Charles Eugene Boone is a singer/songwriter and actor known as Pat Boone, who rose to fame as a pop artist during the 1950s. He signed a record deal with Republic Records in 1954, and released his cover of Fats Domino's "Ain't That a Shame" the following year. The track was a hit and set the framework for Boone's career, during which he consistently covered black artists' R&B songs to appeal to a white audience. Several of his hits were cover songs, including "Long Tall Sally" by Little Richard, "I Lost My Mind" by Ivory Joe Hunter and The Flamingos' "I'll be Home, " that saw more popularity and circulation that the original counterparts by black musicians. Boone's religious and old-fashioned values added to his appeal during the rock and roll era, a time when he was one of the biggest charting artists, second only to Elvis Presley. Over the course of his career, his music spanned various genres, including metal, pop, country, rock and gospel. His gospel recordings were recognized by the Nashville Gospel Music Association, who inducted Boone into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2003. Boone continues his television personality career as motivational speaker and conservative political commentator.
