Pat Boone, a renowned singer, bid farewell to the Coach House stage on Saturday, stating, “This is it.” His final performance took place in Southern California, not far from the area where he has resided for over 60 years.
Recently, Boone shared a conversation he had with his father, who used to say, “I mean, I won’t promise anything except I won’t promise anything.” Reflecting on this, Boone expressed that making a promise and not being able to keep it is as sure as one’s word.
After performing in Branson, Missouri, and Nashville, his birthplace, Boone mentioned that this could be his last concert on the West Coast, marking the end of his live performances in that region.
Many people inquire about the reason behind Boone’s decision to retire from performing. Boone added, “If it has to happen eventually, I prefer it to be on my terms. I don’t want it to be because I’m too old, suffered a stroke, or faced another illness. As long as I can stand and sing, I’d like to continue.”
Boone, who is currently 87 years old, has been contemplating endings for some time. His wife of 65 years, Shirley Boone, passed away a year ago at the age of 84.
Admitting that it has been an emotional journey, Boone shares, “It had a deeper emotional impact on me than I realized because I kept busy with tasks.”
Living in their shared Beverly Hills home for 60 years, Boone acknowledges that it is becoming increasingly lonely. However, he doesn’t mind as he feels Shirley’s presence in the house, which she painted and where their children were raised.
He mentions that he often feels her presence and sometimes sheds a tear when looking at the pictures throughout the house.
Boone believes that the stress of his loss contributed to his hair loss, which he hopes won’t be too noticeable during his performance at the Coach House. He plans to sing “When the Swallows Return to Capistrano,” one of his seldom-performed gold songs. He also intends to perform some of his early rock and roll recordings from 1955, as well as songs from movie soundtracks, including “April Love” and “Exodus,” which features his lyrics.
Considering adding one of his tracks from “Metal Mood,” such as his rendition of Deep Purple’s “Smoke On The Water,” Boone also plans to sing “Under God,” a song he wrote emphasizing the significance of those words in the Pledge of Allegiance. Additionally, he will perform at least one song he wrote for Shirley, titled “You and I.”
Boone recalls the inspiration for that song, which occurred after he and Shirley watched the film “The Notebook” together at their Hawaii home. They debated whether they would still be married in heaven, and Boone jokes, “I hope we’re going to be Pat and Shirley Boone in paradise, not just two amorphous angels who might brush wings once in a while and wonder if we knew each other in a previous life.”
Proud of his recording career legacy, Boone claims to have recorded more songs than any other musician in history, with approximately 2,300 songs. Although there are other contenders, it appears that he surpasses performers like Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby, whom Boone admires.
Boone’s chart debut occurred less than a year before Elvis Presley’s in the mid-1950s. He points out that over the next ten years, he charted 41 songs compared to Presley’s 40. He even managed to outsmart Elvis’s manager, Col. Tom Parker, to secure a deal for an album of Elvis tributes.
Referring to their friendship, Boone explains, “Elvis and I were friends, and I recorded an album called ‘Pat Boone Sings Guess Who?’ as a dedication to him.” However, when he informed Col. Tom Parker about the album, the manager replied, “Well, if you’re going to include his name in the title, you’ve got to pay a royalty for that.” As a result, the album was titled “Guess Who?”
The album cover features Boone playing the guitar in an Elvis-like pose while wearing a gold lamé outfit, with song names surrounding the image. The liner notes on the reverse mention “my friend Guess Who-sley.” Boone shares that Tom Parker had to acknowledge his cleverness, and Elvis loved it, presenting Boone with a gold-plated membership card to the Snowmen’s Club, a secret club for tricksters and con artists.
After his final concert in California, followed by performances in Branson and Nashville, Boone has plenty of work ahead. He engages in three sets of singles tennis every week with a “younger guy” who is just 82 years old. He is also working on a book titled “If: The Everlasting Choice We Must All Make,” aimed at helping individuals who are unfamiliar with the Bible or uncertain about their beliefs regarding the afterlife.
Boone concludes by stating that while he may stay in this world for a while, if someone were to inform him that he would pass away at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, he would joyfully exclaim, “Great! At 3:30, I’ll meet Shirley. And, of course, there is the Lord.”
