Columnist Joe Delaney: Anka’s music has endured through last five decades

Joe Delaney

Friday, Sept. 24, 1999 | 9:57 a.m.

Joe Delaney's column appears Thursdays and Fridays. Reach him at 259-4066 or joe@vegas.com

Paul Anka, appearing in the Mirage's Siegfried & Roy Theatre through Oct. 12 (check for dark days) is Exhibit A for proof that show business is two distinct terms: show and business. ... Anka is equally adept when putting on a performance or conducting its business aspects. ... Born in Ottawa, Anka was 58 on July 30.

As a songwriter and composer, he has more than 900 songs to his credit thus far and is in the process of releasing his 124th album, "Live, 2000." ... Album 123, "A Body Of Work," contains duets on Anka compositions with Celine Dion, Barry Gibb, Tom Jones, Patti LaBelle and Frank Sinatra. ... The Sinatra duet is on the Anka classic, "My Way."

Anka has had hit singles and albums in each of the past five decades. ... His compositions have longevity and are performance songs as well as hit recording material. ... "Diana," still a signature song, was written in the mid-1950s.

Anka continued

Our friendship goes back that far. ... At the first meeting this brash teenager proceeded to tell me, unasked, what was wrong with the distributors handling my record label, a subsidiary of RCA. ... He knew as much about my company as I did. ... His mentor at the time was the late Don Costa, who put him with the ABC-Paramount label.

"Diana" was the first release, an instant mega-hit, and at least six No. 1 singles followed in rapid succession. ... The relationship with the record company soured and Anka left when his contract was up.

The recording industry was surprised and also amused when Anka purchased the rights to his recordings for a record $250,000. ... Consensus: The kid was crazy. ... It was years later that K-TEL began merchandising albums, "not available in stores," consisting of hits by various artists of the 1950s and 1960s, which could only be ordered through television.

How crazy was he

Singer Slim Whitman had a second and even more successful career as a result of K-TEL's television merchandising. ... There was a demand for Anka hits and none were available until Paul revealed that he was the sole owner. ... Anka held out as the demand continued to build and then made a multimillion-dollar deal, leasing the masters to Columbia for a five-year period.

Today Anka again owns the masters. ... Those "Golden Oldies" are still a vital part of each performance, along with his recorded duet with Sinatra on "My Way," written in 1969, arranged by Don Costa.

His main showroom debut here was in the early 1960s as opening act for the late Sophie Tucker at the Sahara. ... I was among those who urged him to do it. ... His first show, opening night, the reaction was so strong that Tucker asked him to close the show, which he did for the balance of the engagement. ... He has headlined here ever since.

Anka concluded

During the 1970s this column conducted a campaign asking that only Sinatra and Anka be allowed to sing "My Way." ... Twenty-year olds singing about life and how they "chewed it up and spit it out ... their way" was offensive. ... Anka was now headlining at the Sahara where we were conducting a fund-raiser for Opportunity Village in the convention area.

There was a huge goldfish bowl, for donations, at the side of the stage. ... As the emcee, I was interrupted by a voice stating he would donate $1,000 if I were to sing "My Way." ... It was Paul. ... He stood onstage, behind me, whispering special lyrics that I repeated, a hilarious response to my campaign to limit performances of "My Way."

Anka then deposited 10 crisp $100 bills into the goldfish bowl. ... Paul never said "No" when it came to performing for a worthy cause. ... This is the Anka I know personally and I wanted to share it with you.

Friday addenda

Circle Oct. 3 on your calendar. ... If you're a 30-year resident, you'll want to attend the annual "30-30 Old Timer's Reunion" at 6 p.m. in the Stardust Convention Center. ... If you've lived here 30 years and are of Irish descent, you may choose to hear the "Golden Irish Tenor" Frank Patterson plus Sharon Lynn's Celtic Storm Irish Dance Company, also Oct. 3, in Arizona Charlie's upstairs ballroom.

Column favorite Loretta Holloway closes Sunday in the Hilton NightClub. ... Hurry back, Loretta. ... See you next Thursday.