Born on July 30, 1941, in Ottawa, Ontario, Paul Anka didn’t just enter the world—he arrived with rhythm in his bones and lyrics waiting to be written. From singing in the St. Elias Antiochian Orthodox Cathedral choir to forming his first vocal group, The Bobbysoxers, Anka’s early years were a prelude to a career that would span decades and genres.

At just 15 years old, Anka penned “Diana,” a lovestruck ballad inspired by a girl from his church. The song catapulted him to stardom, selling over 20 million copies and becoming one of the best-selling singles by a Canadian artist. He followed it with a string of hits—“Lonely Boy,” “Put Your Head on My Shoulder,” and “Puppy Love”—cementing his status as a teen idol3.

But Anka wasn’t just a performer—he was a prolific songwriter, crafting classics for others that became cultural touchstones. He wrote the lyrics to Frank Sinatra’s “My Way”, composed Tom Jones’s “She’s a Lady,” and even collaborated with Michael Jackson on posthumous hits like “This Is It” and “Love Never Felt So Good”.

His versatility extended to the screen, with acting roles in films like The Longest Day (for which he also wrote the theme), and to the stage, where he became one of the first pop artists to perform in Las Vegas casinos.

Anka’s career has been a masterclass in reinvention. In the 2000s, he surprised fans with Rock Swings, an album of big-band covers of rock hits—from Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” to Oasis’s “Wonderwall”—proving that great songs can thrive in any arrangement.

Now at 83, Paul Anka remains a living legend, his voice and pen still shaping the soundtrack of generations. Whether crooning a ballad or swinging through a rock anthem, he reminds us that music, like life, is best lived with style, soul, and a little swagger.