Paul Anka, 84, Still Doing It His Way as He Releases New Album and Eyes March Tour
Paul Anka released Inspirations of Life And Love in time for Valentine’s Day and says he has no plans to retire, as he prepares to ramp up the next leg of his A Man and His Music Tour in March 2026.
McCallum Theatre set a fall-tinged scene for a career that began as a child
A recent performance at the McCallum Theatre in Palm Desert, Calif., arrived with "a feeling of fall in the air, " and offered fans a chance to "fall back in time" with the singer who launched "Diana. " He told the crowd he has "been in show business since I was about 10 years old, " and the set reached back to the lyrics of "Diana": "I'm so young and you're so old... Oh, please stay by me, Diana. " At the show he joked, "We're here for a while, folks. If you need to take pills or go to the bathroom, just go whenever you want. " The performance underscored a career that began with the release of "Diana" on American Bandstand and The Ed Sullivan Show in 1957, when he was 16.
Paul Anka on record, touring and not retiring
At 84, the Canadian-born performer says he has no intention of stepping away from music. Speaking in February 2026, he told interviewers he does not want to retire: "Let's say I do 75 days a year. I got the rest of the year to do what the hell I want. I get to write. I got my things. This is so much fun. " He is set to tour in March 2026 and is "ramping up for the next leg" of his A Man and His Music Tour. He has recorded more than 130 albums and has remained on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart for seven straight decades.
The new album and a lifetime of writing for others
In time for Valentine’s Day, Paul Anka released Inspirations of Life And Love on the Green Hill Music/Sun Label Group. The collection is one of more than 130 albums he has recorded. Beyond his own recordings, he wrote songs for other artists: he wrote Buddy Holly's "It Doesn't Matter Anymore, " "She's a Lady" for Tom Jones, the theme for The Tonight Show, and "My Way" for Frank Sinatra. He also recalled recording a long-forgotten demo with Michael Jackson in the 1980s that surfaced after Jackson died in 2009; "They found these songs in a drawer, " he said, and "Love Never Felt So Good" became one of Jackson's last hits. In 2020 Doja Cat sampled his "Put Your Head On My Shoulder" in her song "Freak, " a use that sparked a TikTok trend.
A disciplined routine, multiple languages and careful licensing
He described a disciplined diet and routine that helps him still hit the notes, including a daily shot of olive oil with lemon. As a teen idol he shed baby fat with a trainer and weights, and he learned Japanese, French, Spanish, German and Italian to record songs in those languages and broaden his global popularity. On commercial use and licensing, he said "Times of Your Life" was the only commercial he ever did; he personally reviews and approves requests and works closely with Primary Wave, his partner, granting or denying permissions himself.
Advice from a seven-decade chart veteran
He framed longevity as a product of adaptation. Reflecting on his 2005 covers album Rock Swings, he recalled skeptics saying it would hurt his reputation and answered, "I've been swinging for 50 years. You want me to swing again?" He told younger artists he is "never impressed by how hot someone is now... tell me how long they've been around, " and urged them to "walk in the shadows and be careful who you have around you. Learn your business... be careful how you represent yourself; your reputation precedes you. "
He continues to value the energy of live shows: "The moment you're on there... To see the energy that comes back from all those people... every night is just better than the other. " Offstage, he said he goes home to "sit and watch my hockey game. I'll read. It's great. " During a December 2025 appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, he recalled Frank Sinatra's response to hearing "My Way"—"Kid, listen to this. "
Comments on coverage of his career are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive. A timeline note: coverage describing the McCallum Theatre night appeared on February 15, 2026, at 10: 07 a. m. EST.
Next on the calendar is the March 2026 leg of the A Man and His Music Tour, as Anka continues to promote Inspirations of Life And Love and to write and perform without plans to retire.
