’50s Singer & Actor Pat Boone Releases New Music, Plus: Fun Facts About the Iconic Star

At 90 years old, Pat Boone is celebrating 72 years as an entertainer in music, television and movies — with the release of a new song. He has sold 45 million records, recorded over 2,700 songs, achieved 38 Top 40 hits, received six Grammy nominations and appeared in 28 motion pictures — and that’s just a few of his accomplishments! Boone is still going strong with keeping active by releasing new music and continuing his charitable work in Tanzania.

Boone’s newest song, “ONE — Voices for Tanzania,” was just released. It’s a powerful collaboration Boone wrote and performed with Alabama, Deborah Allen, Billy Dean, Larry Gatlin, Vince Gill, Aaron Goodvin, Lee Greenwood, David B. Hooten, Jet Jurgensmeyer, MARK209, Wendy Moten, Pam Tillis and Due West. Boone and his late wife Shirley founded the Pat Boone Family Life Center in Loiborsoit, Tanzania, and partnered with God TV and WorldService International, a nonprofit organization committed to providing clean water, sanitation, education and economic opportunities in Africa. The Boone Foundation also funds deep-water wells and gardens to provide food for many villages. Proceeds from the song “ONE” will help continue the foundation’s initiatives to provide clean water for the people of Tanzania.

Here are a few things you might not know about Pat Boone.

Pat Boone is the great-great-great-grandson of American pioneer Daniel Boone, a fact Boone mentioned in a 2017 interview on The 700 Club.

Boone’s No. 1 song “I Almost Lost My Mind,” which became his top hit in 1956, was originally recorded by Nat King Cole. Boone was known for covering songs by Black artists and songwriters, including Little Richard, Fats Domino and Charlie Singleton. His crossover covers gave these artists a wider audience and contributed to their huge success.

Boone wrote the lyrics to the theme song for the 1960 film Exodus, which starred Paul Newman, Eva Marie Saint and John Derek. The song “This Land Is Mine,” composed by Ernest Gold, was released on Jan. 23, 1961, peaked on the Billboard charts at No. 64 and stayed on the charts for six weeks. Gold also won the Grammy and Oscar for his film soundtrack score.

Curt Gunther/TV Guide/courtesy Everett Collection

Pat Boone was the No. 2 hottest artist of the 1950s. Who was No. 1? His friend Elvis Presley, of course, followed by Perry Como (No. 3), Fats Domino (No. 4), and Nat King Cole (No. 5).

Boone is still releasing records today. His newest release, 2023’s Country Jubilee, celebrates his decades in show business and includes 25 tracks, featuring a new duet with Crystal Gayle of his song “You and I,” as well as a new song titled “Grits.”

Pat Boone has four daughters, 16 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. He was married to his sweetheart Shirley for 65 years until her passing in 2019. The family toured as the Pat Boone Family, singing together; later, his daughters became known as the Boone Girls and released singles. Debby Boone, of course, launched her own solo career with her 1977 debut album and mega-hit song “You Light Up My Life.” The song hit No. 1 for 10 weeks and earned her a Grammy for Best New Artist. It was also featured in the film You Light Up My Life.

Boone ventured into heavy metal in 1997 with the release of In a Metal Mood: No More Mr. Nice Guy, and even had the help of Ronnie James Dio singing backing vocals on “Holy Diver.” But his metal album wasn’t his only brush with the metal scene. He was neighbors with the Osbournes and was reportedly very good friends with the Prince of Darkness and his family.

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