Images may be subject to copyright
On this day, 20 December 1957, American singer Paul Anka played Cardiff’s Gaumont Theatre.
Also part of the package were Bob Cort Skiffle, Billie Anthony, The Gitsom Sisters, John Barry Seven and Dickie Dawson.
Billie Anthony, Paul Anka, Bob Cort and John Barry
Anka's latest single I Love You Baby was at number 3 and his number 1 hit Diana was still in the charts at 15.
Born Ottawa, Canada in 1941, he wrote the English lyrics for My Way which was recorded by Frank Sinatra in 1968.
Paul Anka recorded his first single, "I Confess", when he was 14. In 1956, with $100 given to him by his uncle, he went to New York City where he auditioned for Don Costa at ABC Records, singing what was widely believed to be a lovestruck verse he had written to a former babysitter.
In an interview with NPR's Terry Gross in 2005, he stated that it was to a girl at his church whom he hardly knew. The song "Diana" brought Anka stardom as it went to No. 1 on the music charts.
"Diana" is one of the best selling singles ever by a Canadian recording artist.
He toured Britain, then Australia with Buddy Holly. Anka also wrote "It Doesn't Matter Anymore" – a song written for Holly, which Holly recorded just before he died in 1959. Anka stated shortly afterward:
"It Doesn't Matter Anymore" has a tragic irony about it now, but at least it will help look after Buddy Holly's family. I'm giving my composer's royalty to his widow – it's the least I can do."
