Whatever Happened to Paul Anka?
What To Know
- Paul Anka remains active at age 84, continuing to tour, perform his classic hits, and share stories from his nearly 70-year career, as highlighted in the upcoming HBO documentary Paul Anka: His Way.
- He is still producing new music, with his latest album Making Memories and a forthcoming release, Inspirations of Life and Love, scheduled for February 2026, featuring both new material and personal interpretations.
- Anka’s enduring legacy is celebrated through his iconic songwriting, ongoing public appearances, and the discovery of his music by new generations via streaming, television, and film placements.
With the HBO documentary Paul Anka: His Way premiering on December 1, 2025, fans are getting a chance to revisit the remarkable life of a performer who has been in the public eye since the mid-1950s. Described as part road movie and part living biography, the film uses the singer’s own narration to weave together archival material and personal stories from a career spanning nearly 70 years and proves that at 84, Paul Anka is still relevant, making new music and performing.
He continues to tour, playing concerts built around his early hits like “Diana,” “Put Your Head on My Shoulder,” and “Lonely Boy,” along with stories from the decades he has spent in the business. His live shows remain popular with audiences who enjoy both the nostalgia and the intimate autobiographical style he developed long ago. Another major part of his recent life is the ongoing celebration of his songwriting legacy. Anka continues to be closely associated with “My Way,” the English lyrics he famously wrote for Frank Sinatra in 1968. The song remains one of the most recognizable standards in the world, and Anka often reflects on its history in interviews and public appearances.
Vivien Killilea/Getty Images for Fontainebleau Las Vegas
In the studio, Anka has remained active as well. His album Making Memories is part of his later-era discography, and in 2025, he announced a new studio album titled Inspirations of Life and Love, scheduled for release on February 13, 2026. Early coverage of the album notes that it will include a mix of new material and interpretations connected to the themes that have motivated him throughout his life. Anka has also often spoken about continuing to write music, something he has done since he was a teenager, when he wrote his first hit, “Diana,” at age fifteen. Anka has also stayed visible through television appearances and documentaries that explore the early years of rock and roll. Over the years, he has been interviewed for multiple music history specials sharing firsthand stories about artists like Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, and Frank Sinatra, all of whom he knew personally.
In his personal life, Anka is a father of six, and he has often spoken in interviews about spending time with his children and grandchildren. Family photos and home movie clips appear throughout Paul Anka: His Way, offering a more personal contrast to his long public career. Even now, Anka’s legacy continues to expand as younger listeners discover his music through streaming and film placements. For those who didn’t grow up listening to Anka, some might recognize him and his name from his cameo in Gilmore Girls when Lorelai names her dog after him, and the real Paul Anka even shows up in a dream sequence.
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70s Pop Idols
May 2019
The biggest and best from the worlds of rock and disco!
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