Biography of Paul Anka

Hugely successful vocalist from 1957 into the '80s, as well as writer of several venerable pop-music standards. The young native of Ottawa, Canada, took the U.S. by storm in 1957 with his rock-slanted ballad "Diana," a number one smash on ABC-Paramount Records. Dramatic renditions of "You Are My Destiny," "Lonely Boy," "Put Your Head on My Shoulder," and "Puppy Love" elevated the youth to teen-idol status over the next three years. Moving to RCA in 1962, the maturing Anka continued to chart regularly, although some of his most notable '60s copyrights were bequeathed to others -- he wrote "My Way" for Frank Sinatra as well as the theme for TV's The Tonight Show. Anka returned to the top pop slot in 1974 with the controversial million-seller "(You're) Having My Baby," cut in Muscle Shoals and issued on United Artists, and he enjoyed several follow-up smashes, many featuring vocalist Odia Coates. ~ Bill Dahl