Pat Boone Tops Billboard again with Emotional Song about Water Crisis in Africa
Actor and legendary crooner Pat Boone has released a new song, "ONE – Voices for Tanzania," to raise awareness and funds for the water crisis in Africa.
"This song is reaching millions of people on all the music servers," he said, adding: "We're calling it like the 'We Are the World' thing. We're calling it 'We Are the Well,'" he told The Christian Post in a recent interview.
The song, which was released before World Water Day on March 22, has already landed a spot on Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart.
Despite "One" being originally released years ago, he attributed its current impact to divine providence.
"I didn't know any of this was going to happen when I wrote the song, but God did," he said. "So I feel like it's definitely, without question, a God thing."
"We see the St. Jude's and Shriners commercials, and it tugs at our hearts. Well, these children …who have a five-year life expectancy …are calling to us," the musician added. "We want to activate people, and that's what drives me, why I feel really so enthused about it."
Boone, whose mission work began over a decade ago, has partnered with GodTV and the nonprofit WorldServe International to address the water crisis in Africa.
"They said, 'Can we use this song as a fundraiser? Because people just don't know about this problem,'" the artist recalled when WorldServe asked him about the song.
He added that he received support from country stars, including Alabama, Vince Gill, Billy Dean, Pam Tillis, Lee Greenwood, Wendy Moten, and more, who contributed their voices to the song, which was recorded with an intentional, anthemic sound.
"My country music entertainers, they always come. When there's a desperate need, they always come to the fore and help," Boone said.
"We purposely recorded it to sound like a Neil Diamond anthem," he added. "And I tried to get to Neil. …But he is slipping away now into the twilight with Alzheimer's."
The Legacy Mission Village Singers, naturalized US citizens, originally from Tanzania and surrounding nations, were also featured in "ONE" as they sang the Book's lyrics in Swahili.
"It's so goosebumpy," Boone said. "They are helping raise water for their own people in this song."
The song hit no. 1 on the Adult Contemporary "Most Added" song list, surpassing top mainstream artists such as Lady Gaga, Billie Eilish, Jelly Roll, and others.
In his decades-long career, Boone has had 45 million sold, six No. 1 Billboard hits, 29 Hollywood films, and three stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He has also been a staple at Billy Graham's evangelistic events throughout the 1980s.
WATCH: ONE - Voices for Tanzania (Official Music Video)
Photo Credit: ©YouTube/Pat Boone
Originally published April 10, 2025.
