Don’t Forget About Paul Anka

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More About

• Paul Anka
• Michael Jackson
• Van Halen
• R.E.M.

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In spring 2008, Paul Anka, the legendary crooner/writer of standards like “My Way” and “She’s a Lady,” grabbed our attention. It turned out that “This Is It,” the song featured during the end credits of the Michael Jackson movie of the same name, was cowritten by Anka, but he never got any credit for it. Whoops. (He recorded that song in the ’80s as “I Never Heard,” but it never got released.) Before that, the last time we had heard of Anka was in 2005, when he released Rock Swings, a CD that featured big-band arrangements to pop songs like Van Halen’s “Jump,” Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” and R.E.M.’s “Everybody Hurts.” The disc did well among his fans, and he often sings those tunes during his live shows, which also include staples from his teen-idol era and favorites from his five-decade career. He performs at 8 p.m. at Hard Rock Live (5747 Seminole Way, Hollywood.) Tickets cost $55 to $95. Call 800-745-3000, or visit hardrocklivehollywoodfl.com.
Wed., Jan. 20, 8 p.m., 2010