Pat Boone

Once upon a time there was a young boy who grew up in Nashville, Tennesee as the oldest of four kids, raised with love and guidance under the watchful eye of Dad, Archie (a building contractor) and mother, Margaret (a registered nurse). This young boy spent many wistful hours in the mid-south hills milking the family cow "Rosemary" and dreaming of a career as a singer and entertainer.

While envisioning ways that he could share his love of performing and love for life with those who would listen, this impassioned young boy thought perhaps he would become a teacher, and through those efforts, minister faith and spread the message of God's love to all those he encountered along his journey. Little could he imagine the paths he would follow and the ways in which these early dreams would materialize, to go well beyond his wildest aspirations!

This young dreamer would eventually grow to be honoured and respected as one of the few true entertainment Legends and honoured humanitarians of this century. Beginning with his first appearance on the "Ted Mack Amateur Hour", and continuing through his many award winning albums, hit movies, chart topping bestsellers, world-wide tours, diverse business involvements and wide-reachign charitable efforts, he touched and deeply inspired the lives of millions of people - worldwide! To this day, he continues - spreading his message of music, love of family, compassion, understanding, hope and love and faith. This young man was, and is… Pat Boone.

Some Facts About Pat Boone

• Lettered in HS basketball, tennis and baseball (captain of the team).
• Repeated terms as class president, culminating in student body president for his senior year.
• Upon graduating high school, and while barely a sophomore in college, Pat married his sweetheart of three years, and moved to Denton, Texas to attend North Texas State. (They have 4 daughters: Cherry, Lindy, Debby, and Laury and 15 grandchildren.)
• Graduated magna cum laude from Columbia University at the age of 23 (1958) Appearing in the first of several covers of TV Guide (in his cap and gown!)
• Prior to graduating college: he had already signed a multimillion dollar recording contract, multiple TV and movie contracts, had appeared for a year and a half on the Arthur Godfrey Show as a regular, was awarded his own ABC prime time weekly musical variety show, and had an unbroken string of hit records on Dot, as well as several successful movies.
• Upon moving to California he continue in his own TV series on ABC, followed by various TV specials on the other networks.

At The Box Office

• Pat had along string of successful movies including "State Fair", "Journey To The Center Of The Earth", "April Love", "The Cross And The Switchblade", "The Greatest Story Ever Told", and many more. At one time was a top-10 box office draw!

As an Author

• Pat's first book, - Twixt Twelve and Twenty - became the number one nonfiction best seller for two years! The best selling book went into every high school and church library in the nation, and has since been translated into many languages.
• Pat arranged for the proceeds from this bestseller to fund the establishment of a Christian college in Villanova, Pennsylvania on Philadelphia's "Main Line"! (The main building was subsequently named "Boone Hall", in honour of Pat and Shirley Boone)
• Pat continued writing books, with phenomenal success. After several follow-ups to Twixt Twelve and Twenty, he wrote A New Song (1970), an account of his and his family's spiritual journeys and discoveries. This book went on to sell over a million hard cover copies, with millions more in paperback, and has been translated into over seventeen languages.
• With over fifteen books spanning his career to date, Pat Boone has proven himself to be one of the most inspiring and successful authors of our era

Television

• Pat initiated and starred in several series for NBC, Filmways and CBN. More high budget specials, including several holiday family specials, for ABC TV, co-produced with Jerry Weintraub.
• He guest starred in other TV shows, both dramatic and comedic, with Sammy Davis, Bob Hope, Danny Kay, Red Skelton, Rod Serling, Andy Williams, Glen Campbell, and Flip Wilson, to name just a few.

Radio and Recording

• Pat set numerous records in his Pop recording career, records which still list him as the #10 top recording artist of all time.
• Pat started his own gospel label, Lamb & Lion Records, which not only garnered Grammy nominations and awards, but launched successful careers for other gospel artists.
• Having already recorded the first million selling gospel album "Hymns We Love" when he was at Dot Records, Pat added to his resume "Producer", for many other albums of Christian music, traditional, fold, contemporary, and narrative
• For almost 10 years, he has hosted a gospel music TV program on TBN (the world's 2nd largest network), entitled "Gospel America."
• After twenty-plus years, he continues to host a syndicated one-hour gospel music radio show each week while also hosting 2 hours a week on "The Music of Your Life" (180+ stations nationally).

Christian Ministry

• Pat and Shirley recorded a special collection entitled "God's Promises" - right out of the Bible itself - and Pat went further, reading on audio cassette the Whole Simple English New Testament. (Pat learned New Testament Greek in college, and could literally read the New Testament in the koine (street) Greek in which the New Testament was written!)

Athletics, sports

• Pat helped found the American Basketball Association, owned the Oakland Oaks basketball team, which with Rick Barry and other great players won the first professional basketball championship on the West Coast, before the Lakers won in the NBA!
• Hosting more tournaments (at least 4 a year) than any other entertainer/ golfer ever, Pat has also regularly hosted and played in celebrity tennis tournaments, and won numerous sporting awards.
• He still plays half court basketball and is working toward his 10 handicap in golf (at Bel Air Country Club). He lifts weights regularly, rides his bicycle, plays tennis and raquetball and once in a while repairs to their vacation home on the big island of Hawaii.

Charitable and educational involvement

• Pat has served as chairman of the Advisory Board at Pepperdine University (the longest serving member on that august board.)
• He served briefly on the Board of Regents at ORU in Tulsa and has been the commencement speaker for a number of universities throughout the country, receiving an honorary doctorate from another.
• Pat served as National Spokesman for the March of Dimes, National Association of the Blind and other worthy charities; that all came into sharp focus when he was asked to be the entertainment chariman and host of the National Easter Seal telethon. Pat served in this capacity for 18 years - raising over 600 million dollars to help handicapped and disabled kids and adults.
• Pat, his wife and son-in-law Dan O'Neill, initiated a grassroots volunteer organization, originally called "Save The Refugee", in response to the Cambodian refugee crisis, which was reported frequently on network news in the mid 70's. Eventually, "Save The Refugees" metamorphosed into "Mercy Corps", one of the world's most respected humanitarian relief organizations, currently operating in over 22 countries and responsible for delivering over 550 million dollars in food and services to date.
• With Doug Wead, advisor to several presidents, Pat helped start the annual Washington Charity Dinner, a major political/social/humanitarian event on the Washington, D.C. calendar. This major event has resulted in millions of dollars in humanitarian aid donations.
• Yearly, for over 20 years, Pat has hosted the golf tournaments benefitting Koinonia Foster Parents prorgram Sacramento, Bethel School and Orphanage in Chattanooga, as well as other worthy charities including Easter Seal tournaments in various parts of the country, including Baltimore, Phoenix and Seattle.

Business

• With partners, he initiated Golden Orange Broadcasting twenty five years ago, and is the principle owner of KDOC TV, the only commercial television station in Orange County, serving over 2 million people exclusively, and now positioned on Mt. Wilson, along with the network affiliates.
• Pat has started 2 record companies. Currently, he's building his own Gold Label Records and www. Patsgold.com website to afford other top singers the chance to continue providing their very special brands of music to the fans that are hungry for it. Pat says, "it's a senior tour for singers!" The Gold Label has produced/released 26 albums in the first 2 years, featuring music by legends Jack Jones, Glen Campbell, Patti Page, Roger Williams and others.
• Pat helped start and build an alternative power company (Planet Electric), now partnering with Lee Iacocca.
• A round/partner of Cinema Presents/Movie Music, a company that is pioneering LIVE in-theatre entertainment, educational and corporate events as well as placing vending machines in Cineplex lobbies to sell soundtrack CDs
• Pat is helping to build a worldwide internet "phone directory" (www.usblooddonors.org), listing all the email addresses with other important data like blood types, in an effort to solve the recurring blood shortages across the country.
• Pat has also written and co-produced a CD and video tribute to his admired friend and spiritual leader Billy Graham in celebration of his years of service to the world entitled "Thank You Billy Graham."
• A supporter of Israel all of his life, Pat has hosted thousands of tours of the Holy Land, written the lyrics to "Exodus", been appointed Christian ambassador of Tourism by the Israeli government - and received the Israel Cultural Award, the most prestigious award given to a non-jew.

Family

• Pat and Shirley recently celebrated their 48th wedding anniversary, and continue to be blessed daily with the love and support of thei growing families of their 4 daughters and 15 grandkids. He has been an elder at Church On The Way in Van Nuys, California, for 30 plus years.

Inquire about Pat Boone at our Contact Us page.

Ain't That a Shame
MP3
April Love
MP3
Love Letters in the Sand
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