Born on this day in 1956.
It’s a 1970s flashback. I never really followed Debby Boone’s career after “You Light Up My Life.” But I recall it was great hit when I was in college and everybody…I mean everybody sang it. Or tried to.
Debby Boone is, of course, the daughter of Pat Boone and Shirley Foley Boone, daughter of country music star Red Foley. She first recorded with her parents and sisters as The Pat Boone Family, primarily singing gospel music.
In 1977, “You Light Up My Life“, featured in the movie of the same name (but not sung by Boone in the movie) spent ten consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, longer than any other Hot 100 song to that point. Boone received a Grammy Award for Best New Artist.
Boone continued her career in Christian music winning two Dove Awards and two additional Grammys. She has acted in stage productions such as Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, The King and I and The Sound of Music.
In 1979, Boone married Gabriel Ferrer, son of Jose Ferrer and Rosemary Clooney. They have four children.