Pat Boone


Singer
Pat Boone

About

Also Known As
Charles Eugene Boone
Birth Place
Jacksonville, Florida, USA
Born
June 01, 1934

Biography

Pat Boone was one of the most successful pop music performers of the 20th century, with over 30 Top 40 hits to his name, as well as an actor, television host, philanthropist and businessman. The key to Boone's appeal in the 1950s and early 1960s was his ability to translate R&B and rock songs by black artists into smooth, palatable pop for white audiences, including gently boppy takes on...

Family & Companions

Shirley Boone
Wife
Daughter of country star Red Foley; married in 1953.

Bibliography

"Pray to Win: God Wants You to Succeed"
Pat Boone (1980)
"Together: 25 Years With the Boone Family"
Pat Boone (1979)
"Pat Boone Devotional Book"
Pat Boone (1977)
"The Honeymoon Is Over"
Pat Boone (1977)

Notes

He is descended from pioneer Daniel Boone.

Pat Boone is a regent of Oral Roberts University.

Biography

Pat Boone was one of the most successful pop music performers of the 20th century, with over 30 Top 40 hits to his name, as well as an actor, television host, philanthropist and businessman. The key to Boone's appeal in the 1950s and early 1960s was his ability to translate R&B and rock songs by black artists into smooth, palatable pop for white audiences, including gently boppy takes on "Tutti Fruitti," "I Almost Lost My Mind" and "Long Tall Sally." Boone's time in the pop spotlight faded with the arrival of The Beatles, but he remained a fixture of Christian music and secular television for the next four decades. No matter what one thought of Boone, his music or his image, the sheer scope of his work as a singer and entertainer was impossible to deny.

Born Charles Eugene Boone in Jacksonville, FL on June 1, 1934, Pat Boone was the oldest of four children by parents Archie Boone, a contractor, and his wife Margaret, who was a registered nurse. Boone was raised primarily in Nashville, TN, where he moved with his family when he was two years old. After graduating from David Lipscomb High School in 1952, he married Shirley Foley, daughter of famed country star Red Foley, and attended David Lipscomb University before transferring to the University of North Texas and later Columbia University, from which he graduated magna cum laude in 1958. Though he was a devout Christian, he as also an avowed admirer of such crooners as Bing Crosby and Perry Como. However, he never considered pursuing music for a career; instead focusing on teaching high school. But after winning a talent contest while at North Texas, he began a long stint on such popular TV and radio talent programs as "The Ted Mack Amateur Hour" (DuMont/ABC/NBC/CBS, 1948-1954) and "The Arthur Godfrey Show" (CBS, 1949-1959).

Signed to a contract with the micro label Republic Records, he began his singing career in 1954 with the intent of following in the footsteps of Como. However, he was convinced by Randy Wood, owner of Dot Records, to record covers of songs by popular black artists, who at the time, could not get their material played on mainstream, white-owned radio stations. In 1955, Boone recorded a fairly sedate if poppy take on Fats Domino's "Ain't That a Shame." The record shot to the top spot on the U.S. charts and established Boone - always impeccably dressed in tasteful clothes and a pair of spotless white bucks - as a worry-free artist for both teens and parents to enjoy. Over the next half-decade, Boone would record a handful of other R&B and rock hits including Little Richard's "Tutti Fruitti" and "Long Tall Sally," The Orioles' "It's Too Soon To Know," and Ivory Joe Hunter's venerable "I Almost Lost My Mind," which became his second of many No. 1 hits. Though purists gritted their teeth over his sanitized versions, their popularity was a considerable benefit to the original artists. A famous story about Fats Domino recounted him flashing a massive ring to a concert audience and stating that the royalties from Boone's cover had bought him the bauble, while Hunter enjoyed a career revival thanks to Boone. The covers also did much to legitimize rock and roll as a viable music genre during a period when it was considered an almost criminal action to play or listen to it.

In addition to his rock material, Boone also recorded dozens of ballads, romantic numbers and pop tracks, including "Love Letters in the Sand" and "April Love." By the early 1960s, he had 38 Top 40 hits, and was the second most popular artist of the 1950s, with only Elvis Presley ahead of him in terms of sales and fandom. It was only natural that he would segue into a career in front of the camera, which he began in 1957 as the host of "The Pat Boone-Chevy Showroom" (ABC, 1957-1960), a good-natured variety show that began his long association with General Motors and its Chevrolet line. At the time, he was only 23 - and still a student at Columbia - which made him the youngest person to ever host a weekly primetime variety series until Donny and Marie Osmond broke his record in 1976. The series remained at the top of the Nielsen charts throughout its network tenure before the Boone family moved to Los Angeles, bringing the show to an end.

That same year, he made his acting debut in "Bernadine" (1957), a harmless romantic comedy-musical that also featured Boone's rendition of the title song. He would go on to play upstanding young men with the purest of intentions in several major films, including "April Love" (1957) and "State Fair" (1962), and held his own opposite James Mason in the science fiction epic, "Journey to the Center of the Earth" (1959). However, Hollywood and Boone were never a perfect match; Boone refused to participate in romantic scenes, as he felt it would compromise his beliefs about marriage. That stance, when combined with his wholesome offscreen image, made it difficult for him to find substantive parts, despite his campaigns for serious roles like the lead in "The Sand Pebbles" (1962). Only a turn as a cold-hearted father who consigns his son to a draconian military academy on an episode of "Night Gallery" (NBC, 1970-72) broke his typecasting. He ended his film-acting career with a cameo as the angel at the cave where Christ was interred in "The Greatest Story Ever Told" (1967) and as pastor David Wilkerson, who helped reform wayward youth, in the film version of "The Cross and the Switchblade" (1970).

Despite the stalemate in Hollywood, Boone remained an exceptionally popular recording artist and guest star on television series and talk shows. He enjoyed countless Top 40 and 50 hits through 1962, including a massive No. 1 with 1961's "Moody River," and penned the lyrics to "The Exodus Song," Ernest Gold's emotional theme to the 1960 film "Exodus." Boone also found success as a writer, penning numerous self-help books for his young fans, including Twixt Twelve and Twenty (1958), which provided answers for teenage dilemmas. His pop music career eventually became one of the many casualties of the British Invasion, so he moved successfully into gospel and country songs, while diversifying in a number of directions, including head of the Christian label Lamb and Lion Records, and spokesman for a wide variety of charities, including the March of Dimes and the Easter Seal telethon. Boone was also the majority owner of the Oakland Oaks, an American Basketball Association team that won the 1969 ABA championship. An ardent supporter of Republican causes, Boone most notably supported Ronald Reagan's campaign for governor of California in 1966 and 1970.

In the 1970s, Boone toured with his daughters Cheryl Lynn, Linda Lee, Laura Gene and Deborah Ann - the latter of whom later scored a substantial No. 1 pop hit with 1977's "You Light Up My Life" before segueing into country and gospel. Her father continued to record throughout the decade and into the 1980s, while adding television station owner and syndicated radio show host to his ever-expanding résumé. Eventually, he moved away from the music business altogether to concentrate on his business and charitable opportunities. In 1997, Boone displayed a quirky sense of humor by releasing "No More Mr. Nice Guy," a collection of hard rock and heavy metal tunes done in what could best be described as "Pat Boone style" - ear friendly big band orchestrations. Boone appeared on the American Music Awards that year bedecked in leather, which earned him a dismissal from the Trinity Broadcasting Network's "Gospel America" program. However, the network quickly pulled an about face and brought back Boone after his bemused on-air explanation. Boone's swing take on Ozzy Osbourne's "Crazy Train" was later featured on the soundtrack for "The Osbournes" (MTV, 2002-05). In real life, Boone and Osbourne were amiable Beverly Hills neighbors.

The 21st century found Boone reaping the rewards of his long and prolific career, while drawing attention for his conservative viewpoint on world politics. He was made a member of the Gospel Hall of Fame in 2003, with the Christian Music Hall of Fame and Hit Parade Hall of Fame following suite in 2007, and launched his own record company, Gold Label Records, which focused on older, established artists like Jack Jones, Patti Page and Roger Williams. Meanwhile, Boone became a frequent columnist for the conservative WorldNetDaily.com, where he condemned critics of President George W. Bush, dismissed the theory of evolution, defended Mel Gibson after his anti-Semitic rant, and compared liberals and gay rights supporters to diseased cells and terrorists, among other colorful turns of phrase. In 2010, he launched the Pat Boone Family Theater in Myrtle Beach, SC, where he performed on occasion.

Filmography

 

Cast (Feature Film)

God's Not Dead 2 (2016)
Fuck (2005)
Himself
The Eyes of Tammy Faye (2000)
Himself--Christian Entertainer
Roger & Me (1989)
Self
Roger & Me (1989)
Himself
The Cross and the Switchblade (1970)
David Wilkerson
The Perils of Pauline (1967)
George
The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965)
Young man at the tomb
Goodbye Charlie (1964)
Bruce Minton
The Horror of It All (1964)
Jack Robinson
Never Put It in Writing (1964)
Stephen Cole
The Yellow Canary (1963)
Andy Paxton
The Main Attraction (1963)
Eddie
State Fair (1962)
Wayne Frake
All Hands on Deck (1961)
Lieut. Victor Donald
Journey to the Center of the Earth (1959)
Alec McEwen
Mardi Gras (1958)
Paul Newell
Bernardine (1957)
Arthur "Beau" Beaumont
April Love (1957)
Nick Conover
The Big Show (1957)

Music (Feature Film)

Game Night (2018)
Song
The Shape of Water (2017)
Song Performer
The Box (2009)
Song Performer
Mal (1999)
Song Performer ("Love Letters In The Sand")
The Mighty (1998)
Song Performer
Pleasantville (1998)
Song Performer
Clay Pigeons (1998)
Song Performer
The Last Boy Scout (1991)
Song Performer
Rude Awakening (1989)
Song Performer
Roger & Me (1989)
Song Performer
After Hours (1985)
Song
Sapiches (1982)
Song Performer ("Speedy Gonzales")
The Magic Of Lassie (1978)
Song Performer ("A Rose Is Not A Rose")
Matilda (1978)
Song Performer
Full Circle (1977)
Song Performer ("Speedy Gonzales")
Seven Alone (1974)
Song Performer ("Only A Dream Away")
The Horror of It All (1964)
Composer
Never Put It in Writing (1964)
Composer
The Main Attraction (1963)
Composer

Misc. Crew (Feature Film)

Fuck (2005)
Other

Cast (Special)

The 9th Annual Movieguide Awards (2001)
Presenter
The Joke's on Thee (2001)
Little Richard: The E! True Hollywood Story (2000)
Interviewee
Ann-Margret: Sugar and Spice (1998)
67th Annual Hollywood Christmas Parade (1998)
Long Shots: The Life and Times of the American Basketball Association (1997)
Interviewee
Alice Faye: The Star Next Door (1996)
The 1993 Crosby Clambake (1993)
The 1992 Crosby Clambake (1992)
Hats Off to Minnie Pearl: America Honors Minnie Pearl (1992)
American Bandstand 40th Anniversary Special (1992)
The 1991 Crosby Clambake (1991)
Easter Seals Telethon (1991)
Christmas in Washington 1985 (1985)
A California Christmas (1985)
Host
Star Search (1983)
Christmas Legend of Nashville (1982)
The Anita Bryant Spectacular (1980)
The Pat Boone and Family Christmas Special (1979)
Host
George Burns' 100th Birthday Party (1979)
The Pat Boone and Family Easter Special (1979)
Host
Pat Boone and Family (1978)
Host
Perry Como's Springtime Special (1975)
One More Time (1974)

Producer (Special)

A California Christmas (1985)
Executive Producer

Music (Special)

Hats Off to Minnie Pearl: America Honors Minnie Pearl (1992)
Song Performer
Christmas in Washington 1985 (1985)
Music

Life Events

1947

Sang for first time on radio

1953

Won "Ted Mack's Amateur Hour"

1955

Appeared regularly on "Arthur Godfrey and His Friends"

1957

Signed motion picture contract with Fox; made screen debut in "Bernadine"

1959

Co-starred in "Journey to the Center of the Earth" in non-singing role

1969

Made TV-movie debut, "The Pigeon" (ABC)

1988

Co-hosted series "Wish You Were Here" on The Nashville Network

1996

Released album of heavy metal music, "No More Mr. Nice Guy"

Family

Mary Pritchard Boone
Mother
Died on March 20, 2000 at age 90.
Cheryl Lynn Boone
Daughter
Linda Lee Boone
Daughter
Deborah Boone
Daughter
Singer. Famous for "You Light Up My Life"; married to Miguel Ferrer.
Laura Gene Boone
Daughter

Companions

Shirley Boone
Wife
Daughter of country star Red Foley; married in 1953.

Bibliography

"Pray to Win: God Wants You to Succeed"
Pat Boone (1980)
"Together: 25 Years With the Boone Family"
Pat Boone (1979)
"Pat Boone Devotional Book"
Pat Boone (1977)
"The Honeymoon Is Over"
Pat Boone (1977)
"A Miracle Away Keeps the Devil Away"
Pat Boone (1976)
"My Faith"
Pat Boone (1976)
"Joy"
Pat Boone (1973)
"A New Song"
Pat Boone (1971)
"Care and Feeding of Parents"
Pat Boone (1967)
"Between You, Me, and the Gatepost"
Pat Boone (1960)
"The Real Christmas"
Pat Boone (1960)
"Twixt Twelve and Twenty"
Pat Boone (1958)

Notes

He is descended from pioneer Daniel Boone.

Pat Boone is a regent of Oral Roberts University.

Lore has it that Pat Boone only wore white bucks on TV because they were the only good pair of shoes he had at the time. They became his trademark.

Pat Boone and his wife Shirley prayed at the bedside of Rock Hudson while Hudson was dying of AIDS. Shirley told reporters she'd spoken in tongues to Hudson. Boone also was involved with Bob Dylan's short-lived conversion to Christianity.

Boone is one of the major shareholders of KDOC Channel 56, an independent TV station in Orange County, California

Boone shocked people by appearing on the 1997 American Music Awards decked out in blakc leather with fake tatooes.

"I wanted to do a big-band album of great metal songs, doing them for people who will never be into metal. . . . If you do them in a new way, then they can have a another life." --Boone explaining why he recorded his heavy metal album, quoted in The New York Times, May 4, 1997.

"In the past, I criticized a lot of these people out of my ignorance. But I've found there's something really nice, even admirable, about Alice Cooper, Ozzy [Osbourne], Rolling Stones, Metallica, Madonna, Cher. I thought they were bad influences on young people, not using their positions responsibly. Now I'm being lumped in with them. Religious people are saying, 'You're a leper; get out of here.'" --Boone quoted in New York, March 17, 1997.