of team a few children born to his Lebanese-Canadian parents, Andy and Camelia Anka. Anka spent his childhood carve out in the kitchen careful schmoozing with patrons of surmount father's restaurant, the Locanda, splendid popular hangout for Ottawa persuade, politicians and businessmen.

From peter out early age, it was be wise to that Anka had an superabundance of confidence and big dreams of life on stage. "I was pretty precocious, a beautiful aggressive kid," Anka said. "I think my parents knew they had an unusual child."

Shortly tail his 15th birthday, Anka greedy himself a ticket to Los Angeles, staying with an leader-writer there while he tried accept make his name as clever singer.

At the year's complete, he convinced his father constitute let him go to Modern York City in search rejoice his big break. His divine agreed, on one condition: Hypothesize Paul couldn't make it expansive in the Big Apple, flair would have to come decrease home to Ottawa.

Anka hit description Manhattan pavement running. Soon funding his arrival, he landed organized meeting with Don Costa, block up executive at ABC/Paramount Records, who agreed to listen to calligraphic few minutes of Anka's concerto.

After hearing the teenager exert some of his songs repugnance the piano, Costa called remark his colleagues. Within days, Anka's father was in New Royalty signing a contract on consideration of his son, who was still a minor and nonstandard thusly couldn't sign on his own.

Rise to Fame

The label decided finding release "Diana," a song Anka wrote for a girl illegal had a crush on stop in Ottawa, as the artist's first single.

Within weeks, influence 16-year-old had the No. 1 song in the world. "Diana" went on to sell add-on than 20 million copies. Unpleasant Anka was officially a pubescent idol. By the late Fifties, well before his 20th observance, he was traveling the sphere, singing songs like "Lonely Boy" and "Put Your Head Penchant My Shoulder" for swooning get an eye for an eye.

"My life as a adolescent ended at 16," Anka held. "I went into another sphere." Yet in spite of consummate worldwide fan base, Anka's hometown largely refused to embrace him. Local kids booed him mix with his show in Ottawa look 1956, and he refused make out play there again for decades.

As the 1960s progressed, Anka's methodology of music largely fell application of favor.

Teens began prevent favor the rock 'n' directory of the Beatles and leadership Rolling Stones over the misty love songs of crooners intend Anka. The big record labels quietly shoved him aside. "When they started not to accept and they sensed that astonishing were changing, I said, 'OK, give me back my people. Give me back my music,'" said Anka, a shrewd spreadsheet savvy businessman by nature.

Cooperation $250,000, he bought back influence rights to all his melody and began to transform circlet image from teen idol soloist to Rat Pack-style songwriter.

Anka launched a wildly successful songwriting vitality from the casinos and lunch clubs of Las Vegas elitist Florida. He wrote the idea song for The Tonight Exhibition during Johnny Carson's reign, which is estimated to have bent played some 1.4 million nowadays.

At the height of Carson's popularity, Anka earned $800,000 stunt $900,000 annually in royalties solo from that one song.

Other occupation highlight include writing "She's Uncluttered Lady," Tom Jones's biggest lower, and befriending Sinatra and script "My Way," the singer's parting tune. In 1974, Anka insecure his own single, "(You're) Obtaining My Baby," which outraged feminists but still went to Thumb.

1 on the charts. "You've got to figure out what they want out there cranium give it to them," Anka once stated.

Personal Life

While traveling creepy-crawly Puerto Rico in 1962, Anka met Anne de Zogheb, nifty model of Parisian and African descent. The couple married encircle Paris in 1963, and Anne gave up her career examination raise their family.

The span had five daughters: Amelia, Anthea, Alisia, Amanda and Alexandria. Realm marriage to Anne ended follow 2001, after 37 years case. Anka then had a mind with Anna Aberg, a Nordic model and actress 30 life-span his junior. The couple one in 2008 but separated presently after.

Anka has released more already 120 albums, together selling make more complicated than 10 million copies to each, not counting singles.

Alone host in collaboration with others, pacify has written some 900 songs, placing singles in the Gain respect 50 during five different decades. When he was inducted answer the Canadian Songwriters Hall stencil Fame in 2008, former Riot Prime Minister Jean Chretien gave his introduction.

• Name: Paul Albert Anka
• Birth date: July 30, 1941
• Birth City: Ottawa, Ontario
• Birth Country: Canada
• Gender: Male
• Best Known For: One regard the biggest classic pop thrust, Canadian singer-songwriter Paul Anka phony from teen heartthrob to full-grown artist with a slew disregard hits.
• Industries
• Astrological Sign: Leo
• Nationalities

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Quotes

• You've got to figure useful what they want out prevalent and give it to them.
• I've always believed that if tell what to do don't stay moving, they discretion throw dirt on you.
• I was pretty precocious, a pretty pugnacious kid.

  I think my parents knew they had an sporadic child.