Paul Albert Anka OC (born July 30, 1941) is a Canadian-American singer, songwriter, and actor. Anka became famous with hit songs like “Diana”, “Lonely Boy”, “Put Your Head on My Shoulder”, and “(You’re) Having My Baby”. He wrote such well-known music as the theme for The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and one of Tom Jones’ biggest hits “She’s a Lady”. He also wrote the English lyrics to Claude François and Jacques Revaux’s music for Frank Sinatra’s signature song, “My Way”, which has been recorded by many, including Elvis Presley. Two songs he co-wrote with Michael Jackson, “This Is It” (originally titled “I Never Heard”)[1] and “Love Never Felt So Good”, became posthumous hits for Jackson.
Anka was born in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada to Camelia (née Tannis) and Andrew Emile “Andy” Anka Sr., who owned a restaurant called the Locanda.[2] His parents were both of Lebanese Christian descent.[3][4] His father came to America from Bab Tuma in Damascus, Syria, and his mother was an immigrant from Lebanon.[5][6] His mother died when he was 18.[7]
Anka sang with the St. Elias Antiochian Orthodox Cathedral choir under the direction of Frederick Karam, with whom he studied music theory. He studied piano with Winnifred Rees. He attended Fisher Park High School, where he was part of a vocal trio called the Bobby Soxers.[8][9]
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