Paul Anka, teen idol and internationally renowned singer/songwriter of the 1950s/60s, was born in Ottawa on July 30, 1941, to parents of Lebanese descent.

Paul's father came from Syria, and his mother, who died when Paul was 18, came from Lebanon. His family lived in an apartment on Slater Street at the time. Paul attended Fisher Park High School and sang in the choir at Ottawa's St. Elias Orthodox Church.

The Ankas ran a family restaurant, the Laconda, at Bank Street & Laurier Avenue. It was here that the Ankas got to know CFRA's Gord Atkinson, who would be instrumental in the launch of Paul's career.

Atkinson arranged for Paul and three schoolmates and their band "The Bobbysoxers" to make their radio debut on his CFRA show "Campus Corner" and Atkinson promoted Anka's first 45 on his show and through his weekly newspaper column.

Anka's rocket to stardom came in 1957 with the release of his love song "Diana", inspired by his crush on a 17-year-old neighbourhood girl he used to hang around with when he was 15. Diana Ayoub attested she'd had no idea that he had felt that way about her until the song came out.

In addition to his own long list of top hits, Paul Anka wrote Tom Jones' "She's a Lady", Johnny Carson's theme on the Tonight Show, and the lyrics for Frank Sinatra's "My Way".

In 1972, a street in the Hunt Club area of the city was named "Paul Anka Drive" in the singer/songwriter's honour. In 1981 Ottawa City Council proclaimed August 26 "Paul Anka Day" to mark Anka's quarter-century in show business.

Anka was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 1980, was made an Officer of Canada in 2004 and was inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame in 2005.

Peter Atkinson recounts his father's legacy and contributions to the careers of Paul Anka, Rich Little and others in his excellent book "Gord Atkinson: Ottawa's Oldest Teenager": showbill.wordpress.com/showbill-books

The Canadian Encyclopedia article on Paul Anka: thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/paul-anka-emc