Episode 96

Fritz Coleman (00:05):

Welcome to Media Path. I'm Fritz Coleman

Louise Palanker (00:06):

And I am Louise Palanker.

Fritz Coleman (00:08):

Here on Media Path, we point you down the path toward interesting media choices. We cover everything, streaming and cable network, online books. And what we love more than anything is getting to talk to somebody who has had such a huge effect on the culture. And today we're gonna chat with a one and only Pat Boone, one of the biggest selling recording artists of the fifties and sixties. He's a composer and an actor and a writer, and a television personality and a motivational speaker. And Pat's, uh, standing behind our beautifully appointed green room and held Be with us in just a couple of seconds. But first Weezy, before I let you do your picks, I'm so excited when we get reviews, it should be a holiday. Yes. I'm gonna read these reviews very quickly. This is from Divine, but Humble. I

Louise Palanker (00:52):

Love not his real name. I love

Fritz Coleman (00:54):

It. I've been loving this podcast, having been late to discovered. Fritz and Louis are superb interviewers, knowledgeable and funny, and ask great questions. They choose fascinating guests and allow them the time and space to talk and explore their lives. Looking forward to more. Yay. Well, thank you so much. Thank you Divine person. Here's another one. This is a great podcast. The guests are so impressive. You not only are entertained, but you learned as well. Hearing the behind the scenes stories is something I really enjoy. You're gonna hear some today, and that sets Media Path apart from other podcasts I listen to. Definitely worth your time. And that's from pop, pop culture yearbook. Is that, is that true? Well, God bless all of you. We appreciate you being here. Thank you for your reviews. And you can review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever, and we'll we'll read you on the air and will shamelessly, uh, promote whatever it is you're doing.

Louise Palanker (01:44):

Well, Fritz, uh, Dina told us this week our producer Dina, that we were charting in in Austria and Israel.

Fritz Coleman (01:51):

That's unbelievable.

Louise Palanker (01:52):

So I'd like to give a shout out to those two countries in which several people live.

Fritz Coleman (01:56):

Yeah, yeah. They do. Austrian and Israel, right. Our two bucket list countries where I want to visit before I'm too old to get on a plane, Austria, because Vienna is the seat of the greatest symphonic music in the history of the world in Israel because it's the history of everything, including the three basic, uh, religions. And so I'm looking forward to that.

Louise Palanker (02:17):

I've been to both locales. We have a big map with where you can put pins in. I've got pins in both of those, uh, locations. And did you know, while we're speaking of Israel, that Mr. Pat Boone wrote the lyrics to Exodus?

Fritz Coleman (02:30):

Wow. Did

Louise Palanker (02:31):

Not God gave this land to me. He did. And he can tell us all about that. Oh,

Fritz Coleman (02:34):

I can't wait to, I just saw that on Turner Classic Movies again. So good recently. Yes. It's Go ahead. What, what, what's your selection this week?

Louise Palanker (02:40):

So this week, Fritz, you and I are both reviewing titles that feature the name Lincoln, while neither one has anything to do with Lincoln <laugh>. And so we could, if you're up to it, we could change the name of this show to the Lincoln Podcast. That sounds great. Any thoughts? Okay. So I read the Lincoln Highway by Amor Tolls, the author of a Gentleman in Moscow, which is another book that I really loved. So in 1954, rural Nebraska, 18 year old Emmett Watson is driven home by the Warden. After serving 15 months at a juvenile work farm for involuntary manslaughter with their parents both gone, Emmett's plans include picking up his eight year old brother Billy and traveling west in search for New Life. But hiding in the warden's trunk were two fellow inmates with alternative ideas, which push and pull Emmett and Billy further from their carefully laid itinerary and closer to a rollicking adventure and a better understanding of themselves and their world, bustling with charm, excitement, and remarkably intriguing characters. The Lincoln Highway inspires a deep look at the intersection of desire and integrity and the choices we make in those critical moments. It's a fantastic journey through the 1950s in America. And it comes to us from the man who wrote another favorite of mine. As I said, a gentleman in Moscow. I recommend both

Fritz Coleman (03:54):

Books. So it's not about Lincoln. No. And it is not about really the Lincoln Highway, cuz the Lincoln Highway literally was across the street from my house growing up in suburban

Louise Palanker (04:02):

Philadelphia. Yes. And Billy, the young boy in the book, he's driven a map of how they're gonna take the Lincoln Highway all the way to California and start their new lives. They never quite seem to make it all the way to the Lincoln Highway, but so it's more of like a, a proverb or a parable about their desire to get there. I

Fritz Coleman (04:17):

Love it. Well, last week I talked about Bosch Legacy, a series based on the novels of Michael Conley. This week I'm gonna do another series from Michael Conley's work called the Lincoln Lawyer. It's on Netflix. This is the story of an idealistic lawyer, Michael Haller, who runs his practice out of the back of a Lincoln Town car. He takes on big and small cases around Los Angeles. Lincoln Lawyer was a movie starring Matthew McConaughey a few years ago now in it McConaughey Oozes charm and style while doing the Lord's legal work. Think Batman with a law degree. This series is different. Mike Mickey Haller is played by Manuel Garcia Rofo. He's really known in Mexico. He's a Mexican actor who's done a few movies in TV shows. His most mo uh, his most notable appearance was in 2017, the remake of The Magnificent Seven, starring Denzel Washington in this series.

(05:08):

Mickey's Rougher, he's less confident. He's hit some emotional speed bumps in his life and is on his redemption tour. He kind of has that in common with Harry Bosch series is written by David Kelly. So, you know, there are great plots and fun forensics in the series. He's got two ex-wives, one who Adoringly still works in his office, and the other is a prosecutor who also still holds a torch for him that he occasionally works with on cases. So that's the only part of the show that's complete and utter fantasy. Fun watching though, like Bosch, there are all LA locations, so it's fun to pick them out. As Mickey looks out from the back of the Lincoln heading toward a clandestine meeting with a complicated client. It's 10 episodes, I think five or six have dropped, and it's on Netflix and I'm really enjoying it. I've

Louise Palanker (05:55):

Watched a few of those. And did you realize that the first, he has several ex-wives of the First ex-wife is played by Nev Campbell, who is Oh yeah. In Party of Five, which a lot of people enjoyed while they were

Fritz Coleman (06:04):

Crying and, and like nine scream movies, right?

Louise Palanker (06:06):

Yeah. No, she's real.

Fritz Coleman (06:07):

Yes. Yeah, it was a lot of scream. She looks fantastic

Louise Palanker (06:10):

Too. She's done a lot of screaming. She's beautiful. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. Yeah. Let's introduce Pat.

Fritz Coleman (06:13):

Boom. I'm gonna do it. It is such a pleasure to talk with Patty's recorded some of the biggest hits of the 1950s and sixties, 25 singles in the Top 20. Like ain't that a shame in 1955? I almost lost my mind. 1956 and maybe the song he's best known for, or when you hear the name Pat Boone, it's the Immediate Association You Make Love Letters in the Sand and April Love both. In 1957, he does a fantastic show on Sirius XM Radio fifties Gold, the Pat Boone Hour. I listen all the time because I am his target demographic. <laugh>. I'm in the September of my Baby Boomer existence and I love it. He picks some favorite songs many times, making a theme out of them. This week he did one on Female Hit Makers and on it he explained, and I'll get him to further extrapolate on that, that Kay Ballard has a muscular voice. Do you remember saying that? <laugh>?

Louise Palanker (07:04):

I think that's pretty

Fritz Coleman (07:05):

Accurate. The fun thing is that whoever he's talking about, he probably worked with them. I love the anecdotes you do on that show. Pat is just a lot of fun and I wish it were longer on, on the air. Nice to welcome you, sir.

Pat Boone (07:18):

Hey, good to see you Fritz. Thank you guys. Yeah, I'm glad to know you're listening to that show. You know, I, um, I've been so amazed, uh, in the mail I'm getting a lot of times are from businessmen 50 and over who, uh, make it a point to listen to it all the time. In fact, I went to a doctor at UCLA the other day. I had a, I got a, a little growth on the back of my head from too much sun. And it's gotta come off. In fact, he's, they've taken it off now. They think they gotta go back in again. But when he walked in with his mask on to introduce himself, he said, I want you to know I'm a fan of yours. And I listened to your fifties on five or fifties gold, I think we call it mm-hmm. <affirmative> every week. I love it. I mean, so the guy that's gonna be my surgeon, <laugh> is telling me this

Fritz Coleman (08:05):

Is, this is good. He has an inve, he has a vested interest in making you healthy again, <laugh>. Exactly. That's great. Well, I I just wanna say one thing, wheezy, because this is important for me to get this off my chest. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, the first television talk show I ever did as a comedian was Pat Boone Show taped at Knottsberry Farm. People in your audience would drift in and out between Rollercoaster rides, <laugh>, and your, your show was like part of the tour there. And it was my first like three or four minute performance and you made me so comfortable, and I'll never forget you for that. That was like, that was 40 years ago.

Pat Boone (08:40):

Yes, it was <laugh> 40 years ago. And I tell you, I've still, I was thinking of you this morning because no matter where I go for the last many, many years, I carry that toiletry kit that you gave everybody who played in your golf tournament,

Louise Palanker (08:57):

<laugh>.

Fritz Coleman (08:57):

Wow.

Pat Boone (08:58):

It's the one right size. It carries everything I need to take with me for, to try to look like myself, uh, on the road.

Louise Palanker (09:07):

<laugh>, you're doing a good job, sir.

Fritz Coleman (09:08):

You, you were the star power in our Salvation Army Golf Tournament at Lakeside Golf Club. And people love to play cuz you were part of it.

Pat Boone (09:15):

If you have any, uh, of those stuffed in your garage somewhere,

Fritz Coleman (09:19):

<laugh>, I'll see if I can find one for you.

Pat Boone (09:21):

I've worn this one out because it was just perfect. But I loved playing for you and with you and the, uh, salvation Army event because my wife's, uh, grandparents were Salvation Army officials. Oh, wow. Colonel, Colonel Overtake, that was her granddad who was still, uh, is still talked about with great respect amongst, uh, the upper echelon and the, uh, the older people, I guess I should say, really in the Salvation Army. So that's part of my own heritage by marriage. And I've been making out my state plans and Salvation Army is figuring prominently in my, uh, what I wanna leave behind. I wanna know whatever I leave behind is gonna be well invested in things that really matter. So Salvation Army is, it's wonder those,

Fritz Coleman (10:12):

I'm gonna bite my tongue and not tell them ahead of time. Cause I don't wanna get too excited <laugh>, but, but they will be appreciative. But you, you were the star power at that golf tournament. We always loved having you there and you were graceful with everybody and cordial, and it was a lot of fun.

Pat Boone (10:28):

<laugh> you can, by the way, you can go ahead and mention it because, uh, I've already been giving to them. In fact, the, at their big, uh, a getaway place north of LA mm-hmm. <affirmative>, um, they, where they bring people for the summertimes and, uh, there is a, a cross at the top of a, of a high hill and a path that leads up to it. And they've now called that the Pat Shirley Boone Faith Wall.

Louise Palanker (10:50):

Oh, nice. Oh my goodness.

Pat Boone (10:52):

Pat Salvation Army. And so of course, I, they're part of my past and certainly part of my ongoing future.

Louise Palanker (10:59):

Wow. That is just fantastic. Good for you. Uh, they do so much good work. Yeah. Now let's travel back in time, if you would, to, when you're a young man, beginning your career, because at your record label, they decided that what they were gonna do was they were gonna listen to some great music coming out of the rhythm and Blues stations Yeah. And give it to you and create a whole new sound that ultimately became rock and roll. So talk, talk to us about that, if you would.

Pat Boone (11:25):

That was all of course very unintentional. Uh, that music rhythm and blues was also called race music. It was all totally black. And they had their own radio stations. They had their own charts, uh, you know, to, you know, to measure what records were happening where radio stations and r and b my brother was a RV fan of in Nashville when we were growing up a year younger than me. But I was, I was tuned into Bing Crosby Sinatra, uh, victim on Eddie Fisher, if you remember. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, uh, three will remember Eddie Fisher. And, um, and so it was a big shock to me when I was off the record contract on Dot Records. And the first thing they wanted me to record was a song by the Charms on the du tone label. One Heart, not Enough Baby <laugh>. Two parts crazy. One Kiss will make a few. So nice two kiss to take you to Pet and Die. Two hearts, two kisses. Make one love. That was awesome.

Louise Palanker (12:30):

That's so good. We got a

Fritz Coleman (12:31):

Free performance out of this <laugh>. Fantastic.

Pat Boone (12:35):

And they, uh, that was a big hit on the Dutton label. Mine was on the dot label. Mine was a million seller pop at a time when we were starting to call the music that had been only called r and b. The most polite name was r and b Rhythm and Blues. But now they were starting to call it rock and Roll. And, uh, and Bill Haley, the comments cemented that when he did rock around the clock, because up till then in race, music or black music, rock and roll, we're gonna rock and roll all night long, baby. It didn't necessarily mean dancing. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, it could wanted it to me <laugh>. But, but as it caught on with teenagers, and that's, I happened to come right at that moment. Right. And that my next record was Ain't That Ashamed Fats Domino, his record in the r b field sold, it was number one sold 150,000, which was huge. I did that same song and we called it Rock and Roll, and it sold a million and a half. And Fatz was thrilled with it because he made more money by his own account, from my record of his song than from his own.

Louise Palanker (13:41):

So what you're saying is the, the radio stations were segregated. They weren't playing black artists on Pop radio station.

Pat Boone (13:49):

They weren't. There was no, they were unaware. Really. The, the big white pop audience wasn't all white, but the mainly white audience knew nothing of rhythm and blues. It was a separated genre. But the, these songs were fun and funny sometimes. And, um, so some of 'em were very erotic, but, but some of 'em were just cute and funny. And so, people like Mitch Miller back then, who was a and r Artists Repertoire at Columbia Records, or Deca, I forget which, and, and Randy Wood at Dot Records, our little aggressive, aggressive independent label. They were, they were picking up on these songs and, and having pop artists record them. So I did about eight or 10 r and b songs, several by little Richard Tutty Fruity. Mm-hmm. <affirmative> Rip It Up, it Up, uh, long Tall Sally, and then Blues Ballads by average O Hunter and other r and b artists.

(14:42):

They, they were had already been hits, but they, uh, were not known to the pop audience. And that went on for about two years, two and a half years. The DJs, pop DJs began to realize these songs came from somewhere <laugh> and Yeah. And they would listen to the original record and then start asking, like, Alan Fried in New York on W N E W would, uh, ask the kids, which record do you want me to play? He'd play Little Richard record of Tudy Fruity or Pat Boones record of Tudy Fruity at the beginning. Uh, little Richard sounded so unusual. They'd say, pat Boones record, cuz I happened to have come just when it, it was happening's starting to happen, but then gradually they'd say, play the original record. And the cover record, as we called it, came to an end. Although up till then, we were all pop artists. We covered each other. It was not unusual for an artist to record other people's songs. Right.

Fritz Coleman (15:41):

You know, uh, I, I, I gotta tell you, fir the first comment I wanna make is your, one of your gifts is your ability to pick the right song. I mean, you, you picked some great songs that made them viable for crossover. But you talked about Fat, you talked about Little Richard and, uh, big Joe Hunter as well. Yes. But I talked to Little Richard about you one time because I got into this discussion. I, I'm a huge rhythm and blues fan. And I got into this discussion with him about appropriation, which is the term they use now. They didn't use it back then. Yeah. And I said, how do you feel about that? He said, let me tell you something, pat Boone and his crossover, Tudy Fruity, introduced me to millions more people than I ever would've met otherwise with my talent and made me a boatload of money. So I am forever in his debt. I really turned my head around.

Pat Boone (16:29):

Hallelujah. See you. I mean, he gave you the answer that, that he knew was true, but sometimes people like Bob Costas and others would ask the question differently. How did you feel when Pat Boone covered your song? Tudy Fruity? And, and he would go with them, kind of say, well, I have a tape of him and saying I was a, I was still washing dishes in a bus station in Macon, Georgia when I, and uh, I wasn't making no money yet. Cause Mike, Rick, uh, nobody's paying me anything. But it was on the radio. And then when I heard Pat Boone had then my song, uh, then, uh, uh, I knew I threw the towel down and walked outta there. I was gonna make some money now.

Fritz Coleman (17:07):

Yeah. Cuz he was the writer of the song. Right. So he was making

Pat Boone (17:09):

Song. Now he sold the copyright cuz he didn't know what that was. Somebody paid him like $50 for the copyright, the ownership of the song. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, which, you know, unfortunately they took advantage of him and other dark artists, black artists, uh, a lot. Uh, because they didn't know what that was. They didn't know the record business. And you're gonna give him $500 for to use their song. Well, they'll take it Of course. Doesn't radio do that all the time. Sure. But, uh, they didn't own their songs. And Richard realized eventually he had been ripped off. Mm-hmm.

Louise Palanker (17:43):

<affirmative>. Well, you were kind of a, a Trojan horse in terms of introducing white kids to some wonderful music that would then lead to Motown and, you know, all kinds of, you know, like the, the first industry really to integrate was, was the music industry.

Pat Boone (17:56):

Yeah. Li not long ago. Uh, I, well I lo for me two years is not long ago.

Louise Palanker (18:02):

<laugh>. Yeah. <laugh>

Pat Boone (18:03):

And I recorded an album of rhythm and blues classics with the original performers. Oh, that's a nice idea. Not just doing their songs, but redoing their songs with them.

Louise Palanker (18:14):

Wow. Like who

Pat Boone (18:15):

I did what? Smokey Robinson Tears. Oh. Four Tops. Can't Help myself. Oh, we are Family Sister Sledge, which became the name of my album. We Are Family. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, that is the original artist and me, uh, celebration Cool. In the gang. Um, get Down Tonight, Casey in the Sunshine Band. Oh, I'm, I'm, uh, soul Man with Sam Moore. Oh,

Louise Palanker (18:38):

Cool.

Pat Boone (18:38):

I did, I did Way of the World with Earth Wind and Fire. Oh wow. And I went to Augusta and recorded Papa's got a brand new bag with James Brown. Oh

Louise Palanker (18:47):

Wow.

Pat Boone (18:49):

Hey, Pat's got a brand new bag.

Louise Palanker (18:51):

<laugh>.

Fritz Coleman (18:54):

But what we, I, I just wanna make a a a a side comment on something you mentioned before. And that was that the complaint the r and b artists had in the fifties was that they weren't paid what they were worth in concerts or in record sales. And I don't know if you saw the movie Cadillac Records, it was about that same thing.

Pat Boone (19:11):

Oh, I did see

Fritz Coleman (19:12):

It. Yeah. The chess brothers had, um, uh, Howland Wolf and Muddy Waters and Yep. All these r and b artists and Chuck Berry and everything. And instead of paying them what their royalties would've dictated or paying them what they were worth, he was just buying 'em a new Cadillac. And that would've assuaged their desire for a while. But it still was way under what they were worth and what they true

Pat Boone (19:35):

That was true. Cuz they honestly didn't know. They didn't even have management that knew. And so they would, uh, you know, there was a group in Philadelphia, uh, who went up to see a dj and they said, we come up with a song where a doot group A wa Bapa Luma. No, no, it was, uh, oh, it was Blue Moon Baba Babababababa Ding a Don d Moon, moon <laugh>. No, no music at all. And, uh, no instrumental music. And they, and he's got 'em signed to a record label. And of course they got almost nothing for it. But it was, uh, a big, big record. And it took a couple of years for people. That's my dog shadow. Does

Louise Palanker (20:16):

Your dog have a record deal? <laugh>? He, he's pretty good.

Pat Boone (20:19):

He can't sing at all.

Louise Palanker (20:21):

<laugh>

Pat Boone (20:22):

Now, remember that, remember when Frank Sinatra was trying to get in on the rock market? He hated rock and roll. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. But his people around him said, you gotta do something, chief. So, so he recorded a song with Dagmar. Yeah. <laugh> called Mama Don't Bark.

Louise Palanker (20:36):

It's so bad. It, it's really horrible.

Pat Boone (20:38):

There is a record if, if there is still one. Frank went out later and tried to buy up every record

Louise Palanker (20:44):

<laugh>

Pat Boone (20:45):

And destroy it, but he barked like a dog. <laugh>. I can't sing the song, but it is on. If you go to, um, Amazon and just type in Mama Don't Bark. Frank Sinatra. There it is. He he couldn't stop it. <laugh>.

Fritz Coleman (20:58):

No,

Louise Palanker (20:59):

No.

Pat Boone (20:59):

Don't have envisioned Amazon. But it's some of mine that I don't care for. They're out there too. But, but here's, here's a factoid that you didn't know. Um, f Frank, I, who was certainly an idol of mine, and Bing Crosby, the two of them, Frank, recorded 1500 songs. Holy Cow. All Up Classics. Bing Crosby, I consider everything he ever did. 2000 songs, classics. I have recorded 2300 songs. More than either of them, more than any other artist in recording history recorded 2300 songs because I cut across genres. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, they didn't care about Rock and Roll, didn't wanna do it. I did it many hits. They didn't care about country very much. They didn't care about gospel. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, they did some patriotic songs. I've done eight or 10 patriotic albums and, uh, and, and really gospel and spiritual themed. I'm in the Gospel Music Hall of Fame mm-hmm. <affirmative> five gospel albums. So I just, I was a recording fool. I loved the, I loved the act of recording. I loved to sing a song I liked with musicians and then know that it was there maybe forever for people to hear. So

Fritz Coleman (22:11):

22. And, and in those days it, it was about the single, right. I mean, it was the single and the B side. It wasn't about putting an album together so you could record a song a week and just keep throwing them out there.

Pat Boone (22:23):

And many did. And that's why I hold another record in the record business, which is 240, no, 220 consecutive weeks without ever being off the charts. Wow. Randy didn't wait until a record got off the chart before he brought my next record out. Right. My record dropped from seven to 10 out came my next record <laugh>, and if it dropped from 30 to 42 out came my next record. So for over four years, almost four and a half years, I always, from 55 through 59 into 60 had one two records on the charts at all time. One going up, one going down. Elvis went to the Army after three years. Yep. And his record string was broken. And the Beatles, after three years began to just put out albums, not singles mm-hmm. <affirmative>. And so Elton John comes the closest to my record of 157 weeks without ever being off the charts. But I, I've been on, I was on for, uh, 220 consecutive weeks. Oh my gosh. I was just a recording fool. I loved it. I was making movies. I had four kids. I was so, I was doing other things besides record and make movies and television. But anytime Randy Wood at DOT called me said, pat, we got a song I want you to do today. I was in the studio.

Louise Palanker (23:41):

Did you take any heat from racists in that time period when you were recording the music of No. Of black artists and black songwriters?

Pat Boone (23:48):

No, but since then mm-hmm. <affirmative> since then, people who maybe didn't live through the OR area have come up with this story that I was somehow taking something from them. Okay. Or I was competing their progress when, when Fat's Domino, little Richard and many other artists have said publicly that my recording of their songs put them on the map. Then, uh, if I did it more than once, it would cause the DJs to wonder who this person is, who's, where's Pat getting his songs? And they would play the original and then bring them on. And recently when I did that album, I told you about the r and b classics, uh, and I was talking to Sanita Jackson, Jesse Jackson's daughter mm-hmm. <affirmative>, the Rainbow Coalition Station in Chicago mm-hmm. <affirmative>. And I was promoting this record, this album. And she was asking me what it was like to record it with James Brown and Smokey Robinson and the Four Tops.

(24:42):

And, uh, and I, I was telling her, and the phone rang, uh, I, I guess cuz she asked the engineer, uh, is that who I think it is on the phone? Yeah. Put him on. And it was her dad, Jesse Jackson. Oh. And he, he got on, he said, I've been listening to it. We love Pat Boone in Chicago. In fact, he says, you know, we came to know him when his father-in-law read Foley, the big country singer, wasn't do singing our spirituals Mm. Ls in Chicago. And then we found out he had a son-in-law who was doing our, our rhythm and blue songs and making hits with those songs, and then bringing the artist on his TV show with them and making, making our music popular to an audience that up till then knew nothing of it or, and cared less, but helping our, he says, I'm gonna say something I've never said before, but this is Jesse Jackson. I think Pat Boone did more for race relations and with his music in the fifties than any other artist Wow. About any other artist he might have said that about. Yeah. But Jesse Jackson, knowing that I'd recorded all these songs, big hits, and then bringing Little Richard and Fats and singing with me on my own television show, making it all so palatable and, and pleasing to this huge audience that Up Till then knew nothing about at

Fritz Coleman (25:59):

A time when sponsors were really cautious about putting African American performers on a white TV show.

Pat Boone (26:04):

And that's when I stopped my Chevy show. Mm-hmm. <affirmative> I was doing that for three years. And I was the youngest ever have his own network television show at 22. Mm-hmm. <affirmative> with Ella Fitzgerald, Nat Cole, Sammy Davis, all these other artists singing with me on my show. Chevrolet was taking the heat down in, in the South. And they, they told the ad agency, you know, if, if this keeps up, if Pat has all those black artists on, although they didn't use that word, that we we're gonna have to, uh, maybe switch over to Ford. Oh my God. And, uh, so Chevy had already let the ad agency know I was gonna have to quit having so many, uh, r and b black artists at that time, Harry Belafonte, the large, the biggest entertainer in the world. Mm-hmm. <affirmative> called me on and said, I've been watching your show.

(26:53):

I like the way you treat your guests. He said, would you like me to come on, we can do something together. I said, are you kidding? I would love it. Of course, I was still in college at, at Columbia University, by the way. Oh my. Taking a full load and married. But, but he, um, he said, I'll come on the show and we'll do, you know, uh, Jamaican Farewell and Deo Banana Boat, you know, and sing some songs together. Well, when I told our production team and the network and the ad agency that Harry Belafonte had called and wanted to come on with me, they, they had these sour somber looks. We we can't do it. I said, why? Well, you know, he's involved in civil rights and, uh, if we have him on, we'll lose Chevrolet. You gotta remember now, this was late fifties.

(27:38):

Yeah, yeah. And all the prejudice was still very deep in the South. Mm-hmm. <affirmative> and I, so we're gonna have to tell Mr. Belafonte thanks, but no thanks. Well, I was stunned. Oof. They went on to another subject, and then I brought her back. I said, guys, this show is called the Pat Boone Chevy showroom. If I have to say no to the biggest entertainer in the world, Harry Belafonte, who's been, who's volunteered to come on my show, it's not the Pat Boone show. So I'm gonna have to ask you to take the show from here. And I I will, I'll just step aside. And you, and actually, they taught me the staying on for the last four weeks of that season. And I, I quit the show. Um, James, Jamie Fox heard about this recently. I don't know how, but I was at the gym, about to walk in the gym.

(28:27):

And, uh, a black guy comes out to get in his Escalade, and as I'm passing, he says, is that Pat Boone <laugh>? I said, yes. And Jamie Fox hopped out of the car, he says, and, and we shook at first. And he said, uh, is this true? I've heard, just heard that when you were a young singer and Harry Bela Fadi wanted to come on your show and your sponsor wouldn't let him come on, you quit your show. I said, yes. How did you know? I don't, I said, I, it gets around. Well, it had been <laugh> 40 years, <laugh>. Wow. But, you know, I was more active in civil rights than most people had any idea. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, I mean, it wasn't just through, through that music. But in 1960, uh, I was asked to come to South Africa and perform. And I told the promoters who were offering me a lot of money, and I was now like, I was 25, 26, um, offering me a lot of money.

(29:26):

And I said, uh, I understand you have a policy that, I don't know what it's called. I didn't know how to pronounce a apartheid yet mm-hmm. <affirmative>, uh, where if somebody wants to come see me sing and they have the money to buy a ticket, they can't come. Oh yeah, that's right. That's our policy. But worry, you're gonna be sold out. Sold out. I said, wait a minute, that's not my point. If they want to come hear me sing, they can't do it. Well, I'm sorry, I I'm not gonna come. I I I'm just not comfortable. I'm, I can't tell you how to run your country. We still got our problems in America. But, but no thanks. So I turned it down twice. They came back a third time behind closed doors. They said, if you'll give us your word as a gentleman, that you will not mention this anytime in the near future that, uh, that we're doing it, the government will suspend a apartheid for your concerts.

(30:15):

Oh my gosh. Wow. Let everybody know that anybody who wants to buy tickets can come to your shows only. And after that, you know, we'll go back to our normal policy. So I went in 1960, I had death threats in Durban, Pretoria, not Johannesburg, but, but other big, big cities in, uh, South Africa. And it went great, sold out. I went to Northern Rhodesia and did the same thing and came home. And, and you know, everybody got along. Uh, but they dropped the curtain back down on, and Nelson Vanela was still in prison. But in 1960, uh, I'm proud of this. Uh, I couldn't talk about it till now, but mm-hmm. <affirmative>, but it's, it is a matter of record that they, the government suspended their policy of a apartheid for my, for my concerts. And then of course it was back in place the moment I left.

(31:07):

But, uh, yeah, I, Frank Sinatra and others went to South Africa, eventually to a place called Sun City, which was outside Johannesburg and was a hotel in casino. And so somehow they got the government to, to, to suspend a par a apartheid for that area, for that, that hotel in Sun City. So many white performers went there then. But they weren't appearing in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban, <laugh> and Fi French joy. This, because there was a death threat in Durban, the first town on that tour, saying that they came to the hotel. If you go on that stage with a non segregated audience, blacks and whites and Indians all together, you won't leave the stage alive. Oh God. But I was not a, uh, a move around the stage performer. I mean, I wasn't like Elvis. I'd go to the mic and just sing my songs and move a little. But in Durban, I moved around that stage, Ralph rather briskly

Fritz Coleman (32:08):

<laugh> <laugh>.

Pat Boone (32:08):

Okay. I was gonna Moving Target.

Fritz Coleman (32:12):

While, while you're talking about performing in other countries, I, I wanted to ask you about the, the music business in the touring business back then. That's before the internet and satellite radio. And so it took longer for your hits to sort of creep across the oceans and turn up at the radio stations in other countries. And so was there as much international touring than as there is now? Did you go to Europe several times in Asia?

Pat Boone (32:36):

I did. I did. But I have to disagree with you because of Armed Forces Radio. Oh, right. Because the record business, I mean, cliff Richard was a big star in England. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, I dunno if, did you know that name Cliff? Yes, I did. Of course. Yes. And, uh, and they called him the British White, uh, British Pat Boone. And I would, in, in return, if I was in England, I would call myself the American Cliff Richard. Okay. <laugh>. No, we, we were well aware of each other's music then. And I had Andy Williams. Many of us had hits in the fifties, late fifties in Great Britain, and of course in Italy and, and around, uh, into Europe. In fact, when Shirley and I were like 30, and we were in, in England on a, on a tour, but we, we were together and we could do a lot of, uh, sightseeing. We were out in front of Buckingham Palace, and I was trying to make one of those big guards standing up there, <laugh>. And you're not supposed to talk to him. He's not supposed to talk to you. And, and I was trying to get his attention and say things to Shirley to make him laugh. Mm-hmm. <affirmative> and a brown skinned man standing off to the side watching came up to me, said, are you Pat Boone? And I said, yes, we love you in Persia.

Fritz Coleman (33:47):

Aw,

Pat Boone (33:48):

Wow. Persia <laugh>. Yes. And I've been told that, uh, from people that were in China, they were picking up on, you know, armed Forces Radio and other radio and Germany. I recorded in German, in German language and in Germany, I recorded in Italy and, and, and had hits in Italy. And all those

Fritz Coleman (34:07):

Radio Luxembourg in Britain was big too. That was like a broad sweeping European radio station was probably

Pat Boone (34:13):

Long. Really American music and American movies were our chief export. And, and I, I, I hate what's happened to a lot of it now because both in music and in movies, we export some of the worst possible sides. And that's not everybody, not all movies are all music, but a lot of it is things that, that we don't want other people in other countries to identify us with. With that music, with hit bitches and hoes in their language, in the music and, uh, movies with every conceivable foul thing in movies and supposedly showing Americans doing it. We used to be the envy of the world because the pictures we showed in America, of of America we're upstanding, righteous, good families. The bad guys won. I mean, the good guys won. The bad guys always got caught. And now, you know, after Dallas, you know, TV shows like that and, and other shows where you showed what scheming, hypocritical people could, we could be, some people could be. Um, then, you know, now they, we, they have excuse to call us the great Satan in Arab nations because they can point to much of our products now, our exports, a lot of the music, a lot of the movies, tv of course. And we're, we're showing the most awful possible signs of America in our films and all that kind of entertainment. It's tragic. So, well, I, I I produced a real downer in this program. No,

Fritz Coleman (35:53):

We're, we're so happy to have you be honest about your feelings about that. I wanna ask you one question, Weezy, and then I'll, but while we're on this, the music business is almost unidentifiable to what it was in the fifties and sixties when you recorded, but streaming is big. And has Spotify and Pandora and these other streaming services introduced your music to a new audience or made you more accessible now, kind of given it a boost?

Pat Boone (36:16):

Yes. I've got, I think they, last count was like 5 million regular listeners on Spotify. Oh my gosh. Nice. And, uh, and there's several others of the, uh, and, and they're gonna be, they're going to, they say archive all 2300 of my recordings now. That's gonna be more than any other artists ever. And of course, uh, somebody figured out somebody works for me, just put my records and calculated how long it would take to just hear back to back. Mm-hmm. <affirmative> all the records I've recorded, it'd be like two and a half weeks

Louise Palanker (36:49):

<laugh>. I think it's a good, uh, commitment of time. I think that would

Pat Boone (36:53):

Be 23

Louise Palanker (36:53):

<laugh>. Yeah. That would be time well spent. So I know you probably know that if, when you type someone, someone's name into Google who's well-known such as yourself, it gives you not just search results, it also brings up some frequently asked questions. So we're gonna play a little game where we'll see if you know as much about yourself as does Google. Are you ready to play our game? Ready? Uh, question number one is Pat Boone, a descendant of Daniel Boone?

Pat Boone (37:17):

Definitely descended from James, his eldest. I've got the genealogy. And uh, he was born in 1734. I was born in nineteen thirty four, two hundred years apart. But he was a pioneer. He liked to go places where other people hadn't gone. He never did a heavy metal album.

Louise Palanker (37:35):

<laugh>, <laugh>, you're out ahead on this one. So yes. You and Google, uh, that, that's a match. You both have the same answer. Charles Eugene, pat Boone was born in 1934 in Jacksonville, Florida. A descendant of Frontiersman, Daniel Boone. Alright. Right. Question number two,

Pat Boone (37:51):

Using my, well, are you gonna ask me about my name? Pat?

Louise Palanker (37:55):

No, I Pat is your third name. Right. So it's Charles Eugene Patrick Boone. Correct.

Pat Boone (37:59):

Well, it's, it's, it was never my name. Oh. Uh, until my parents, I was their first child and, and no amniocentesis. So they knew they were gonna have a girl <laugh> and they picked

Fritz Coleman (38:11):

Up

Pat Boone (38:12):

Patricia. And it had been short pat when Pat gets here. Well, when I got there on close inspection,

Louise Palanker (38:19):

<laugh>

Pat Boone (38:20):

Minute, this is not a girl

Louise Palanker (38:22):

<laugh>, like I'm no doctor, but this is not a girl

Pat Boone (38:25):

<laugh>. And so they named after my two grandfathers on my birth certificate, Charles and Eugene. And they kept calling me Pat anyway.

Louise Palanker (38:32):

Ah,

Pat Boone (38:33):

Who now it's caused problems on my driver's license and other things. And, and I have to often sign Charles e Pat Boone. Not just, or just Charles Boone. But, uh, but, but Charles e Pat is it But Pat, because I was never called Patrick. Uh, I just was Pat.

Louise Palanker (38:51):

Well, Fritz has similar situation cuz nowhere on his birth certificate. Does it say Fritz? He can tell you. Really? Yeah, because Go ahead.

Fritz Coleman (38:58):

Well, uh, I know I, I got into trouble with passports and everything, just like you did my, all the, all the men on my father's side of the family were named Frederick and all going back six or seven generations. And my grandfather, who was 50% German, used to call me Fritz, which means little Frederick in German in order to distinguish me from my father. Now, when I was a kid, I hated the name. It just sounded awful. But then when I got older and realized the, you know, it, it's different and interesting, and so I kept it and liked it.

Louise Palanker (39:31):

Right. But his first name is Joseph, so the Fred part is his middle name. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. And then he's not called Freddie or anything. He's just called Fritz. So he has a lot of explaining to do to cops too. <laugh>, he gets pulled over quite often. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. All right. Question number two is, let's see this one. I think you'll get, what is Pat Boon's most famous song?

Pat Boone (39:50):

Wait, are you asking me or Fritz?

Louise Palanker (39:52):

No, this is, this is the frequently asked question on Google, and we wanna see if your que your answer matches. Google's answer

Pat Boone (39:58):

Love letters in the sand. Mm-hmm.

Louise Palanker (40:00):

<affirmative>. Well, they have, let's see, uh, Boone, which they call you Boone, which simplifies things. We don't have to get into the whole Pat or Eugene part of it. Yeah, yeah. Uh, Boone has had over 25 singles reach the top 20 on the US singles chart, including the number one hits. 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 and Moody River, 1961. I'll be home. 1956 reached number one in the uk, just as we were talking about earlier. Yeah,

Pat Boone (40:31):

Yeah. Well, but, but Love Letters in the Sand sold about 5 million singles

Fritz Coleman (40:36):

Plus April. Love was, that was, that was very big as well.

Pat Boone (40:39):

Huge. It was, it was my, I love that record. It was written for me by Paul Francis Webster, Sammy Fain, two great Academy award writers. They also wrote Friendly Persuasion, well, with Dimitri Temkin. And of course that was another of my big records, the, the title song to Friendly Persuasion movie. But, um, what was, what was our point of, oh,

Louise Palanker (41:00):

My point was they didn't even have like one famous song. They just rattled off like 10 songs.

Pat Boone (41:04):

Well, yeah. Oh, oh yeah. I had 13 million sellers. Yeah. And six number ones and then all the other, so more Top 10. In fact, the, the records show that in the fifties, the whole decade of the fifties, Elvis was number one. I was close number two. And I was ahead of the Beach Boys ahead of, of a whole bunch of other, Ray Charles, a bunch of big, big singers because I just kept co rec, uh, Elvis. And I just kept coming record after record. As soon as, uh, one of my records went off the, uh, down the charts, my next record came out. He did the same thing. And so we were just two boys from Tennessee matching each other hit for hit. I had 41 chart records in the fifties. He had 40. Mm-hmm. And I only had one more cuz I had an 11 month head start on him. Right, mm-hmm. <affirmative>. And he was my opening act the first time that we met, by the way, I dunno if you knew

Fritz Coleman (41:58):

That.

Louise Palanker (41:58):

Wow. Yeah. You tell that story in your, in your video podcast and it's, you just talk about how shy he was to be meeting you. Yes.

Pat Boone (42:05):

Yeah. And he, he says, I didn't know how to talk to you, man. I said, what do you mean you were a star? I said, I'd only been recording since March. Elvis

Louise Palanker (42:13):

<laugh>,

Pat Boone (42:14):

You had three hit records and I didn't know how to talk to you. Aw, <laugh>. But we got over that shyness and then some. Yeah. And, uh, and we got to be good friends. Mm-hmm.

Fritz Coleman (42:23):

<affirmative>, I, I wanna talk about Shirley, your late wife, who was a wonderful philanthropist and did so much for so many people. And she, she gives you lineage into show business because her father, your father-in-law read fully was huge. Yes. Country royalty in the thirties and forties. He did a big country hit Chattanooga Shoe Shine Boy, which you can still hear Right. On, uh, on, uh, Willie Nelson's country channel. Yeah. Did you ever, how was there competition between you and your father-in-law? Did he try to dictate to you how to be a star? Was he No. Was he supportive?

Pat Boone (42:56):

We couldn't help each other. It was crazy. I mean, I was not interested in country music yet. I was interested in Shirley, Shirley, fully

Louise Palanker (43:04):

<laugh> <laugh>.

Pat Boone (43:05):

But, uh, and I even wrote a song at that time and played it for Eddie Arnold who said, that's, that's nice, but it's not for me. <laugh>, he let me down easy. But, uh, I eventually did record that song, but, but Red, he was, his was all country. And I was into Frank Sinatra and, and, uh, Bing Crosby and pop music. So I, I didn't ask him for help. And, and of course he wasn't volunteering any, because I mean, I was doing rock and roll and he knew nothing about that. I mean, when I got going, it was, I was a teen idol and I was singing nothing but rock and roll for about a year. And, uh, and I went on his TV show and sang, uh, let me see, I forget, Tennessee Saturday Night, I think with Red. And we sang together, and then he came on my show, and I think we sang Tennessee Saturday Night <laugh> that we both could sing and both knew. Uh, but so we swapped going on each other's television shows. But no, he didn't, uh, try to tell me that. One thing I learned from him though, which I don't know if I ever told him, is that I, I learned to mean every syllable that I was singing. And that was one, if I didn't even like the song, I was gonna sing it and mean it. Mm-hmm. <affirmative> and I did a few songs like that, but, uh, red, there was something you could hear his heartbeat in every, in every vowel of his music. Wow.

Fritz Coleman (44:34):

That's a good way to script.

Pat Boone (44:35):

And that's, that's what I mean. It was a deep baritone. It had a wide range for baritone. But, but people loved him. Men loved him, women loved him. Dogs, cats loved him. Goats loved him. And, uh,

Fritz Coleman (44:49):

You know what's interesting about those early country stars? You know, you listen to Ernest Tub, you listen to, uh, Hank Williams. Yeah. You listen to Loretta Lynn and you realize their appeal, particularly to a country audience Yeah. Was that they sounded like just a regular person singing on the front porch. There, there, there was no polish in their voices. There was no pretense. It sounded like somebody singing to themselves when they were riding in the car. Right. And I think their, their, um, their sort of un unpolished nature is what made them so attractive, particularly to blue collar people back in those

Louise Palanker (45:25):

Days. Authenticity.

Pat Boone (45:27):

Yeah, that's right. There was, uh, an authenticity. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, they wouldn't copy anybody. They were originals. I mean, every one of 'em, neither, none of 'em sounded like anybody else. Hmm. And they were singing songs that grew out of people's hearts and experience. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, I mean, those weren't made up. They did rhyme, usually <laugh>, but, uh, <laugh>. But they, the songs came out of People's Real Experience. So that's why so many bar songs and so many motel songs and so many truck driver songs is because, and then out in the dusty dirt roads and mm-hmm. <affirmative> gone Fishing. And I mean, these were things that people lived and the way they lived. And these sounded like the folks that were living them.

Louise Palanker (46:09):

Yeah. Yeah. Now, have you heard, when, this is in recent news that you, you are featured in the White House record collection. So what is, what is the White House record collection? Well, it was intended to serve as a window to the outside world so that the presidents could learn and better understand the musical state and tastes of the nation. So the first collection was put together by Johnny Mercer. The second collection was compiled by John Hammond. The records are stored in vinyl binders with the White House seal on them. And you're, you're in there, Mr. Billy, and

Pat Boone (46:38):

I'm in there. I didn't, I never knew that existed. You're telling

Louise Palanker (46:41):

Grace. It exists. And now I learned from you shortly after learning that I learned from you on your video podcast, that when you went to Graceland, you in a house that looks very similar to the White House, you found your records in Elvis's collection.

Pat Boone (46:56):

Oh, yes. Right. That's awesome. Including Pat Boone reads from the Bible. See, he was, he was a repressed Christian <laugh>. When I say repressed, I mean, he, he, he, he, uh, couldn't, he told me, he said, when I went to Seeman at the International Hotel, when he made his comeback, and I was up there in the, in this dressing room, and I said, he said to me, I wish I could go to church like you do. I said, well, why don't you? He says, because I distract and I, they want me to sign, the kids want me to sign bulletins and, and it would just be a distraction. I said, don't you think it happens to me when I go to church? Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. Yeah. If I go to church where people, I'm not a member, the kids line up. They, I mean, that was in the earlier days. And just go sell 'em. I'll, I'll sign you a bulletin after church kids, uh, and then go sit down and worship like duck. They are like, they're there for. And then afterwards they'll take your assigned bulletins to, to school. And the kids say, where'd you get that? Where were you with Elvis, your church? Can we come

Fritz Coleman (47:59):

<laugh>? I said,

Pat Boone (48:00):

Let it be an Evangelical. Oh,

Fritz Coleman (48:02):

That's fine.

Pat Boone (48:03):

And he said, I can't do that. I, I, I get, I just know I'm a distraction. I said, well, I know that I'm a distraction too, but I sit there and worship like everybody, if they wanna look at me, let 'em, I want them to know that I'm there for the same reason. Uh, but he says, do you know Earl Roberts? I said, yes, I'd like to talk to him sometime. I said, let me give you a clue, your name is Elvis Presley

Fritz Coleman (48:25):

<laugh>,

Pat Boone (48:27):

Paul Tulsa, Oklahoma. I say, I, I want the number for Earl Roberts University. When somebody answers say, uh, this is Elvis president, I'd like

Fritz Coleman (48:36):

To talk <laugh>.

Pat Boone (48:38):

I like, uh, president Roberts. And in 30 seconds he'll be on the phone. He just said, I can't do that. He socially, Fritz, he was, uh, he was un uncomfortable socially. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, when I shook hands with him that first time in, uh, Cleveland, I reached, I said, hi, Elvis, pat Boone. Nice. Measured. I said, um, uh, bill Randall thinks some big things ahead for you. Maybe with R c a Victor. I don't know about that, but I hope so. <laugh> you need lean back against the wall. And, and, uh,

Fritz Coleman (49:09):

They looked down and out of the top of his eyes.

Pat Boone (49:12):

Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. Yeah. The position's kind of closed in around him. And I, I, I didn't know if he's shy or nervous or what. And that's when he said, later, I didn't know how to talk to you, but when I sh reached out and shook his hand, he let me shake his hand. But he didn't shake back. Nobody had taught him at that point, not his mom or daddy

Louise Palanker (49:31):

Firm handshake. Yeah.

Pat Boone (49:32):

Brought him to give a firm handshake back. He learned, of course. But when I first shook hands, I, I squeezed his hand, but he didn't squeeze back.

Louise Palanker (49:40):

You know what's interesting when you're a little kid and, and when you're a teenager, no one walks up to people and shakes hands. They, they go, Hey, how you doing? So you have to learn as a young man at 20 or 18. You have to learn how to shake hands cuz it's just not something that teenagers, that's not how they greet each other.

Fritz Coleman (49:54):

Plus,

Pat Boone (49:55):

Right.

Fritz Coleman (49:55):

Pat, we Weezy and I interviewed the lady that really wrote, uh Oh yeah. One of the definitive Elvis books. So

Louise Palanker (50:01):

This is, you'll find this interesting. Her name is Sally Hodell. She wrote a book that you need to read. It's called, um, Elvis Presley, destined to Die Young. And she goes into it's family history and about how he had di he had dis dysfunction and disease in like nine of the 11 bodily systems that were causing him to self-medicate just to feel normal. So what we kind of like, you know, assigned to him is that, oh, he Dr he died of drug addiction. Well, he was just trying feel. Okay. Yeah. He was taking pharmaceuticals. He wouldn't take any illegal drugs. He was just trying to regulate how he felt because his digestive system was a mess. His, his, um, all kinds of different systems in his body were not functioning properly. He felt unwell most of the time.

Fritz Coleman (50:44):

And in addition to that, pat, and, and going to your previous point, um, she lays the groundwork for, uh, you know, several generations back where these diseases came hereditarily through, uh, his mom and his grandparents. But he, he apparently never felt above his raisin in Tupelo, Mississippi. Uh, be, and, and, and that lasted the rest of his life. That's why he surrounded himself with all the kids. He grew up with all the people that moved into Graceland because he was comfortable in that environment. And I mean, speaking to your shyness, he probably never felt, uh, up, up to where he really was socially.

Pat Boone (51:23):

Yeah. You've explained it. I didn't know some of that that you just told me, told me about, but I, I described it as not socially comfortable. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, can you excuse me one second. Don't go anywhere. Yeah. Uh, Don or, uh, Casey,

Louise Palanker (51:37):

Well we can wrap this up right now. Yeah.

Fritz Coleman (51:38):

We wanna first give you a chance to talk about your book in the movie, but very quickly get that plugin there. Mulligan is the movie you're in where you play a retired, uh, golf Pro. And the book, if with the most interesting cover is, uh, and tell me if I describe this properly, is, is is a book that sort of helps you along in understanding the more secular nature in the United States now, and how you can be a person of faith by reading it.

Pat Boone (52:03):

Well, that's not a good description. Okay. It, it is, um, it's an unusual book, and I know I'm gonna get a lot of criticism, but I'm, I'm saying this in love to the a hundred and to over half the population that doesn't go to service of any kind. Mm-hmm. <affirmative> worship service, they're not sure there's a God. They don't know if there's a heaven or hell. And, and I, I'm my heart's breaking for these people. They're not interested in a religious book. They're not interested in religion, but they're not gonna, they're not gonna ignore this cover. That's

Fritz Coleman (52:38):

Fantastic.

Pat Boone (52:39):

The four corners look like they're singed, like it was pulled out of a fire. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. And this warning sign says not religious life or death.

Fritz Coleman (52:48):

Wow. Oh

Pat Boone (52:49):

Wow. And then the bottom line is the everlasting choice we all must make. And what I'm telling people that just simply don't know anything about the Bible, they don't know what God says. They don't know if there's a God. And so I'm, they're not interested in truck stops and places like that, picking up a, a religious book. But if it says it's not religious <laugh>, and what does the mean? What's it is, if what? And, and really, if it's heaven or hell, not because I say it, but because God says it, and b and but the choice to be made is ours. His choice. God's choice is that we come to heaven and He's done everything even God could possibly do to see that we come, but we have to let him know we want to mm-hmm. <affirmative> and, and it's our choice. We make the choice.

(53:39):

And, and for that matter, we're making the choice whether we know it or not. And so I'm reaching out to people and they're gonna say, some critics can say, you're telling me if I don't believe what you say in this book, I'm going to hell. I said, I'll say, forget what I say, scratch my everything out. I say, in this book, I'm just trying to make you aware of what God says. He's your creator. He's the one that will determine where you spend the next life, the next existence. But you determine which will it be, and you have to want to go to heaven, uh, and let him know you want to go to heaven. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. And, uh, and that's why I'm saying, and, and all the love I, that I feel that, um, that, that I may be able to reach a lot of people who just simply don't know that they're making that choice right now, whether they know it or not, and that the God who loves them and died for them wants them to come be with him. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. So that book is, uh, it'll be coming out in, uh, early September. Mm-hmm.

Fritz Coleman (54:38):

<affirmative>. All right. Well, we we're, we, we're not gonna take any anymore of your time, but I wanna tell you what a personal thrill it is to get to revisit with you after all the support you've shown through the tournament and early in my career. You're such a gentleman and such a great icon, and it's been an honor pad. It really has.

Pat Boone (54:53):

Well, you're a good man too. And that good lady next to you. And, um, and, and if, if you want, I could still tell you a few more stories on another time.

Louise Palanker (55:02):

Oh, we would love that.

Fritz Coleman (55:04):

Oh, we'll, we'll do that. As a matter of fact, when the book comes out or the movie comes out, we'll have you back on and we'll promote it for you.

Pat Boone (55:09):

I'll save the story about when I embarrass myself, the most embarrassing moment in my life in front of the Queen of England. I'll save that one.

Fritz Coleman (55:16):

Oh my God, it's a good tease.

Louise Palanker (55:18):

Oh, I bet we

Pat Boone (55:19):

Can talk about the book,

Louise Palanker (55:20):

<laugh>. All right. I think we could get you in the queen on together and we could clear that whole thing up.

Pat Boone (55:23):

Yeah, let's do that. Let,

Louise Palanker (55:25):

Let's do it. All right.

Fritz Coleman (55:27):

Stay well, my friend. Stay well, thank you so much, pat. All

Louise Palanker (55:30):

Right. Here come our closing credits. Thank you so much for joining us. We would love to continue this conversation with you on Instagram and Twitter, where we are at Media Path Pod, and on Facebook where our show page is, media Path Podcast. And our Facebook group is Media Path with Fritz and Weezy podcast community. You can find full video podcast episodes loaded with bonus visual content on our YouTube channel Media Path podcast. We will love to know what media you have been enjoying. You can contact us at our social media or email us at Media Path podcast@gmail.com. We wanna thank our wonderful guest, pat Boone. Our team includes Dina Friedman, John Maddox, Sharon Beo, bill Fiac, Thomas Hubble, Mason Brown, and you. Our theme music is by me and John Maddox. I am Louise p Planker here with Fritz Coleman and Pat Boon, and we will see you along the media path.