Palm Desert, Calif. – At 84, Paul Anka continues to defy expectations, captivating audiences with a career spanning seven decades on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. A recent performance at the McCallum Theatre offered fans a nostalgic journey back to an era of drive-ins and youthful romance, a time Anka himself vividly remembers as a teenager.
“I’ve been in show business since I was about 10 years old,” Anka shared, reflecting on a career that began in his youth. He exudes a remarkable vitality, bringing a youthful energy to the stage even now.
Anka’s enduring appeal isn’t simply rooted in nostalgia. He’s consistently reinvented himself, transitioning from a 1950s teen idol with hits like “Diana” and “Lonely Boy” to a respected crooner performing alongside legends like Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr. In the 1960s. “The nostalgia is real, but so is his staying power,” CBS News reported.
The path wasn’t always easy. Anka recalled the challenges of navigating fame at a young age. “It was very difficult to go from a modest background in a small town, to everybody’s all over you and you’re famous and you’re a celebrity. Frankly, I kept saying, ‘How do I not become an a******,’ excuse me?” he said, acknowledging the potential pitfalls of sudden stardom.
His experiences included exposure to a glamorous, and sometimes shadowy, world. “Hanging around with the Rat Pack and the mob and Las Vegas,” he recounted, observing the lifestyle of those around him. This led him to make conscious choices about his own health, avoiding smoking and excessive drinking after witnessing the consequences firsthand. “They drank and smoked, and I was fascinated, but I noticed they’d be coming off and coughing and spitting, and I’d be introduced to their doctors. So I never became a smoker. I never became a big drinker.”
Anka’s dedication to well-being extends to a proactive approach to health, including a daily regimen of olive oil and lemon. Whatever his methods, they appear to be working, as he maintains a strong voice and a disarming sense of humor. “We’re here for a while, folks,” he told a recent audience. “If you need to take pills or go to the bathroom, just go whenever you want.”
He recently released his latest album, “Inspirations of Life and Love,” his 130th recording project. Beyond his own extensive catalog, Anka has also penned hits for other artists, including Buddy Holly’s “It Doesn’t Matter Anymore” and Tom Jones’ “She’s a Lady.” A long-forgotten demo he recorded with Michael Jackson in the 1980s, “Love Never Felt So Good,” resurfaced after Jackson’s death in 2009 and became one of the King of Pop’s final hits.
In a surprising turn, Anka’s 1957 song “Put Your Head On My Shoulder” experienced a resurgence in popularity in 2020 when it was sampled by rapper Doja Cat, sparking a viral TikTok trend.
However, it’s “My Way,” the song he wrote for Frank Sinatra, that remains perhaps his most enduring legacy. Anka, then 25, penned the lyrics after Sinatra mentioned his thoughts of retirement. “It started to write itself,” Anka said, recalling the creative process. “It took about five hours to write. It was such a hit, he stayed ten more years!”
Despite his long and successful career, Anka remains grounded, prioritizing family. He has nine grandchildren, including two from his daughter Amanda and her husband, actor Jason Bateman.
While acknowledging that he will eventually need to slow down, Anka intends to approach that decision on his own terms. “When it’s time for my body to say enough, I’ll know,” he said. “I’m playing with the house’s money now. I’m one lucky guy!” He currently has a North American tour scheduled through May 24, 2026, and expressed a desire to continue performing, even if it’s just “75 days a year,” allowing him ample time for writing and personal pursuits.
