Paul Anka Headed For Canadian Music Industry Hall Of Fame
The Ottawa born singer, songwriter, and actor – who transcended the '50s, '60s, and '70s with hit songs such as "Diana", "Lonely Boy", "Put Your Head on My Shoulder", and "(You're) Having My Baby" – is announced as this year's CMW Lifetime Award recipient.
By David Farrell
Paul Anka, the Ottawa born singer, songwriter, and actor – who transcended the '50s, '60s, and '70s with hit songs such as "Diana", "Lonely Boy", "Put Your Head on My Shoulder", and "(You're) Having My Baby" – is the latest and final inductee into the Canadian Music and Broadcast Industry Awards, as recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award.
Anka wrote such well-known music as the theme for The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and Tom Jones's hit, "She's a Lady", as well as the English lyrics on Claude François and Jacques Revaux's music for Frank Sinatra's signature song, "My Way". He was inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame in 2005.
In 1983, he co-wrote the song "I Never Heard" with Michael Jackson. It was retitled and released in 2009 under the name "This Is It". An additional song that Jackson co-wrote with Anka from this 1983 session, "Love Never Felt So Good", was released on Jackson's posthumous album Xscape in 2014.
The event is staged at Rebel Entertainment Complex in Toronto on May 10.
Press release here
David Farrell with Billboard Canada National Editor Richard Trapunski (left) and Billboard Canada President Mo Ghoneim (right)
David Farrell accepting his Lifetime Achievement Award at Canadian Music Week 2024. From left: Neill Dixon, David Farrell, Gary Slaight, Derrick RossBill King