Paul Anka burst onto the American music scene in the late 1950s with a string of hits that almost instantly made him internationally famous. Highlights of his 65-year career include selling ten million albums globally, gallivanting with the Rat Pack, owning a Vegas nightclub and penning iconic songs for Frank Sinatra, Tom Jones and Buddy Holly.
In March 2022, Anka returned to the stage to croon tunes honoring Sinatra, his greatest mentor. He also performed all-new songs from his latest album, Making Memories, plus greatest hits from across his career. PAUL ANKA: HIS HITS AND A TRIBUTE TO FRANK SINATRA is part of special programming premiering on PBS stations. Tune in Tue, Aug. 16 at 7pm on the WSIU stations: WSIU 8.1, WUSI 16.1, WSEC 14.1, WQEC 27.1 and WMEC 22.2 or access the WSIU local broadcast livestream online at pbs.org or via the PBS Video app. Watch with WSIU Passport.
About the Show
As a teen in the 60s, Anka became Las Vegas’ youngest headliner and found acceptance and support with the Rat Pack. He honed his work ethic following Sinatra’s perfectionism and commitment to rehearsal. After years of friendship, Sinatra tasked Anka with writing a song for Sinatra’s final album before he retired, which led Anka to pen “My Way.” When Anka played the song for Sinatra for the first time, Sinatra decided to record it. Two months later, he called Anka out of the blue and played the recording of the song over the phone.
Songs featured in PAUL ANKA: HIS HITS AND A TRIBUTE TO FRANK SINATRA include “For Once In My Life,” “You Are My Destiny,” “Strangers in the Night,” “I’ve Got You Under My Skin,” “Put Your Head On My Shoulder,” “New York, New York,” “Puppy Love,” “My Way,” “That’s Life” and more. The concert was recorded in the beautiful Reynolds Hall, part of the state-of-the-art entertainment complex at the Smith Center in Las Vegas.
PBS special programming invites viewers to experience the worlds of science, history, nature and public affairs; hear diverse viewpoints; and take front-row seats to world-class drama and performances. Viewer contributions are an important source of funding, making PBS programs possible. PBS and public television stations offer all Americans from every walk of life the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television and online content.
PAUL ANKA: HIS HITS AND A TRIBUTE TO FRANK SINATRA is produced by Paul Anka Productions. Executive Producers are Tim Swift, Paul Anka and Myron Martin. Directed by Steve Nation and produced by Josh Swift and Joe Campbell.
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