Pat Boone: Duets, which arrives June 9, features a collection of performances from Boone’s archives, including such artists as Ella Fitzgerald, Nat “King” Cole, Andy Williams, Roy Rogers and Connie Francis.
The recordings originally were made during production of the TV series The Pat Boone Chevy Showroom, a half-hour variety show that aired on ABC between October 1957 and June 1960.
Duets adds to Boone’s lengthy discography and, like his 2014 gospel music collection Legacy, will be released on his own record company, The Gold Label.
“I’m extremely proud of this because I’m the only one who has access to this music, and it will never be heard unless people get this album,” says Boone, who more recently has duetted in live performances with daughter Debby Boone.
Working on the album, which will be released on vinyl “because it has a retro feeling about it,” says Boone, brought back memories for the singer, who still marvels about his encounters with vocal greats.
“Imagine being 22 years old, a college kid from Nashville, and on a highly rated national TV show, and getting to sing as an apparent equal with the all-time queen of popular music, Ella Fitzgerald. She was the purest singer of pop and jazz there ever was — just magnificent,” he says. “I was still fighting millions of butterflies rioting in my stomach.
“But you know what? She was such a down-to-earth lady, so willing to rehearse, so downright companionable, that on-air I partially relaxed, concentrated on the beat and the melodies, and had amazing fun!” says Boone. “Looking back, it still seems like a dream that, except for the scatting, I matched her note for note. And she was so complimentary afterward. It was a highlight of my career.”