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Nationally syndicated talk show host, Rollye James, will interview Pat Boone tonight on her XM satellite show. George Noory will interview Pat on Coast to Coast, Wednesday night.

Here'a Rollye's comments from her www.Rollye.net website.

The story of Pat Boone (yes the singer) is a textbook case of positioning nightmares. When Pat was starting out, rock and roll was in its gestation. The top 40 radio format was a not yet conceived. Rhythm and Blues music was still considered "race records" and while rock would be strongly influenced by it (as was rockabilly), the hard core (and absolutely wonderful) R&B tunes were not going to get mainstream airplay. Racist, wrong and disappointing-- but true. (Heck, the wonderful R&B based southern music form was named "Beach Music" because kids were afraid to bring those 'race records' into the house. Pictures were notoriously absent from the album covers.) While you'd hear the real deal late night on WLAC with John R., Hoss Allen and the gang, Main Street USA was beyond unaware of R&B's existence.

Eventually that would change. But eventually probably came quicker due to Pat Boone and the folks at Dot Records. As rock and roll emerged so did Pat with white covers of R&B hits. In an era where even rock and roll was seen as the 'devil's music' Pat's polished pop standard sound, and wonderfully clean cut good looks, made the unthinkable actually acceptable. And clearly not just mom and dad tolerated his version of "Ain't That A Shame" or "Tutti Frutti" --the 45s were million sellers which meant a lot of kids more than accepted Boone.

OK, I'm not gonna tell you I liked those covers. I'm not going to tell you I bought them. But I am gonna tell you I respected the bridge they created, bringing sounds, however watered down or whitened up, to mainstream audiences. (And if you think that's not the goal just ask Berry Gordy who produced every Motown smash to appeal to white teens. In Berry's days, it wasn't racial-- rather pure mathematics. White is what the masses were.) Pat paved the way for an entire genre of music to move into the mainstream. (Oh I'm also gonna tell you that I think Pat Boone is one of the finest pop vocalists ever. Perhaps the best pre-rock ballad voice. Clearly in the league of the greats like Joni James or Jo Stafford. )

Pat was not the only major star to cover an R&B hit. One of Elvis Presley's biggest hits "Hound Dog" was done first (and lord knows much better) by Big Mama Thornton. But here's the irony-- today Elvis is seen as a rock legend, and Pat some kind of interloper. What's the difference? Elvis was equally white and cleaned up (if you doubt it, you didn't know Big Mama Thornton's music), but somehow he was hip and Pat wasn't? But Pat was hip at the time. So the real question is, what happened to change perception and when did it occur? That question is worthy of a marketing grant. We'll get Pat's take on it.

The Rolling Stones have been on stage for over 40 years-- respected by critics and fans. How come no one mentions that their first chart hit here was a Buddy Holly cover, and their first big smashes were covers of Irma Thomas' "Time Is On My Side" (Don't tell me you think Mick Jagger is more soulful than Irma. Just don't.) and The Valentinos' "It's All Over Now".? Come on, if this was Pat Boone you'd be hearing how he obscured the work of The Valentinos. But it's the Rolling Stones so you're saying The Valen-who's? Look at early Beatles records. No one has proclaimed them the predatory cause for less Arthur Alexander music to be played (Anna) or less Cookies tunes to air (Chains) or so many other R&B covers on their first few albums. But somehow Pat Boone is a rock and roll problem? We'll find out exactly when the "problem" surfaced. Someone rewrote history. And I fear it's from ignorance. This is a man who belongs in the rock and roll hall of fame and he's not there. I'm going to try to change it. And people who have seen my record collection (if it was black group harmony in the '50s or if it was soul in the '60s, I've probably got it) will think I've lost my mind. But I strongly believe that Pat was a catalyst of sorts and rock would have developed differently (or maybe just later) without him. (FYI The aforementioned record collection includes a few Pat Boone records, such as the wonderfully politically incorrect"Speedy Gonzales", his cover of John Stewart's "July You're A Woman" (John's version didn't chart, but Pat's did) and "Friendly Persuasion" a stellar example of that great pop-standard sound I referenced.)

We'll definitely talk about the past, but we'll also spend time on the present which includes a flurry of new CDs, including a gospel album called "Glory Train" packaged with a tribute to Billy Graham DVD. You can see it (and here it-- "Thank You Billy Graham" is also a single on the "Glory Train CD), by clicking here. You'll see he's joined by everyone from Bono to Andre Crouch-- clearly not an unhip crowd. Definitely worth seeing. It's a QuickTime Streaming movie. If for some reason it doesn't come up for you, click here and go to Pat's order page. You can access it from there too, as well as see what's available right now from Pat, whom I look forward to talking with at 10. Hope you can join me.