Paul Anka

Paul Anka is a Canadian-American singer, songwriter and actor who became one of the biggest teen idols of the late 1950s. Born Paul Albert Anka, he rose to fame as a teenager with self-penned hits like «Diana» and «Lonely Boy», which showcased both his youthful pop appeal and his unusually mature songwriting ability for a performer his age.

Beyond his own singing career, Anka became a prolific and versatile songwriter, writing hits for other artists and later penning English lyrics for what became Frank Sinatra's signature song, «My Way». His catalogue spans smooth pop ballads such as «Put Your Head on My Shoulder» and «You Are My Destiny» to the emotionally direct «Papa» and the controversial 1970s hit «(You’re) Having My Baby». He also worked with Michael Jackson decades later, co-writing songs including «This Is It» and «Love Never Felt So Good», which were released posthumously.

Anka's career has spanned crooner pop, easy listening and adult contemporary styles over more than six decades, making him one of the rare teen idols to sustain a long career both as a performer and as a behind-the-scenes songwriter for other major artists.