Born in South Florida 70 Years Ago, the Distant Relative of a Folk Hero Who Penned Country Classics for George Strait and Tracy Lawrence

In Nashville, there are singers, there are songwriters, and there are those who can do both. Larry Boone, born on June 7, 1956, in Cooper City, Florida, falls into the last category. Between 1985 and 1993, Boone recorded five major label studio albums and sent multiple singles to the country charts, with his highest-peaking entry, “Don’t Give Candy to a Stranger”, reaching number 10 in 1988. In addition to success as a singer-songwriter, he has also written hit songs for Kathy Mattea, George Strait, Lonestar, Tracy Lawrence, and more.

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The Life and Career of Larry Boone

Distantly related to folk hero Daniel Boone, Larry Boone attended Florida Atlantic University, paying his tuition with singing gigs in local Florida honky-tonks.

“Country music is all I’ve ever known,” he said in a 2015 interview. “I love all genres, but I was raised on country music. It’s been the soundtrack to my entire life.”

In 1981, he set off for Nashville. Boone’s story is a familiar one for many artists who decide to take their chances on Music Row. Success wasn’t swift, leaving him to busk on street corners, pick up substitute teaching gigs, and even work as a sportswriter.

Finally, Boone’s break came when he landed a songwriting job with MTM. In 1985, Marie Osmond cut his song “Until I Fall in Love Again”. The song’s chart success led to a contract with Mercury Records the following year, and he released his self-titled debut album in 1987.

Boone co-wrote the album’s final single, “Don’t Give Candy to a Stranger”, with songwriters Dave Gibson and Jimbeau Hinson. He sings the aching ballad from the perspective of a divorced father whose ex-spouse is planning to remarry.

The “candy” in the title refers to the couple’s daughter: He won’t love her like I do / And I’m still her daddy / And what’s more, I still love you, too.

Why He Writes

Larry Boone’s other solo charting entries include the Top 20 songs “I Just Called to Say Goodbye Again” and “Wine Me Up”. However, the bulk of his success has come from writing for other artists.

In 1989, Kathy Mattea recorded his song “Burnin’ Old Memories”, taking it to number one on the country charts.

Throughout the 1990s and into the 2000s, Boone wrote singles for Shenandoah, George Strait, Lonestar, Rick Trevino, Tracy Lawrence and Doug Stone.

[RELATED: 3 Tracy Lawrence Songs That Remind Us of His Talent as a Songwriter]

Of songwriting, Boone said, “You know when you have something you really want to tell someone, but no matter how bad you want to, you can’t get it out? Or you’re hurt or on the edge of giving up and and no one understands? Music understands and that’s why I write it.”

Featured image by David Redfern/Redferns