By Lee Valentine Smith – Don McLean is the oft-lauded singer-songwriter responsible for the one of the most successful and analyzed songs of modern music. Recorded 51 years ago this month, “American Pie” continues to resonate with audiences around the world. Originally offered as a metaphoric social commentary, the tune has been covered by a diverse slate of artists including Madonna, The Ventures, John Mayer – and recently, UK heavyweight fighting champ Tyson Fury.
The Covid-delayed 50th anniversary celebration of the “American Pie” album and single is finally underway with an extensive international tour. Additionally, a children’s book and a documentary film based the cultural influence of the song are on the way – as well as brand new music from the prolific storyteller.
Recently, McLean was presented with a plaque for multi-platinum Canadian certifications for the “American Pie” album itself and a special platinum certification for the subsequent single release, “Vincent.” He was honored by Universal Music Canada’s Ivar Hamilton, VP Catalog Marketing; Warren Stewart, Director of Catalog Marketing; and Mark O’Keeffe, Catalog Marketing Coordinator backstage at the John Bassett Theatre in Toronto.
The New York native paid his early dues in the thriving folk scene of the late ‘60s and collaborations with folk hero Pete Seeger before hitting the charts in the tumultuous fall of ’71. His sophomore release endures today with numerous awards and placements in various television and film projects. The handwritten manuscript of the iconic title track sold in 2015 for over one million dollars. Now, as the 76-year-old entertainer fondly looks back on his many accomplishments – including a recent Star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame – he continues to produce and perform vital music.
Your 2022 schedule seems busier than during the initial “American Pie” whirlwind of the early ‘70s.
Yeah, it’s just ridiculous! I never really wanted to be this busy, I’m actually kinda lazy. But in the last six years, I’ve really focused on my career. Also, I have a great girlfriend – who’s much younger than I am. When she says, ‘Oh, let’s go to Berlin,’ normally I wouldn’t but we were on [a recent press] tour. We went to Berlin, Venice and all over the place. She wants to do it? Okay, let’s go.
Does her age influence your art or your general outlook on things?
We just have a great home-life and we have a great road-life. She’s very computer savvy, too. On tour, we’ve had to rely on her to find places and sort out problems. I also hear a lot of the music she plays around the house. I’ll say, ‘I don’t really know what you’re hearing. There’s no song in there at all. Just a little riff and a lot of rhythm.’ But that’s cool. I like rhythm, so I’m fine with it.
What does she think about the ongoing phenomenon of “American Pie”?
She was there when I got the Star on the Walk of Fame and she’s happy with everything that’s happening. There’re a lot of things in the works, like a Spanish version of “American Pie” in a documentary called “The Day The Music Died: The Making of Don McLean’s American Pie.” The whole reach of it – to all the different countries and people – is just incredible. I’ve heard so many stories about rappers and R&B guys who like it, including guys like James Brown and Tupac Shakur. Drake took two songs from an album I made called “Prime Time” – which wasn’t successful – and made it into a song called “Do It Wrong.” He sold 4 million with it and I own 60% of it! So I guess people still check out what I do for ideas.
Here we are, all these years later, talking about your first hit, even though your catalog includes over 20 studio LPs and four live collections.
I think it’s been a gateway. Around 260 million downloads happened last year of my songs in 92 countries. People may focus on the big hit, but I’ve sold more than 50 million records worldwide from all the albums. Certainly, “American Pie” is the most important thing I ever did. But when people decide they like me, they become aware of a lot of those other things, too.
It’s an incredible body of work. But when your second release is so huge, did you feel internal or external pressure to follow it up with something equally successful?
Well, I think everybody knew I couldn’t – so that set the sharks loose. It was like, ‘Ok, let’s get this guy.’ I was attacked but it didn’t stop me. I just soldiered on, wrote more songs and had some more hits. It’s all part of my story and I’m proud of it.
You’ve played all over the world at this point and your current tour is all over the place. Can you feel a different vibe at each location?
Having done seven or eight thousand one-nighters in my life, maybe more, I just think about communicating. It really doesn’t matter what building I’m in, what event it is or what day it is. I just want to get out there and sing for people.
When you’re in the moment, singing those songs, do you ever think about the initial creation of them? Or is it pure performance at that point?
No, I don’t really think about the creation of them at all. They’re basically the tools I use to reach people. They’re all stories, so you just weave them all together.
That’s the true folk tradition, sharing songs and stories.
It is! I mix traditional music from the ‘30s through the ‘60s with folk and good, old-fashioned rock and roll. I think that’s the key. All that stuff somehow finds its way into the performance. And now, all these years later, I’m still doing it. I don’t really know how it all happened but I’m sure glad it did.
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Don McLean’s 50th Anniversary American Pie World Tour:
JUN 02 The Egg Albany, NY
JUN 03 Boch Center – Shubert Theatre Boston, MA
JUN 04 The Town Hall New York, NY
JUN 10 Ruby Amphitheater Morgantown, WV
JUN 11 The Lyric Theatre Baltimore, MD
JUN 12 Capital One Hall Tysons, VA
JUN 17 DeVos Performance Hall Grand Rapids, MI
JUN 18 The Pabst Theatre Milwaukee, WI
JUN 19 Big Top Chautauqua Bayfield, WI
JUN 24 Tobin Center for the Performing Arts San Antonio, TX
JUN 25 Cullen Performance Hall Houston, TX
JUN 26 Paramount Theatre Austin, TX
JUL 01 The Canyon @ The Saban Theatre Beverly Hills, CA
JUL 02 Mountain Winery Saratoga, CA
JUL 07 Paramount Theater Denver, CO
JUL 08 Avalon Theatre Grand Junction, CO
JUL 09 Orpheum Theatre Phoenix Phoenix, AZ
JUL 15 Hoyt Sherman Place Des Moines, IA
JUL 22 Victory Theatre Evansville, IN
JUL 23 UIS Performing Arts Center Springfield, IL
JUL 29 Keswick Theatre Glenside, PA
JUL 30 Point of the Bluff Vineyards Hammondsport, NY
AUG 20 Martha’s Vineyard Performing Arts Center Vineyard Haven, MA
SEP 02 Goodyear Theater Akron, OH
SEP 03 Blue Gate Music Hall Shipshewana, IN
SEP 11 St David’s Dewi Sant Cardiff, United Kingdom
SEP 13 Ipswich Regent Theatre Ipswich, United Kingdom
SEP 14 Symphony Hall Birmingham, United Kingdom
SEP 16 The Forum Bath, United Kingdom
SEP 17 Princess Theatre Torquay, United Kingdom
SEP 18 Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre Bournemouth, United Kingdom
SEP 20 Brighton Dome Concert Hall Brighton, United Kingdom
SEP 21 Cliffs Pavilion Southend-On-Sea, United Kingdom
SEP 23 Bridewater Hall Manchester, United Kingdom
SEP 24 Sage Gateshead Gateshead, United Kingdom
SEP 25 The Glasgow Royal Concert Hall Glasgow, United Kingdom
SEP 27 Usher Hall Edinburgh, United Kingdom
SEP 28 York Barbican York, United Kingdom
SEP 30 De Montfort Hall Leicester, United Kingdom
OCT 01 City Hall Sheffield, United Kingdom
OCT 02 Liverpool Philharmonic Hall Liverpool, United Kingdom
OCT 04 London Palladium London, United Kingdom
OCT 07 3Arena Dublin, Ireland
OCT 09 Concertgebouw de Vereeniging Nijmegen, Netherlands
OCT 10 Koninklijk Theater Carré Amsterdam, Netherlands
OCT 14 Grieghallen Bergen, Norway
OCT 15 Stavanger Kuppelhallen Stavanger, Norway
OCT 16 Sentrum Scene Oslo, Norway
OCT 18 Lorensbergsteatern Göteborg, Sweden
OCT 20 Logomo Oy Turku, Finland
OCT 21 Helsinki Hall Of Culture Helsinki, Finland
OCT 23 Göta Lejon Stockholm, Sweden
OCT 24 Palladium Malmö, Sweden
OCT 25 Portalen Greve, Denmark
OCT 27 Fabrik Hamburg, Germany
OCT 28 Veranstaltungszentrum Kulturkirche Neuruppin, Germany
OCT 29 Admiralspalast Berlin, Germany
OCT 31 Metropol Theater Bremen Bremen, Germany
NOV 01 deSingel Antwerpen, Belgium
NOV 03 Musikteatret Holstebro Holstebro, Denmark
NOV 05 Bayer Erholungshaus Leverkusen, Germany
NOV 09 Steintor Variete Halle, Germany
NOV 12 Prinzregententheater Munich, Germany
NOV 13 Posthof Zeitkultur Am Hafen Linz, Austria
