My Way

A teen idol of the 1950s who virtually invented the idea of singer-songwriter-heartthrob that still fuels the industry today, Paul Anka's slew of hits - from "Diana" to "Put Your Head on my Shoulder" - earned him a place touring with the major stars of his era, including Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Buddy Holly. He wrote Holly's last hit, and just missed being a passenger on Holly's fatal plane flight. Anka also stepped in front of the camera for the teen beach-party movie era, writing the music for the movies and romancing many of their starlets, including Annette Funicello. When the British invasion wiped out the style of music that had made him famous, Anka made sure his "wipeout" wasn't the end of his story. An astute businessman and image-builder who didn't let anyone else run his career, he toured the world until returning home for his "comeback", becoming a charter member of the Rat Pack, writing the theme music for The Tonight Show as well as his friend Frank Sinatra's anthem "My Way".