NEW YORK, N.Y. (February 4, 2018) – Primary Wave Music Publishing announced today they have entered into a multi-million-dollar, long-term strategic partnership with the legendary singer and songwriter, Paul Anka. Anka, whose songs have been recorded by Frank Sinatra, Michael Jackson, Buddy Holly, Elvis, and Tom Jones, among other icons of music, will have access to Primary Wave’s marketing team, branding team, publicity department, and publishing infrastructure which includes licensing and synch opportunities. Primary Wave will work with the celebrated “My Way” composer to market his name and likeness and manage all daily digital marketing activities. In addition to building awareness for Anka’s music, Primary Wave will be responsible for tour marketing, e-commerce, and other direct to fan initiatives.
Lastly, Primary Wave Music Publishing has entered into an administration agreement with the Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee who has been on the Billboard charts for an unprecedented seven consecutive decades, that includes a number of his greatest hits including “Put Your Head On My Shoulder,” “Diana,” “Lonely Boy,” “You Are My Destiny,” Academy Award-nominated theme for “The Longest Day,” “The Tonight Show Theme” for Johnny Carson (the longest running theme in television history), and “Puppy Love,” to name a few.
“I am very excited to be entering into this partnership at a very important chapter of my life and career with a group of people who have my utmost respect and admiration because of what and who they are as a company, under the helm of Larry Mestel,” says Anka. He goes on, “I have gotten to know Larry enough to know that my lifetime’s work and efforts are secure and will flourish in his hands. I look forward to this being a very warm and rewarding experience for all in this business that is ever changing, but will be everlasting. There will always be music; it always has been and always will be about the music. As I enter my 62nd year in the business, I humbly look forward to whatever is left of this God-given gift with Primary Wave.”
“Paul Anka is an American icon and has penned some of the greatest songs in American culture,” says Lawrence Mestel, CEO & Founder of Primary Wave Music Publishing. He goes on, “He transcends time and has the most engaging, youthful spirit. It’s an honor to have Paul in the Primary Wave family.”
Born in Ottawa, Canada in 1941, Paul Anka didn’t waste much time getting his life in music started. Besides singing in the choir at church and studying piano, Anka also honed his writing skills with journalism courses, even working at the Ottawa Citizen as a cub reporter briefly. By 13, his full focus was on singing and songwriting. He formed the Bobbysoxers and performed at every amateur night he could get to. A trip to New York (that he won in a Campbell’s soup contest!) in his early teens is what helped him realize he was destined to be a singer and composer. While visiting family in LA during summer vacation in 1954, he hitch-hiked to Modern Records in Culver City and brought a song he had written for a book report called “Blau-Wile-Deveest Fontaine”. A year later in 1955, Anka found himself in New York where he met Don Costa, A&R for ABC-Paramount Records and released “Diana,” his first number one hit which also made him a star. Paul went on to write songs for many legendary artists including Buddy Holly, Connie Francis, Frank Sinatra, Tom Jones, and more. His hits include “My Way,” “Put Your Head On My Shoulder,” “(You’re) Having My Baby,” “Hold Me ‘Til The Morning Comes,” and Michael Jackson’s #1 smash hits “This Is It”and “Love Never Felt So Good”. In 2005, Anka reinvented himself to rave critical acclaim with his worldwide chart-topping album, Rock Swings. Anka most recently contributed to the Drake record, “Don’t Matter To Me” featured on his 2018 album Scorpion. He has sold millions of records in five different languages – Spanish, French, Italian, German, and English. He continues to tour worldwide to sold-out audiences in every major country across the globe.
Paul Anka is a recipient of the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame’s Johnny Mercer Award, the prestigious French award Chevalier de Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, he has been appointed to the Order of Canada, and he was given the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Canadian Music Industry Hall of Fame in 2018.