Pat Boone
He's a clean-cut, milk-drinking, church-going icon, from his gleaming white teeth to his trademark white shoes. In the Fifties Pat Boone was the second most successful singer in terms of hits on the music charts (behind only Elvis Presley).
Over a career that now tops six decades, he's recorded in nearly every musical genre - pop, rock, country, gospel, folk, even heavy metal - and sold more than 45 million albums, with 38 Top 40 hits.
By CBSNews.com senior producer David Morgan
Pat at 14
Pat Boone's first promotional photo, taken at age 14.
Charles Eugene Boone, a direct descendant of Daniel Boone, was raised in Nashville, and thought he'd wind up as a teacher or a preacher. But with a movie star's face and a voice to match, he became a true American idol.
Minnie Pearl
Grand Ol' Opry legend Minnie Pearl with Pat Boone, c. 1953.
In the early 1950s Boone made successful appearances on "Ted Mack's Original Amateur Hour" and "Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts," which led to his first songs released by Republic Records in 1954.
Album
Boone had his first hit single with the 1955 release of "Ain't That a Shame" (his cover of the Fats Domino song), which hit number 1.
Boone's second studio album, and his first for Dot Records, was "Howdy!" (1956). A collection of standards such as "Begin the Beguine," "All I Do Is Dream of You," "Chattanooga Shoe Shine Boy," and "Would You Like to Take a Walk?", it was his first album to hit the charts, peaking at number 14.
Over his career Boone would record more than 70 studio albums (not including compilations and film soundtracks).
Homecoming King + Queen
Pat Boone, Homecoming King, with his Queen, Shirley Foley (whose father was country music star Red Foley).
The two high school sweethearts married in November 1953.
Pat and Shirley
An undated photo of Pat and Shirley Boone.
Beast of Burden
The Boones had four daughters: Debby, Cherry, Linda and Laurey.
Dick Clark and Jerry Lee Lewis
"American Bandstand" host Dick Clark, and singers Pat Boone and Jerry Lee Lewis.
Fans
Pat Boone is pictured with crowds of fans in Akron, Ohio, 1956.
Sal Mineo and Bobby Darin
Pat Boone is pictured with Sal Mineo and Bobby Darin in New York, 1958.
White Bucks
Pat Boone is pictured with his trademark white buck shoes.
Juliette Prowse and Elvis Presley
Left: Pat Boone on the 20th Century Fox film lot with Elvis Presley and Juliet Prowse (who were co-stars in the film, "G.I. Blues").
In 1955, DJ Bill Randle had signed both Elvis and Pat for a show in Cleveland. "He was my opening act the first time we met," Boone told Tracy Smith.
After Presley sang "That's All Right," Boone said, "I had the good sense never to follow Elvis again!"
"The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom"
When "The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom" debuted in 1957, Boone - then 23 - became the youngest-ever host of a network TV show.
"The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom"
Filming "The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom," which ran for three seasons on ABC.
Tony Bennett
Pat Boone with Tony Bennett, just one of the dozens of top stars who appeared on "The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom" between 1957 and 1960.
"Every major star in the country, even those that had their own shows, were coming on my show and singing with me," Boone told Tracy Smith. "Ella Fitzgerald, Nat King Cole, Count Basie's orchestra, George Shearing, on and on -- I mean, all!"
Tyree Glenn
Jazz trombonist Tyree Glenn with Pat Boone on "The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom."
Shirley MacLaine
Pat Boone with Shirley MacLaine.
Meeting Royalty
Singer Pat Boone meets Princess Margaret in London, April 11, 1958.
The Boone Family
Pat Boone, Shirley Boone, and their four daughters perform on the final episode of "The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom" in 1960.
"State Fair"
Pat Boone with Ann-Margret in the 1962 film, "State Fair."
Beginning with the 1957 musical-comedy "Bernardine," Boone starred in more than a dozen films, including "April Love," "Mardi Gras," "Journey to the Center of the Earth," "The Greatest Story Ever Told," and "The Cross and the Switchblade."
Fans
Pat Boone meets a few of his fans in this 1961 photo.
Entertainer
During the 1960s Pat Boone had 23 singles on the charts, including the Number 1 hit, "Moody River," in 1961.
Crowd
Pat Boone sings to the back rows.
Mr. President
Pat Boone and his family visit President and Mrs. Nixon at the White House as they attend the president's second inauguration in January 1973.
The Jackson 5
Pat Boone performs with The Jackson 5 in a CBS TV special, "One More Time," recorded November 21, 1973.
The Boone Family
The Boone Family performs.
In addition to his solo album, Pat Boone recorded three gospel albums in the 1970s as part of the Pat Boone Family.
Gospel
Pat Boone performing at San Quentin Prison.
1970s
A performance photo of Pat Boone from the 1970s.
His 1975 single, "Indiana Girl," hit both the Adult Contemporary and Country charts.
The Boone Family
The Boone Family performing in Las Vegas in the 1970s.
Debby Boone
Pat's daughter, Debby Boone, would have her own Number 1 solo hit with "You Light Up My Life."
Refugees
Pat Boone performs for Vietnamese refugees at Camp Pendleton, July 1975.
Cover Boy
Pat Boone on the cover of the January 29, 1976, edition of Rolling Stone magazine.
First Lady
Pat Boone, chairman of the Save the Refugees Fund, being honored by first lady Rosalyn Carter in 1980.
Mr. President
Pat Boone with President Ronald Reagan.
Pat Boone: The Metal Years
Boone said his 1997 album, "In a Metal Mood: No More Mr. Nice Guy," began as a joke, when he acknowledged that he'd already recorded in every music genre - but not heavy metal!
The album contains big band arrangements of songs originally recorded by such artists as Judas Priest, Alice Cooper, Van Halen, Metallica, Led Zeppelin, Guns n' Roses, and The Jimi Hendrix Experience.
The album managed to both incite anger among Christian broadcasters (who banned him from their shows), and win him some biker fans.
Dolly Parton
Pat Boone with singer Dolly Parton.
Peter Fonda
Pat Boone with "Easy Rider" star Peter Fonda.
Pat and Shirley
Pat and Shirley Boone have been married 61 years.
Still Going Strong
When asked if she thinks her dad will ever retire, daughter Debby Boone told CBS News' Tracy Smith, "He will entertain my mother with that notion, but he's not really going to really entertain it himself."
For more info:
patboone.com (Official site)