In an industry that changes with every new sound, Paul Anka has built his career over five decades, writing and recording music his way.
The singer, songwriter and actor recently saw massive success with the Michael Jackson song he wrote, “Love Never Felt So Good,” released an album of hits with music legends titled “Duets” last year, just came home from the Asian leg of his tour and leaves for a European trip this week. It’s easy to see that Anka has found a rhythm staying busy with his love of music.
“You stand still and they throw dirt on you,” Anka joked during an interview with The Malibu Times. “You have to stay active. If you have a passion, you have to stay with it. I love what I’m doing. I have a wonderful audience out there.”
For a man who has toured the world singing for a string of decades, Anka shows no signs slowing down. With sold-out shows, new hits, and fans still screaming his name — why would he, anyway?
“You use a lot of logic,” he said. “You take care of your health, you stay in shape, you make sure that what you’re doing — you love it. The time factor doesn’t matter if you have your health. If you have the wherewithal and the integrity just to keep the quality it’s quite easy.”
With five daughters, eight grandchildren and one nine-year old son named Ethan, Anka has his hands full at home near Malibu in Lake Sherwood, too.
For locals wanting to catch Anka in action, his tour returns stateside for an intimate evening at the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills on Oct. 24.
“I’m live and the band is live and there’s no technology in any of us. When I was on the stage in Vegas you had to have talent. You had to sing a tune with a microphone and a live band and that was about it,” he said
Anka has always felt a connection to the stage, where he grew up, met and shared the spotlight with music legends.
At 18, Anka was the youngest performer to play in Las Vegas, starting at the Sahara and then on to The Sands Hotel with the infamous Rat Pack.
“Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis, Dean Martin … they were my mentors,” Anka said. “You learn from them. I was influenced by them and through all of their relationships.”
Over the years, Anka became known as “kid” in the Rat Pack, and after a few hits and years with the pack, the “kid” received a phone call from Sinatra.
“I was in Miami, which was the place back then,” Anka said. “He called me up and said, “Come on, kid. I’m quitting show business. I’m tired and I’ve had enough. I don’t want to do it anymore. The Rat Pack’s over. I’m doing one more album with Don Costa.”
Anka was floored.
Sinatra told him it was time to write his first song.
“It hit me when I got home,” Anka said. “I started at one in the morning and I finished at five.”
Anka called Sinatra at Caesars Palace early that morning with the song he wrote for his friend.
“A few months later he called me from a studio in LA and said, ’Listen to this, kid,’ and put the phone up to the speaker and played me ‘My Way’ … and I started crying,” Anka said.
It’s been more than 40 years since the original release of “My Way” and the song is credited as one of the most frequently covered songs ever written.
But it takes more than just one hit to create a star in an industry built on dreams.
Anka credits his focus and tenacity at a young age for being able to follow through on his goals.
“I played my songs to all the people I had the opportunity to go on tours with,” Anka said. “I played ‘Diana’ to Chuck Berry and he told me to go back to school. That didn’t deter me. I just kept going and going and going.”
And he never stopped.
Anka admits “songs are like your children, you don’t have your favorite” but lists “Do I Love You,” “Put Your Head On My Shoulder,” “My Way,” and “She’s A Lady” as the top tunes he really gets into.
His songs and albums have sold millions of copies worldwide for decades. Various businesses and companies keep Anka busy when he’s not on the road, and he’s working on exciting projects with Michael Buble and a new electronic artist from England.
But his true passion is behind the microphone or sitting with a pen and paper.
“At the end of the day, it’s all about the music, nothing else,” he said.
