PAT BOONE HOPES TO DO FOR SOUL WHAT HE DID FOR HEAVY METAL

PAT BOONE HOPES TO DO FOR SOUL WHAT HE DID FOR HEAVY METAL

LOS ANGELES (Wireless Flash) -- '50s singing idol Pat Boone turns 65 on Tuesday (June 1) but don't expect him to retire anytime soon. Boone is working on a new CD tentatively titled "We Are Family: R&B Classics" that he hopes will do for soul music what he did for heavy metal in 1997. The album features Boone singing with Sister Sledge on "We Are Family," Earth, Wind & Fire on "That's The Way Of The World," and Smokey Robinson on "Tears Of A Clown." But Boone says the highlight is his duet with James Brown on "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag" -- which the Godfather of Soul retitled "Pat's Got A Brand New Bag." Although Boone says recording the CD was a blast, he admits he was worried about covering the tune "Shotgun" because he didn't want to promote violence. However, after looking closely at the lyrics, he decided the song wasn't about anything more than "getting loaded and painting the town red" and went ahead and cut the track. "We Are Family: R&B Classics" should be in stores later this fall.

CONTACT: Pat Boone, *****; Arrange with Karen Sundell; LA; (310) 201-8867