Closer USA – September 02, 2019

F

orty-one years after her

classic hit “You Light Up

My Life” helped win her a

Grammy for Best New Artist,

Debby Boone is kicking off

a new U.S. tour on Aug. 30.

But first things first. “I just had a hip

replacement and my husband, Gabriel, is

having one as well on Sept. 11, so we’re trying

to figure out when we can squeeze in our

40th wedding anniversary celebration in

between!” Debby, 62, tells Closer. In recent

years, the singer has cut a 2010 tribute

album dedicated to her late mother-in-law,

Rosemary Clooney — mom of her Episcopal

priest husband, Gabriel Ferrer —while

remaining a loyal daughter to her legendary

crooner dad, Pat Boone. On the eve of

Debby’s “fabulous” recovery from surgery,

Closer sat down to talk about her legendary

times with Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis

Jr., her famous cousin George Clooney and

the lessons she learned from Rosemary

about being the best grandmother ever.

Let’s go back to your breakthrough hit.

Did it feel like a whirlwind?

It was just life-altering. Thankfully I had

some experience onstage working with my

sisters [as the Pat Boone Family and the

Boone Sisters], but it was a whole different

skill set — and kind of frightening.

How did you stay grounded?

Well, I was still living at home. My mom

would say, “You haven’t cleaned the cat box

in four days. Get upstairs.” [Laughs]

Still, you met some legends...

I got to open for Frank Sinatra for a couple

of weeks, which was absolutely thrilling.

Then I was invited to his home in Palm

Springs [Calif.] called The Compound, with

guesthouses named after his albums, and

taken under his wing a bit. He sent a present

to my son, Jordan, when he was born, a

sterling silver cup engraved with the words,

“Welcome to this world.” Isn’t that great?

How sweet. Anyone else come to mind?

I got to do a Bob Hope special with Sammy

Davis Jr., and he invited my husband and me

to dinner at his home. He cooked for us. Can

you imagine? I sound like I’m making it up,

I remember his crazy ’70s outfit, but I don’t

remember the dinner. [Laughs]

And then you married into an even more

famous family!

I think working with Rosemary [Clooney]

onstage was a master class for me. She had

an elegance that was so compelling. And as

the grandmother to my four kids, she was

one of the greatest joys that I will forever be

grateful for. Boy, she just didn’t hold back.

She would do anything for any one of them.

Your husband’s cousin is George Clooney.

How often do you all meet up?

It’s rare, because George is so insanely

Debby with
Pat Boone and
her late mom,
Shirley Boone,
after winning
her Best New
Artist Grammy
in 1978.

D bb i th ’80 with[fr left]

d

G

J

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