Las Vegas Weekly

May 8, 2009 · 12:23 PM

Paul Anka readies his 50th Las Vegas anniversary with new shows

By Robin Leach

Paul Anka sings "My Way" on the finale of American Idol.

Photo: Associated Press

It’s incredible to realize -- and hard to believe -- that legendary singer Paul Anka next year will celebrate his 50th year of entertaining in Las Vegas! More mind-blowing is that he already celebrated his 50th year in show business three years ago!

As Paul gets ready for another amazing three-night run at The Orleans starting this evening, let’s go back to 1957 when the 16-year-old sensation recorded “Diana,” and it went on to become one of the best-selling 45s in music history. It shot to No. 1 around the world and brought the Canadian teenager global fame.

A year later, Paul followed with four more No. 1 hits, including “It’s Time to Cry” and “My Heart Sings.” At 17, he had become the biggest teen idol of all time, and by age 20, he made his first Las Vegas appearance at the Sahara!

Photo: Paul Anka

Paul Anka.

He remained at the top through the 1960s, even though music tastes shifted with the arrival of The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, with two extraordinary songs. First was the theme for Johnny Carson’s The Tonight Show, which still gets a nightly airing, and then Frank Sinatra’s “My Way,” which is sung somewhere in the world, let alone played in the world, every night of the year!

In all, Paul has 900 songs to his credit over his 50-plus-year career, including 130 he’s written for other artists including Elvis Presley, Barbara Streisand, Buddy Holly and Donny Osmond. His newest album Classic Songs My Way gives his sounds to hits by Joni Mitchell, Billy Joel and our hometown heroes The Killers and closes with an amazing duet of “My Way” with Bon Jovi!

I went to see his last run of concerts at The Orleans, and he’s still a superstar all these years later with the audience hushed and awaiting his every word -- and of course giving standing ovations for nearly every stirring, emotional song. Click HERE for that report, and click HERE for my most recent interview with the great entertainer.

As you’ll see today in the Royal Robin Rundown in Strip Scribbles on Vegas DeLuxe, it’s one very busy weekend -- but somehow we’ll definitely find a way to catch some of that Anka magic. You can’t miss out on it.

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.

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