Pat Boone facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Pat Boone
Boone in 2022
Background information
Birth name	Patrick Charles Eugene Boone
Born	(1934-06-01) June 1, 1934 (age 91) Jacksonville, Florida, U.S.
Origin	Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.
Genres	Pop country gospel vocal jazz
Occupation(s)	Singer, actor, composer
Years active	1953–present
Labels	Republic Dot London Stateside Tetragrammaton Melodyland (Motown) Lamb & Lion Records Hip-O MCA

Patrick Charles Eugene Boone (born June 1, 1934) is an American singer, actor, and author. He has sold nearly 50 million records and had 38 songs reach the Top 40 charts. He has also appeared in many movies.

In the 1950s, Pat Boone was almost as popular as Elvis Presley. Billboard magazine ranked him as one of the biggest music artists from 1955 to 1995. For 220 weeks in a row, Boone had at least one song on the Billboard charts.

During the 1960s, Boone was a very popular entertainer in the United States. He became a teen idol because he offered a different style from the rock and roll music of the time. He was a singer, writer, actor, and speaker. From 1957 to 1960, Boone had his own TV show called The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom. Famous stars like Nat King Cole and Johnny Mathis appeared on his show. His versions of rhythm and blues songs helped make rock and roll popular with more people. Elvis Presley even performed before Boone at a show in 1955, and they later became good friends.

As an author, Boone wrote a book called 'Twixt Twelve and Twenty in the 1950s, which became a bestseller. In the 1960s, he started focusing on gospel music. He was later added to the Gospel Music Hall of Fame. Today, he still performs, speaks, and shares his thoughts as a political commentator.

Early Life

Pat Boone was born on June 1, 1934, in Jacksonville, Florida. His parents were Margaret Virginia and Archie Altman Boone. When he was two years old, his family moved to Nashville, Tennessee. He finished high school in Nashville in 1952. His younger brother, Cecil, who was known as Nick Todd, was also a pop singer in the 1950s.

In an interview in 2007, Boone said he is a great-great-great-great-grandson of the famous American pioneer Daniel Boone.

Boone went to David Lipscomb College in Nashville. He later graduated with honors from Columbia University School of General Studies in 1958. Before that, he also attended the University of North Texas.

Music Career

Boone's handprints and shoe prints at Disney's Hollywood Studios

Boone started his music career performing in Centennial Park in Nashville. He began recording songs in 1953. By 1955, he was recording for Dot Records. His 1955 song "Ain't That a Shame", which was a cover of a song by Fats Domino, became a big hit.

Many of Boone's early hits were his versions of rhythm and blues (R&B) songs originally sung by Black artists. This helped these songs become popular with a wider audience. Some of these songs included "Tutti Frutti" and "Long Tall Sally" by Little Richard.

Boone in 1960

In 1956, Boone had a number-one hit with "I Almost Lost My Mind". A poll of high school students in 1957 showed that Boone was more popular than Elvis Presley among both boys and girls. In the late 1950s, he often appeared on the TV show Ozark Jubilee. He was known for his clean and wholesome image. This helped him get a long-term deal with General Motors. He sang in their commercials, saying, "See the USA in your Chevrolet!" General Motors also sponsored his TV show, The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom.

Boone also wrote the lyrics for the theme song of the movie Exodus, which he called "This Land Is Mine."

Pat Suzuki with Pat Boone on The Chevy Showroom Show in 1959.

As a Christian, Boone would not take on movie roles or songs if they went against his beliefs. For example, he turned down a film with Marilyn Monroe. In one of his first movies, April Love, the director wanted him to kiss his co-star Shirley Jones. Boone asked his wife for permission before filming the scene. He even had his own film company called Cooga Mooga Productions.

He was a regular on Arthur Godfrey and His Friends from 1955 to 1957. Later, he hosted The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom. In 1959, he even appeared in his own comic book series from DC Comics. In the early 1960s, he wrote self-help books for teenagers.

The "British Invasion" (when British bands like The Beatles became popular) changed Boone's career as a hitmaker. However, he kept recording music throughout the 1960s. In 1966, he performed at a music festival in Italy. During his trip, he visited the Ferrari car factory. He wanted to buy a sports car, but Enzo Ferrari suggested a different model that would have more room for Boone's four daughters.

In the 1970s, Boone started singing gospel and country songs. The Boone family also toured and made gospel albums together.

In 1973, he released a gospel album called S-A-V-E-D. Two songs on the album were written by his friend Johnny Cash, who said he was "deeply honored" that Boone would sing his songs.

In the early 1970s, Boone started his own record label, Lamb & Lion Records. His daughter, Debby Boone, was one of the main artists on the label.

Pat and Debby Boone singing to a fan in Washington, D.C., 1997

In 1978, Boone was part of a situation with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). He had appeared in a commercial for a skin product with his daughter Debby, saying it helped clear their skin. The FTC later found that the product didn't work as advertised. Boone agreed to stop appearing in the ads and to pay back some money if the company had to refund customers. He said he believed the product worked and was surprised to learn it hadn't been scientifically proven.

Today, Boone hosts a weekly radio show called the Pat Boone hour on SiriusXM.

Later Work

Pat Boone during a 2007 Memorial Day concert in Washington D.C

In 1994, Boone starred in a show called The Will Rogers Follies in Branson, Missouri. In 1997, he released an album called In a Metal Mood: No More Mr. Nice Guy. This album featured his versions of heavy metal songs. To promote the album, he appeared at the American Music Awards wearing black leather. This led to him being temporarily removed from Gospel America, a TV show on the Trinity Broadcasting Network. After explaining that his outfit was a "parody of himself," he was reinstated on the show.

In 2003, the Nashville Gospel Music Association honored his gospel music career by adding him to the Gospel Music Hall of Fame. In 2006, Boone released We Are Family: R&B Classics, which included his versions of 11 R&B hits.

In 2011, Boone became a spokesperson for a reverse mortgage company. He also worked as a spokesperson for a company that sells gold and silver coins.

In 2023, Boone sang a duet called "Teach Me Tonight" with Ann-Margret on her album Born to Be Wild. In 2024, at 90 years old, he released a new song called "Where Did America Go?".

In 2025, Boone set a record for the longest time between appearances on Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart. His song "One - Voices for Tanzania" appeared on the chart more than 63 years after his first song, "Moody River", appeared in 1961.

Personal Life

Shirley and Pat Boone with Debbie Reynolds and her husband Harry Karl, 1960

In 1953, Pat Boone married Shirley Lee Foley. She was the daughter of country music stars Red Foley and Judy Martin. The Boones had four daughters: Cheryl, Linda, Deborah, and Laura.

In the late 1950s, the Boone family lived in Teaneck, New Jersey. Shirley Boone was also a recording artist and TV personality. She started a Christian organization to help people who were hungry, which later became Mercy Corps. Shirley passed away in 2019 at their home in Beverly Hills.

Politics

Boone has been friends with many U.S. presidents, including Ronald Reagan and Jimmy Carter. He supported Barry Goldwater in the 1964 presidential election.

At a gathering in 1961, Boone spoke about his strong beliefs.

Boone at CPAC in February 2011

Boone is a strong supporter of Israel and has a close relationship with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. In 2007, he campaigned for a Republican candidate in Kentucky. In 2009, during Barack Obama's first term as president, Boone wrote an article comparing liberalism to "black filthy cells." In 2011, he received a lifetime achievement award at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC).

In 2016, Boone and others involved in the film God's Not Dead 2 wrote a letter to the Governor of California. They were against a bill that would prevent discrimination at California colleges. They worried it might affect religious schools' ability to hire Christian staff or require chapel attendance.

Basketball

Boone is a big basketball fan and used to own parts of two teams. He owned a team in the Hollywood Studio League called the Cooga Moogas. Famous people like Bill Cosby and Rafer Johnson played on this team.

When the American Basketball Association (ABA) started in 1967, Boone was the main owner of the Oakland team. The team was first called the Oakland Americans, but then became the Oakland Oaks. The Oaks won the 1969 ABA championship.

Even though they were successful, the team had money problems. Boone sold the team in 1969, and it became the Washington Caps.

Boone later played for the Virginia Creepers, a Senior Olympics team for players aged 80-84. He stopped playing in 2019 when he turned 85.

Helping Others

Pat and Shirley Boone were very active in charity work. In 1981, they helped start Mercy Corps, a global organization that helps people during crises and works on development in many countries. Shirley started an earlier project in 1979 to help refugees during the Cambodian crisis.

The Boones also helped create the Shirley and Pat Boone Life Center in Tanzania. This center provides clean water, medical care, and education to local communities. They also made a large donation to create the Shirley and Pat Boone Center for the Family at Pepperdine University. This center teaches students about building healthy relationships.

Music Style and Popularity

Boone has performed many types of music, including pop, country music, rock and roll, R&B, gospel, and soul.

Popularity

It is believed that Pat Boone has recorded over 2,600 songs during his career, making him one of the most active artists in music history. He had 38 songs reach the U.S. Top 40 charts, and six of them became number one hits. For a long time, he held the record for the most consecutive weeks (220 weeks) with at least one song in the Top 100 chart.

Number 1 Songs in the United States (Billboard Hot 100):

• "Ain't That a Shame" (1955)
• "I Almost Lost My Mind" (1956)
• "Don't Forbid Me" (1957)
• "Love Letters in the Sand" (1957)
• "April Love" (1957)
• "Moody River" (1961)

Number 1 Songs in the United Kingdom (UK Singles Chart):

• "I'll Be Home" (1956)

Religion

Boone grew up in the Churches of Christ. In the 1960s, his marriage almost ended due to some personal struggles. However, his wife Shirley became very focused on her religion and later influenced Pat and their daughters to do the same.

In 1964, Boone spoke at a "Project Prayer" event in Los Angeles. This event aimed to encourage support for mandatory school prayer after court decisions removed it from public schools. Boone said, "What the communists want is to subvert and undermine our young people... I believe in the power of aroused Americans, I believe in the wisdom of our Constitution.... the power of God."

In the early 1970s, the Boones hosted Bible studies for celebrities like Doris Day and Priscilla Presley. The Boones attended The Church on the Way in Van Nuys, California.

In 2016, Boone discussed a TV sketch that made fun of the film God's Not Dead 2, in which he had a role. Boone called the sketch "blasphemy" and said that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) should not allow such content on TV.

Film Career

Pat Boone in a scene from the movie Journey to the Center of the Earth, 1959

In 1956, Pat Boone was one of the biggest music stars in the U.S. Many movie studios wanted him to act in films. He chose to work with 20th Century Fox. His first movie, Bernardine, was a hit, earning $3.75 million in the U.S.

Even more popular was April Love (1957). Boone considers it one of his favorite movies. He said he wished he could have made 20 more like it because it was a musical with appealing characters, a good story, and a happy ending.

Mardi Gras (1958) was a musical comedy that was less popular. However, Journey to the Center of the Earth (1959), a science fiction adventure, was a huge success. Boone was not sure about doing this movie at first. He was convinced when he was offered the chance to sing several songs and get a share of the profits. He was glad he took the role.

He produced and starred in a documentary called Salute to the Teenagers (1960). He then took a break from movies to study acting. He returned with a military comedy, All Hands on Deck (1961), which was a small hit.

He was one of several stars in another remake, State Fair (1962), which did not do as well at the box office. As musicals became less popular in Hollywood, Boone took on a dramatic role in The Main Attraction (1962). This was his first movie outside of Fox. It was not a happy experience for Boone, as he disliked parts of the story and had disagreements with the producers.

Boone's next movie at Fox was a lower-budget film, The Horror of It All (1963), filmed in England. He also made a comedy in Ireland called Never Put It in Writing (1964). Boone's third film for Fox was a bigger production, Goodbye Charlie (1964), where he supported Debbie Reynolds and Tony Curtis. He was one of many famous names in The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965). Boone's last notable film was The Cross and the Switchblade (1970).

Discography

Studio Albums

Filmography

Box Office Success

Pat Boone was considered one of the top movie stars in the U.S. based on a poll of movie theater owners:

• 1957: 3rd most popular star
• 1958: 11th most popular
• 1959: 22nd most popular
• 1960: 22nd most popular

See also

In Spanish: Pat Boone para niños