don mclean european tour

BOOKING LINE

0203 356 5441, don mclean: 50th anniversary of american pie.

• EVENT INFORMATION
• Date : Wed 28 Sep 2022
• Time : 7:30pm

We are advising customers to allow extra time for their journey to this show as a result of traffic light repairs happening along the road. More information can be found here:  https://www.york.gov.uk/news/article/1061/traffic-signals-to-be-upgraded-on-barbican-road-junction

2021 marks the 50th Anniversary of Don McLean’s much loved American Pie album and in celebration, today Don announces his European tour which rolls into York Barbican on 28 September 2022.

The American Troubadour has had Top 20 singles worldwide with American Pie, Vincent, Cryin, And I Love You So, Wonderful Baby, Since I Don’t Have you, It’s Just The Sun & If We Try . Madonna, Drake and Garth Brooks are amongst many artists who have also recorded Don’s songs.

He is an inductee of the Grammy Hall Of Fame, Songwriters Hall of Fame and is a recipient of a BBC Lifetime achievement award.  This year he was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, which can be found in front of The Pie Hole Bakery, between Hollywood and Vine. 

In 1971, Don McLean released American Pie as a double-A single and it charted within a month.  Interest from the media and public sent the single to #1 in the U.S. and Don to international stardom.  Despite decades of attempted interpretations, Don has always remained enigmatic as to the songs meaning & the mystery remains to this day!  

Now, 50 years later, American Pie resides in the Library of Congress National Recording Registry, joining less than 500 works including Somewhere Over the Rainbow. American Pie was named by the Recording Industry of America (RIAA) a top 5 song of the 20th Century. In 2002, the song was inducted into the GRAMMY Hall of Fame.

A New York native, Don McLean is one of the most revered and respected songwriters in American history. After paying his dues in the New York club scene in the late ‘60s, he went on to score mega-hits like Vincent (Starry, Starry Night), Castles in the Air, and many more.

His song And I Love You So was the theme for Prince Harry and Megan Markle’s wedding. American Pie appears in the Avengers’ Black Widow and the upcoming Tom Hanks movie Finch. Next up for Mclean is a children’s book expected to be released in 2022

Meet & Greet VIP Package

• Premium seated ticket within the first 4 rows
• Preshow meet & greet with Don McLean
• Photo opportunity with Don McLean – all photos to be taken on customers own cameras
• Tour Tote Bag
• Official Bookazine
• Commemorative VIP Lanyard & Laminate
• Signed frameable 12inch American Pie album print

Gold VIP Package

• Premium seated ticket within the first 10 rows

All merchandise must be collected on the night of the show, you will receive an email with timings and information within 2 weeks of the event

• Date: Wed 28 Sep 2022
• Time: 7:30pm
• Sorry, this event has now passed and ticket sales are no longer available .
• HOSPITALITY OPTIONS
• Exclusive hospitality options available for this event with York Barbican. MORE INFORMATION
• EXTRA SHOW INFO

U14's Must Be Accompanied By An Adult.

Venue Doors: 6:30pm

Show Starts: 7:30pm

• Best Four-Album Run in Rock
• Rock Hall 2024 Roundtable
• Geoff Downes Revives Asia
• Experience Hendrix Tour 2024
• Walsh Returns to Epiphany Scene

Don McLean Announces 50th Anniversary ‘American Pie’ Tour

Don McLean has announced an extensive world tour for 2022, celebrating the 50th anniversary of his hit song " American Pie ."

McLean will launch the tour in January at Honolulu, Hawaii, and continue across North America before heading overseas for a leg of European shows. A complete list of tour dates is below.

“After spending the past 18 months at home, I am thrilled to be getting back on the road with my band,” McLean said in a statement. “2022 marks the 50th anniversary from when 'American Pie' landed at the No. 1 spot on the Billboard chart and we will be celebrating on tour all year long. We will be performing all the songs from the American Pie album, plus many of the other hits that fans will be expecting to hear.”

McLean's "American Pie," which runs eight-and-a-half minutes, lost its title as the longest song to top the charts. Taylor Swift is now the record holder with a new version of "All Too Well" that stretches more than 10 minutes. Swift sent McLean flowers after the news broke, writing in a note : "I will never forget that I'm standing on the shoulders of giants."

McLean called Swift "a beautiful person" with a "beautiful heart and charisma and great talent," in an interview with USA Today . "She’s been hugely famous for a decade or more, and all of a sudden has exploded into the force-of-nature realm. So it was fun for me to experience a little of that with this story."

McLean noted in the same interview that he never really anticipated "American Pie" to become as successful as it did. "It’s kind of become a folk song that everybody knows, which is what a folk song is," he said. "It’s always been the people’s choice. It was always a phenomenon, and it remains a phenomenon."

Tickets for the upcoming tour are available now .

Don McLean 2022 North American Dates:

Jan. 28-30 - Honolulu, HI @ Blue Note Hawaii Feb. 3 - Clear Lake, IA @ Surf Ballroom Feb. 5 - Grand Forks, ND @ Chester Fritz Auditorium Feb. 11 - The Villages, FL @ Sharon L. Morse Performing Arts Center Feb. 12 - Ponte Vedra Beach, FL @ Ponte Vedra Concert Hall Feb. 14-18 - Port Canaveral, FL @ Rock Legends Cruise Feb. 19 - Clearwater, FL @ Bilheimer Capitol Theatre Feb. 24 - Tucson, AZ @ Fox Tucson Theatre April 29 - Kansas City, MO @ Uptown Theater May 1 - Indianapolis, IN @ Clowes Memorial Hall May 7 - Toronto, Canada @ John W H Bassett Theatre May 12 - Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium May 13 - Atlanta, GA @ Atlanta Symphony Hall May 19 - St. Louis, MO @ Blanche M. Touhill Performing Arts Center May 20 - Springfield, MO @ Gillioz Theatre June 2 - Albany, NY @ The Egg June 3 - Boston, MA @ Shubert Theatre June 4 - New York, NY @ Town Hall June 11 - Baltimore, MD @ the Lyric June 12 - Tysons, VA @ Capital One Hall June 17 - Grand Rapids, MI @ DeVos Performance Hall June 18 - Milwaukee, WI @ The Pabst Theater June 24 - San Antonio, TX @ Tobin Center for the Performing Arts June 25 - Houston, TX @ Cullen Performance Hall June 26 - Austin, TX @ Paramount Theatre July 7 - Denver, CO @ Paramount Theatre July 8 - Grand Junction, CO @ the Avalon Theatre July 9 - Phoenix, AZ @ Orpheum Theatre

Don McLean 2022 European Dates:

Sept. 11 - Cardiff, U.K. @ St. Davids Sept. 13 - Ipswich, U.K. @ Ipswich Regent Theatre Sept. 14 - Birmingham, U.K. @ Symphony Hall Sept. 16 - Bath, U.K. @ The Forum Sept. 17 - Torquay, U.K. @ Princess Theatre Sept. 18 - Bournemouth, U.K. @ Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre Sept. 20 - Brighton, U.K. @ Brighton Dome Concert Hall Sept. 21 - Southend-on-sea, U.K. @ Cliffs Pavilion Sept. 23 - Manchester, U.K. @ Bridgewater Hall Sept. 24 - Gateshead, U.K. @ Sage Gateshead Sept. 25 - Glasgow, U.K. @ The Glasgow Royal Concert Hall Sept. 27 - Edinburgh, U.K. @ Usher Hall Sept. 28 - York, U.K. @ York Barbican Sept. 30 - Leicester, U.K. @ De Montfort Hall Oct. 1 - Sheffield, U.K. @ City Hall Oct. 2 - Liverpool, U.K. @ Liverpool Philharmonic Hall Oct. 4 - London, U.K. @ London Palladium Oct. 7 - Dublin, Ireland @ 3Arena Oct. 9 - Nijmegen, Netherlands @ Concertgebouw de Vereeniging Oct. 10 - Amsterdam, Netherlands @ Koninklijk Theater Carré Oct. 14 - Bergen, Norway @ Peer Gynt Salen Oct. 15 - Stavanger, Norway @ Stavanger Kuppelhallen Oct. 16 - Oslo, Norway @ Sentrum Scene Oct. 18 - Göteborg, Sweden @ Lorensbergsteatern Oct. 20 - Turku, Finland @ Logomo Oct. 21 - Helsinki, Finland @ Kulttuuritalo Oct. 23 - Stockholm, Sweden @ Göta Lejon Oct. 24 - Malmö, Sweden @ Palladium Oct. 25 - Greve, Denmark @ Portalen Oct. 27 - Hamburg, Germany @ Fabrik Oct. 28 - Neuruppin, Germany @ Kulturkirche Oct. 29 - Berlin, Germany @ Admiralspalast Nov. 1 - Antwerp, Belgium @ De Singel Nov. 11 - Munich, Germany @ Prinzregententheater Nov.13 - Linz, Austria @ Posthof

Top 100 Classic Rock Artists

More from ultimate classic rock.

The 50th anniversary of American Pie – Don McLean tour review

Sep 20, 2022 | Review Beat

“Another day above ground is a good day”…

REVIEW by Ian Woolley

So says the celebrated US singer/songwriter as he begins the European leg of his latest tour.

“Have I been to Bournemouth before?” asked Don earlier in the day when we met in the Pavilion Theatre in Dorset. I honestly couldn’t remember but I’m sure he must have played the town many times.

When you’ve played in so many places like Don has down the years, you can forgive the seventy-six year old the odd memory slip.

It was back in 1959 (so the story goes) that a young Don was delivering newspapers when he saw the headline ‘The Day The Music Died’ that screamed out from the cover in his cold hands.

Inside that small plane taking off from Clear Lake in Iowa were singers J.P.Richardson, Ritchie Valens, and of course Buddy Holly. Nobody survived and music was robbed of some of the brightest emerging Rock and Roll talents of the time.

Nowadays the music lives on and McLean is testimony to that when he penned American Pie some fifty years ago.

Covered by many artists down the years including Madonna in 2000 that gave her a No.1 – something that even the songwriter himself couldn’t achieve this side of the pond.

Wearing a vibrant blue shirt, jeans, and unkempt wavy hair, Don has always loved the relaxed look on stage.

Along with his 4-piece band, some of which have been with him for decades now, their eclectic set of blues, soul, rock ‘n’ roll, and pop bring some new material as well as those timeless classics. His keyboard player Don admits has been longer with him than his previous two wives – yes, Don has a wry sense of humour!

He mentions his love for Elvis too. The bluesy ‘ Treat Me Nice ‘ can be once again found on his latest album ‘ Still Playin’ Favourites ‘. It’s a track he clearly loves.

Although ‘ American Pie ‘ was his second album, he adds a few from his debut album ‘ Tapestry’ (released in 1970). ‘And I Love You So ‘ (which became a big hit for Perry Como), ‘ Tapestry ‘, and the warmly received ‘ Castles In The Air ‘ are all sung with a relaxed feel. His mellow simple guitar riffs complimented his soft-spoken words throughout the latter and of all the evening’s classics he’d go on to sing, this was the closest to the original version.

Up-tempo blues and rock and roll numbers included ‘ Outskirts Of Town’ , ‘ Truth and Fame’, and ‘ American Boys’ brought his band to life. Judging by Don’s smile, he enjoys mixing it up a bit.

As Don tells the crowd “I like to play you songs I like”.

From that celebrated 1971 album, ‘Crossroads ‘, ‘Winterwood’, and ‘ Vincent’  are his chosen tracks leaving American Pie for his last but one song. Few singers can end their own gig on a song that’s probably one of the best known in the World but Don is certainly one of those few. Every word is sung in complete harmony by young and old. Asking repeatedly for the house lights to be turned up to see his audience, it was only towards the end of the song when they finally obliged to reveal the standing ovation this song rightly deserved.

McLean at the Bournemouth Pavilion 2022 (photo credit Quiz Britain)

“As a songwriter, your songs are like your children, and you are hopeful everyone loves them as much as you do, but rarely is that the case. I am so grateful that songs I have written have touched so many lives and have been recorded by so many great artists,” said McLean.

“Today’s presentation has truly blown me away as I never realized the success that my songs have brought to these amazing people.”

Not many in the audience would have guessed his last number – Elvis’s Heartbreak Hotel and tonight there wasn’t to be an encore from McLean. Crying ‘ or ‘ Everyday ‘ (the latter a Buddy Holly classic) would have been well received and possibly expected but as Don mentioned during his show, every night is different.

Who knows if McLean will ever come back to the UK after this long exhausting tour as he hinted he may be doing other things. Only time will tell.

Supporting him on this tour is celebrated award-winning Roots/Americana Elles Bailey. The Bristol-based singer along with her guitarist Joe Wilkins played a six-song acoustic set that was well received including her new single Riding Out The Storm . Expect bigger things from this talented duo in the future.

For the record, Don never uses a set playlist and plays songs that come to mind. Songs that he thinks each audience will want to hear. Whilst the singer-songwriter is here to celebrate American Pie’s 50th anniversary of one of pop’s all-time great songs, you’d be a fool to miss this one.

Read the full interview Ian had with Don in the March 2022 issue of the Beat. Available to order online.

Remaining dates on the 50th ANNIVERSARY AMERICAN PIE Tour –

Wed Sep 21st – Southend-on-Sea, Friday, Sept 23rd – Manchester, Saturday, Sept 24th – Gateshead, Sunday, Sept 25th – Glasgow, Tues Sept 25th – Glasgow, Wed Sept 28th – York, Fri Sept 30th – Leicester, Sat Oct 1st – Sheffield, Sun Oct 2nd – Liverpool, Tues Oct 4th – London Palladium, Fri Oct 7th – Dublin.

Later dates in the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Germany, Belgium, and Austria (Nov 13th).

For more details on DON McLEAN . Visit his website at www.donmclean.com

Pin It on Pinterest

DON McLEAN Mr ‘American Pie’ announces UK Tour

DON McLEAN Mr ‘American Pie’ announces UK Tour to celebrate 50 years of his huge hit single and remarkable, enduring music career.

2021 marks the 50th Anniversary of Don McLean’s much loved American Pie album and in celebration, today Don announces his European tour which rolls into the UK Sept 22.

Don McLean 50 th  Anniversary of American Pie Tour  Tickets available via  https://donmclean.com

Tickets are on public sale from 24 th  September 2021.

The American Troubadour has had Top 20 singles worldwide with  American Pie, Vincent, Cryin, And I Love You So, Wonderful Baby, Since I Don’t Have you, It’s Just The Sun  &  If We Try  . Madonna, Drake and Garth Brooks are amongst many artists who have also recorded Don’s songs. He is an inductee of the Grammy Hall Of Fame, Songwriters Hall of Fame and is a recipient of a BBC Lifetime achievement award.  This year he was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, which can be found in front of The Pie Hole Bakery, between Hollywood and Vine.

ABOUT AMERICAN PIE

In 1971, Don McLean released  American Pie  as  a double-A single and it charted within a month.  Interest from the media and public sent the single to #1 in the U.S. and Don to international stardom.  Despite decades of attempted interpretations, Don has always remained enigmatic as to the songs meaning & the mystery remains to this day!

Now, 50 years later,  American Pie  resides in the Library of Congress National Recording Registry, joining less than 500 works including  Somewhere Over the Rainbow .  American   Pie   was named by the Recording Industry of America (RIAA) a top 5 song of the 20th Century. In 2002, the song was inducted into the GRAMMY® Hall of Fame. In 2015, McLean’s manuscript of the lyrics to  American Pie   were auctioned by Christies, selling for just over $1.2 Million. McLean has performed the song for numerous dignities including President Clinton at the Lincoln Memorial Gala in Washington D.C.

A New York native, Don McLean is one of the most revered and respected songwriters in American history. After paying his dues in the New York club scene in the late ‘60s, he went on to score mega-hits like  Vincent (Starry, Starry Night), Castles in the Air,  and many more. His song  And I Love You So  was the theme for Prince Harry and Megan Markle’s wedding.  American Pie  appears in the Avengers’  Black Widow  and the upcoming Tom Hanks movie  Finch . Next up for Mclean is a children’s book expected to be released in 2022.

DON McLEAN  UK TOUR DATES 2022 

Sunday 11/09/2022 Cardiff St Davids

Tuesday 13/09/2022 Ipswich Regent Theatre

Wednesday 14/09/2022 Birmingham Symphony Hall

Friday 16/09/2022 Bath Forum

Saturday 17/09/2022 Torquay Princess Theatre

Sunday 18/09/2022 Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre

Tuesday 20/09/2022 Brighton Dome

Wednesday 21/09/2022 Southend Cliffs Pavilion

Friday 23/09/2022 Manchester Bridgewater Hall

Saturday 24/09/2022 Gateshead Sage

Sunday 25/09/2022 Glasgow Royal Concert Hall

Tuesday 27/09/2022 Edinburgh Usher Hall

Wednesday 28/09/2022 York Barbican 

Friday 30/09/2022 Leicester De Montfort Hall

Saturday 01/10/2022 Sheffield City Hall

Sunday 02/10/2022 Liverpool Philharmonic Hall

Tuesday 04/10/2022 London Palladium

‘Twisted Tales’ is heading to Harrogate Theatre

‘Smoke’ the new single from Bull

Related posts.

New Kids on the Block Celebrate 35th Anniversary

St Vincent releases new single ‘Big Time Nothing’

CULTS return with dreamy new single ‘Crybaby’,

Natasha Bedingfield announces 20th anniversary of ‘Unwritten’

Deep Purple announce new album ‘=1’

Tiny Habits release new single ‘Wishes’

Write a comment.

You must be logged in to post a comment.

• Moscow concerts Moscow concerts Moscow concerts See all Moscow concerts ( Change location ) Today · Next 7 days · Next 30 days
• Most popular artists worldwide
• Trending artists worldwide

• Tourbox for artists

Search for events or artists

• Sign up Log in

• Get the app
• Moscow concerts
• Change location
• Popular Artists
• Live streams
• Popular artists

Don McLean tour dates 2024

Don McLean is currently touring across 1 country and has 7 upcoming concerts.

Their next tour date is at Bilheimer Capitol Theatre in Clearwater, after that they'll be at American Bank Center Selena Auditorium in Corpus Christi.

Currently touring across

Upcoming concerts (7) See nearest concert

Bilheimer Capitol Theatre

American Bank Center Selena Auditorium

Belly Up Tavern

The Canyon - Montclair

The Libbey Bowl

Silver Creek Event Center at Four Winds New Buffalo

Past concerts

Grand Ole Opry House

Gila River Resorts & Casinos - Wild Horse Pass

Blue Note Hawaii

View all past concerts

Recent tour reviews

I really enjoyed seeing one of my all-time favorite poets in RL (real life). I realize he's a songwriter but his lyrics are so beautiful and his voice and music and sensitivity made him very special to me. Even though people change in 40 years, I just love him always.

City Winery is an elegant venue and I met very enjoyable table-mates.

Report as inappropriate

This was my first.

I was surprised how well he can sing at his age of 74....

Surrounded by the similar generation crowd in a

very well cared Music Hall unlike the building looks from outside: I liked the cleanly cared bathroom- it was a very satisfying experience.

Though he looked tired but definitely he gave us the BEST he could as he said, "This could be the last". And audience gave the best, too.

PS: The guy who was selling the T-shirt and others told me that I could have his badge after the concert. But I did not bother him as he was very busy after the concert.....

I really liked that badge with Don Maclean's face.....

It's always great to see a bucket-list icon. I just wish I'd seen Don 45 years ago when he wasn't road-tired and could still hit the notes. That said, I'm glad he sang American Pie, Vincent and Crossroads. The blues segment provided an excellent opportunity to go to the restroom.

The Arlington Music Hall is a terrific venue.

• Most popular charts
• API information
• Brand guidelines
• Community guidelines
• Terms of use
• Privacy policy
• Cookies settings
• Cookies policy

Get your tour dates seen everywhere.

• But we really hope you love us.

Don McLean Announces 2022 American Pie 50TH Anniversary European Tour

• September 21, 2021, 11:33 pm

In the lyrics for Don McLean 's immortal mega-hit "American Pie" it says "…bye-bye, Miss American Pie…". But now it means "…hi hi, Mister American Pie…"! The creator of the probably biggest pop music evergreen is back. The hit celebrates its 50th anniversary this year and McLean will embark on a 35-date European tour in 2022.

As tragic as the backstory behind the song 'American Pie' is with the much too early death of the new rock'n'roll-hope Buddy Holly , the track is also magnificent and legendary. And 'American Pie' still goes to heart as soon as originator Don McLean plays this classic at his concerts. Still, it's worth remembering that the 76-year-old composer has written and sung numerous other melodic and harmonic successes in his decades-long career with "Vincent (Starry Starry Night)," "Castles in the Air," "And I Love You So," and "Cryin'," all of which will be heard and revel in along with newer pieces on the upcoming tour.

The eight-and-a-half-minute ballad "American Pie" has been making history since its release in 1971. Alongside songs by other icons such as Bing Crosby, Judy Garland, Woody Guthrie , and Aretha Franklin , McLean's composition was also voted "Song of the 20th Century" . Handwritten lyrics to the song were auctioned off for more than $1.2 million in 2015, and the composition was added to the Library Of Congress National Recording Registry two years later. Here, you'll only find a few selected evergreens, such as "Somewhere Over The Rainbow." So much for the cultural significance of Don McLean and his 1971 stroke of genius!

In addition to the depth of content and language and the melodic class, the century piece has other special features as well. The not only musically, but also business and legally trained New Yorker had the expression "American Pie" registered as a trademark at the time.

Over the years, the song has been covered again and again by music icons like Madonna and Garth Brooks. Rapper Drake repeatedly sampled McLean tunes and hip-hop icon Tupac Shakur also cited him as an important influence.

Accordingly, the complete discography of the legendary and still active singer/songwriter is also significant. Among other things, Don McLean has a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame and was inducted into the National Academy of Popular Music Songwriters' Hall Of Fame in 2004.

And he never gets tired of writing new songs and new stories. In 2018, the sound senior released his 19th studio album, "Botanical Gardens" which received rave reviews. Songs from it subsequently proved themselves live and will maybe even find their way into the setlist next year, alongside 'American Pie' and all the other feats from this decades-spanning and unparalleled composition and performance career.

UK Sunday 11/09/2022 Cardiff / St Davids Tuesday 13/09/2022 Ipswich / Regent Theatre Wednesday 14/09/2022 Birmingham / Symphony Hall Friday 16/09/2022 Bath / Forum Saturday 17/09/202 Torquay / Princess Theatre Sunday 18/09/2022 Bournemouth / Pavilion Theatre Tuesday 20/09/2022 Brighton Dome Wednesday 21/09/2022 Southend / Cliffs Pavilion Friday 23/09/2022 Manchester / Bridgewater Hall Saturday 24/09/2022 Gateshead / Sage Sunday 25/09/2022 Glasgow Royal / Concert Hall Tuesday 27/09/2022 Edinburgh / Usher Hall Wednesday 28/09/2022 York / Barbican Friday 30/09/2022 Leicester / De Montfort Hall Saturday 01/10/2022 Sheffield / City Hall Sunday 02/10/2022 Liverpool / Philharmonic Hall Tuesday 04/10/2022 London / Palladium Friday 07/10/2022 Dublin / 3 Arena   EUROPE Sunday 9/10/22 Nijmegen, Holland / De Vereeniging Monday 10/10/22 Amsterdam, Holland / Carre Theater Friday 14/10/22 Bergen, Norway / Peer Gynt Salen Saturday 15/10/22 Stavanger, Norway / Kuppelhallen Sunday 16/10/22 Oslo, Norway / Sentrum Scene Tuesday 18/10/22 Gothenburg, Sweden / Lorensbergsteatern Thursday 20/10/22 Turku, Finland / Logomo Friday 21/10/22 Helsinki, Finland / Kuulttuuritalo Sunday 23/10/22 Stockholm, Sweden / Gota Lejon Monday 24/10/22 Malmo, Sweden / Palladium Tuesday 25/10/22 Greve, Denmark / Portalen Thursday 27/10/22 Hamburg, Germany / Fabrik Friday 28/10/22 Neuruppin, Germany / Kulturkirche Saturday 29/10/22 Berlin, Germany / Admiralspalast Tuesday 01/11/22 Antwerp, Belgium / De Singel Saturday 12/11/22 Munich, Germany / Prinzregententheater Sunday 13/11/22 Linz, Austria / Posthof

For tickets and more information, visit www.donmclean.com .

More From LATF USA

Truth Bar To The Rescue: Healthy and Tasty

No Surprise Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce Are The Most Popular Celebrity Couple

2024 Beverly Hills Film Festival Announces Jury Members

Cannes Film Festival: Xavier Dolan To Serve As President of Un Certain Regard Jury

John Lennon’s Lost Help! Guitar Discovered After 50 Years

Los Angeles Proposes $950 million For Homeless Response

Mother’s Day Fragrance: Cœur Fou by Givenchy

Tom Brady Will Be Roasted Live and Kevin Hart Is In On It

Peter Frampton Among Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s Class of 2024

Imagine Dragons 6th Album and Tour Is Coming

Dionne Warwick Among Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Awardees

This Crystal Deodorant Is Long-Lasting

Rugby football club los angeles partners with bubble tea chatime, earth day started in the 1970s, here’s how you can help today.

“No gossip, just news.” The latest stories in entertainment and lifestyle, with exclusive celebrity interviews.

©LATF USA 2023

PODCAST | NOTABLE RELEASES | NEWS | REVIEWS | FEATURES

Don mclean announces initial us 2022 dates.

Posted by Buddy Iahn | Oct 19, 2021

Tour is in support of the 50th anniversary of “American Pie”

Don McLean is celebrating the 50th anniversary of his hit “American Pie” this year and will tour extensively in 2022 in support of it. The singer/songwriter has shared initial US tour dates that include stops in Hawaii, Iowa, North Dakota, Florida and Arizona.

While the trek kicks off in January with three shows in Honolulu, Hawaii, the first stop in the Lower 48 will be at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa, on “The Day The Music Died,” February 3, 2022. This historic night will honor Richie Valens, Buddy Holly, and The Big Bopper as it marks the 63rd anniversary of the 1950 plane crash that killed the American rock ‘n’ roll musicians. The date and venue were set as the kickoff to the American Pie 50th Anniversary World Tour in 2021 , but was postponed due to the pandemic.

Most can recite McLean’s hit single “American Pie” by heart, but not all know the meaning behind the song. This fatal day is known as the “The Day the Music Died” coined by McLean’s 1971 hit “American Pie,” written to honor the legacies of the early rock legends who lost their lives in the tragic plane crash.

The eight-and-a-half-minute ballad “American Pie” has been making history since its release in 1971. Alongside songs by other icons such as Bing Crosby, Judy Garland, Woody Guthrie, and Aretha Franklin, McLean’s composition was also voted “Song of the 20th Century.” Handwritten lyrics to the song were auctioned off for more than $1.2 million in 2015, and the composition was added to the Library Of Congress National Recording Registry two years later.

Over the years, the song has been covered again and again by music icons like Madonna and Garth Brooks. Rapper Drake repeatedly sampled McLean tunes and hip-hop icon Tupac Shakur also cited him as an important influence.

Last year, the legendary singer/songwriter teamed with award-winning a capella group Home Free for a remake of the song and subsequently released a music video that won three Telly Awards in 2021.

In August, McLean was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6314 Hollywood Boulevard in front of The Pie Hole restaurant at the corner of Hollywood and Vine.

Last month, European dates were announced for the 50th Anniversary American Pie World Tour 2022. The European leg kicks off September 11th in Cardiff with stops in Birmingham, Manchester, Glasglow, Liverpool, London, Dublin, Holland, Amsterdam, Stockholm, and more before wrapping November 13th in Linz, Austria.

More are expected soon.

Don McLean – 50th Anniversary American Pie World Tour 2022 US Tour:

January 28, 2022 – Honolulu, HI – Blue Note January 29, 2022 – Honolulu, HI – Blue Note January 30, 2022 – Honolulu, HI – Blue Note February 3, 2022 – Clear Lake, Iowa – Surf Ballroom February 5, 2022 – Grand Forks, ND – Chester Fritz Auditorium February 11, 2022 – The Villages, FL – Sharon L. Morse Performing Arts Center February 12, 2022 – Ponte Vedra Beach, FL – Ponte Vedra Concert Hall February 14 – 18, 2022 – Rock Legends Cruise February 19, 2022 – Clearwater, FL – Capitol Theatre February 24, 2022 – Tucson, AZ – Fox Theater

About The Author

Buddy Iahn founded The Music Universe when he decided to juxtapose his love of web design and music. As a lifelong drummer, he decided to take a hiatus from playing music to report it. The website began as a fun project in 2013 to one of the top independent news sites. Email: [email protected]

Related Posts

Bts unveil ‘bang bang con the live’ details.

June 2, 2020

Don McLean’s ‘American Pie’ doc gets physical release

June 15, 2023

My Morning Jacket announces summer tour

March 14, 2017

‘Grammy Salute to Legends’ announced for PBS

August 31, 2016

Recent Posts

• Cody Johnson throws out first pitch at Texas Rangers home game April 24, 2024
• John Lennon’s lost 1965 ‘Help’ guitar headed to auction April 24, 2024
• John Oates covers John Prine’s ‘Long Monday’ April 24, 2024
• Adam Doleac shares ‘Ain’t She’ video April 24, 2024
• Sebastian Bach reveals ‘(Hold On) to the Dream’ video April 24, 2024
• Gryffin shares ‘Magic’ featuring Babyidontlikeyou April 24, 2024
• Music of Crosby, Stills and Nash at Carnegie Hall adds more talent April 24, 2024
• Train unveils ‘Long Yellow Dress’ April 24, 2024
• ABC News announces Jon Bon Jovi special April 24, 2024
• Keith Richards’ guitar, George Harrison’s sitar to be auctioned April 24, 2024

Don McLean Announces Fall Tour Dates In Celebration Of 50th Anniversary Of "Vincent (Starry, Starry Night)"

Article contributed by 2911 media | published on sunday, august 20, 2023.

Grammy-award honoree, Songwriters Hall of Fame member, and BBC Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Don McLean will be bringing his 50th Anniversary Tour to a city near you! In 2022, McLean celebrated the 50th anniversary of one of the most iconic songs in history “American Pie,” and now in 2023, off that same album 50 years ago came “Vincent” (Starry, Starry Night).  McLean is set to entertain fans from coast-to-coast proving that “bye-bye, Miss American Pie” will forever remain a classic staple in music.

Still, it’s worth remembering that the 77-year-old composer has written and sung numerous other melodic and harmonic successes in his decades-long career with “Castles in the Air,” “And I Love You So,” and “Cryin’,” all of which will be heard and reveled in along with newer pieces on the upcoming tour.

Upcoming Fall Tour Dates include :

Thu, Aug 24 - Oakland, CA - Yoshi’s Oakland Fri, Aug 25 - Fresno, CA - Tower Theatre Thu, Aug 31 - Flint, MI - Capitol Theatre Fri, Sep 01 - St Charles, IL - Arcada Theatre Sat, Sep 02 - Muncie, IN - Canan Commons Park Sat, Sep 09 - Beverly Hills, CA - Saban Theatre Sun, Sep 10 - Solana Beach, CA - Belly Up (SOLD OUT) Fri, Sep 15 - San Juan Capistrano, CA - Coach House Sat, Sep 16 - Ojai, CA - Libbey Bowl Sun, Sep 17 - Arroyo Grande, CA - Clark Center Sat, Sep 23 - Ocean City, MD - Ocean City PAC Fri, Sep 29 - Eau Claire, WI - RCU Theatre – The Pablo Center at the Confluence Thur, Oct 05 - Parker, CO - PACE Center Sat, Oct 07 - Hamilton, MT - Hamilton PAC Fri, Oct 13 - Rutland, VT - Paramount Theatre Sat, Oct 14 - Concord, NH - Chubb Theatre Thu, Oct 19 - Florence, SC - Francis Marion University PAC Fri, Oct 27 - Ridgefield, CT - Ridgefield Playhouse Sat, Oct 28 - Union, NJ - Kean University – Wilkins Theatre Sat, Nov 04 - Phoenix, AZ - Musical Instrument Museum (SOLD OUT) Sun, Nov 05 - Phoenix, AZ - Musical Instrument Museum (SOLD OUT) Fri, Nov 10 - Pittsburgh, PA - Carnegie Music Hall of Homestead Sat, Nov 11 - Warren, PA - Struthers Library Theatre Fri, Nov 17 - Minneapolis, MN - Dakota Sat & Sun, Dec 02 & 03 - Honolulu, HI - Blue Note Hawaii

The eight-and-a-half-minute ballad “American Pie” has been making history since its release in 1971. Alongside songs by other icons such as Bing Crosby, Judy Garland, Woody Guthrie, and Aretha Franklin, McLean’s composition was also voted “Song of the 20th Century”. Handwritten lyrics to the song were auctioned off for more than $1.2 million in 2015, and the composition was added to the Library Of Congress National Recording Registry two years later. Here, you’ll only find a few selected evergreens, such as “Somewhere Over The Rainbow”. So much for the cultural significance of Don McLean and his 1971 stroke of genius!

Over the years, the song has been covered again and again by music icons like Madonna and Garth Brooks. Rapper Drake repeatedly sampled McLean's tunes and hip-hop icon Tupac Shakur also cited him as an important influence.

The legendary and still active singer/songwriter has had a significant career selling over 50 million albums worldwide. Among other things, Don McLean has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, was a 2022 inductee into the Musicians Hall of Fame, received a star on the Las Vegas Walk of Fame, and was recently the focus of a Paramount+ documentary 'The Day The Music Died.' There's no slowing down for this troubadour!

LATEST ARTICLES

Be A Part Of The Grateful Web

Check us out on facebook.

Grateful Web

Progressive jam giants Umphrey's McGee‘s return to Las Vegas for the seventh installment of the massively popular UMBowl production was marked once again by a stand-out tour closing dual evening extravaganza where all stops were pulled out and the power given directly to the fans, for better or for worse.

On June 24, Round Records & ATO Records will release GarciaLive Volume Six: July 5, 1973 – Jerry Garcia & Merl Saunders, the latest installment of the celebrated GarciaLive archival series. The three-CD set was recorded at the 200 capacity Lion’s Share club formerly located in the small town of San Anselmo, CA, just 20 miles north of San Francisco. The performance features Jerry Garcia performing with friend, mentor and legendary keyboardist/vocalist Merl Saunders. The duo is joined by drummer Bill Vitt and bassist John Kahn, who soon became a lifelong Garcia collaborator.

COPYRIGHT © 1995 - 2024 GRATEFUL WEB, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Sat, Oct 28, 2023

- Sat, Oct 28, 2023

• Wilkins Theatre

Grammy award honoree, Songwriters Hall of Fame member, and BBC Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Don McLean is set to embark on his 2023 American Pie 50th Anniversary Tour with 20 additional cities throughout the United States and Canada. Celebrating the 50th anniversary of one of the most iconic songs and album ever this year. “After spending the past 18 months at home, I am thrilled to be getting back on the road with my band,” says Don McLean. “2022 marks the 50th anniversary from when American Pie landed at the #1 spot on the Billboard chart and we will be celebrating on tour all year long. We will be performing all the songs from the American Pie album plus many of the other hits that fans will be expecting to hear.” As tragic as the backstory behind the song “American Pie” is with the much too early death of the new rock’n’roll-hope Buddy Holly, the track is also magnificent and legendary. The eight-and-a-half-minute ballad “American Pie” has been making history since its release in 1971. McLean’s composition was also voted “Song of the 20th Century”. Handwritten lyrics to the song were auctioned off for more than $1.2 million in 2015, and the composition was added to the Library Of Congress National Recording Registry two years later. Among other things, Don McLean has a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame and was inducted into the National Academy of Popular Music Songwriters’ Hall Of Fame in 2004.

Represented by

Agency for the Performing Arts (APA)

RECENT POSTS

Mike pinder, moody blues’ founding member and innovative mellotron player, dies, rock and roll hall of fame: 100 crucial omissions, david gilmour announces ‘luck and strange,’ first new studio album since 2015, john mayall is subject of 35-cd early years box set.

• How Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders Led to 10cc: A Groovy Kind of Story
• New Album Captures the Doors Live in Sweden: Review
• Top-Selling Albums of 1981: Rock Still Reigned
• Paul McCartney & Wings’ 1974 ‘One Hand Clapping’ Live Album to Finally Get Official Release
• Experience Hendrix Tour Returning in 2024 With All-Star Lineup
• Johnny Cash Newly Discovered 1993 Album, ‘Songwriter,’ Coming
• Asia, Focus Announce ‘Heat of the Moment’ 2024 Tour
• A New Riders of the Purple Sage Concert Set from 1976: Review
• Huey Lewis Musical, ‘Heart of Rock & Roll,’ on Broadway: Reviews
• Doobie Brothers Add Dates to 2024 Tour With Steve Winwood
• J. Geils Band’s ‘Live—Blow Your Face Out’ Revisited
• 13 Times When Glen Campbell Rocked
• Ozzy Osbourne: A Publicity Insider’s Confessions
• Rock Hall Class of 2024 Led By Frampton, Foreigner, Ozzy, Buffett
• Pink Floyd ‘Dark Side of the Moon’: 45 Million Sales. 1 Week at #1
• ‘Field of Dreams’: ‘Hey, Dad, You Wanna Have a Catch?’

LATEST REVIEWS

• Supertramp’s ‘Breakfast in America’
• Bob Seger – Final Tour
• Janis Joplin Biography Review
• CSNY’s ‘Deja Vu’
• Rolling Stones – 2019 Concert Review
• Eric Clapton Celebrates at MSG
• Roger Waters ‘Us + Them’ Tour
• Warren Zevon’s ‘Excitable Boy’
• Tom Petty 40th Anniversary Concert
• 1971: Year That Rock Exploded – Book
• Steppenwolf’s Debut: Heavy Metal Thunder
• ‘Who’s Next’ – Album Rewind
• Privacy Policy

Don McLean Keeps Fans Guessing at Pair of 2023 Shows

Don McLean live in California, September 2023 (Photo: Thomas K. Arnold; used with permission)

“American Pie” is at once Don McLean’s greatest blessing and most horrendous curse. A blessing because it catapulted him to stardom in the early 1970s, and at the same time became one of the most iconic songs of the post-Woodstock pop era, a lament to the loss of innocence and wide-eyed wonder that young people everywhere had in common with the early rock ’n’ roll immortalized (and mourned) in that song.

And a curse, because like Michael Jackson’s Thriller , anything else he could ever do, no matter how good or how successful, would pale in comparison to that famous ode to “the day the music died.”

There was no question that the sold-out audiences at McLean’ s two recent Southern California shows—Sept. 9 at the Belly Up Tavern in Solana Beach, and Sept. 15 at the Coach House in San Juan Capistrano—were eager to hear “American Pie,” even though a fair number of fans at both concerts were less than half the age of that song.

Watch McLean perform “American Pie” in Australia in early 2023

This was not lost on McLean, who at the Coach House sang and strummed the opening verse on two occasions before abruptly breaking off and telling the audience, with a grin, “No, no, not yet. I’ve got a few other songs before we get to the big one.”

Those other songs included his own trilogy of hits: the folksy “Castles in the Air,” from his 1970 debut LP, Tapestry ; “Vincent,” the beautifully melodic salute to painter Vincent Van Gogh, off the 1971 American Pie album; and a cover of Roy Orbison’s “Crying,” which was released in 1978 but didn’t top the U.S. pop charts until 1981.

Related: The true story behind “American Pie”

Orbison himself is said to have praised McLean’s vocal performance on “Crying,” which critic Dave Marsh once called a “rock bolero,” but at 77 McLean’s voice has clearly lost a fair amount of range and dexterity. This also was evident when he sang “Vincent” as well as “And I Love You So,” another song off his first album that became a huge hit for Perry Como in 1973.

Watch McLean sing “Crossroads” and “Vincent” at the Coach House on Sept. 15

And yet McLean’s voice also has grown more expressive over the years. Backed by a truly incredible five-piece band, his version of Johnny Cash’s “Folsom Prison Blues” was a marvel; with his dark glasses, black shirt and bolo tie, McLean not only sounded like the Man in Black, he also looked like him.

The most appropriate cover was of the rock ’n’ roll classic “Fool’s Paradise,” a hit for Buddy Holly in 1958 that McLean first covered on his 1973 album, Playin’ Favorites . The day the music died, after all, refers to February 3, 1959, plane crash that killed Holly along with Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper. It was considered a dark day for music because with Elvis in the Army, the rock ’n’ roll hit parade was dominated by lightweight pretty boys such as Fabian and Paul Anka until the Beatles-led British Invasion began in 1964.

An interesting point about McLean’s two concerts is that neither one had a set list, those photocopied sheets of paper with song titles you routinely see taped to the stage floor at concerts. McLean answered the unspoken question swirling around my head when he told the audience at the Coach House, “I never know what I’m going to play. I have no set list, which is why one night might be completely different from the next.”

Accordingly, “Castles in the Air” and “And I Love You So,” which he had performed at the Belly Up show, were conspicuously absent at the Coach House performance, supplanted by the infectious “Dreidel,” a near hit from his eponymous 1972 follow-up to the American Pie album, and the reflective “Jerusalem,” a song he wrote in the late 1970s, while dating an Israeli woman, at the personal request of Jerusalem’s mayor.

Two songs that made it into both repertoires were new ones: “Botanical Gardens,” off an album of the same name that McLean recorded for BMG in 2018, and “American Boys,” which is scheduled to appear on his next record. Both have the same melodic sensibility infused into all of McLean’s songs by his love for the standards, while “Botanical Gardens” reflects his love of blues and folk and “American Boys,” his affinity for early rock ’n’ roll.

Don McLean live in Southern California, September 2023 (Photo: Thomas K. Arnold; used with permission)

McLean, born Oct. 2, 1945, accurately pointed out that unlike other singer-songwriters who emerged in the late 1960s and early 1970s, such as James Taylor and Jackson Browne, “I never write the same song twice.” He’s got a point: his fellow troubadours all have a signature sound, or style, while McLean lacks that uniformity—just listen to “American Pie,” “Vincent” and “Castles in the Air,” one right after the other.

Maybe that’s why he never enjoyed a sustained hit streak like Taylor, Browne and many others. Fans tend to like familiarity, and if you listen to McLean’s 20 studio albums the songs are all over the place.

But no matter: Don McLean stands apart from everyone, if for no other reason than that there’s never been another song quite like “American Pie,” the musical equivalent of a Cecil B. DeMille epic that captures not just a bite out of life, but a generous slice.

Not surprisingly, “American Pie” was saved for the end of McLean’s 90-minute set on both nights, and his live versions were even longer than the eight-minute-plus single. Indeed, after the song was done he started up again, twice, from the “long, long time ago” beginning, as the audience rose to their feet and almost drowned him out with their singing, clapping and foot-stomping.

From “American Pie”: “I knew if I had my chance/That I could make those people dance. And maybe they’d be happy for a while…”

He did, and they were.

Watch McLean sing “Crying” at a European show in 2022

Tickets to see McLean are available here and here .

• Latest Posts

• Denny Laine: The Bittersweet Benefit Concert—Review - 12/06/2023
• Gary Puckett Brings His Union Gap Hits to Vegas: Concert Review - 11/26/2023
• The Zombies Mesmerize Young and Old Fans Alike at California Show - 10/18/2023

Stories We Want You to Read

1 Comment so far

Well, God bless him still going at 77 and for those of us who grew up back then American pie will forever be embedded in our memories. It’s just that good.

Click here to cancel reply.

Your data will be safe! Your e-mail address will not be published. Also other data will not be shared with third person.

Comment * -->

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Loading, Please Wait!

‘American Pie’ Hit Maker Don McLean Announces New Album & 2024 Tour

I t’s been over 50 years since Don McLean’s “American Pie” became one of the most memorable songs to hit the airwaves. Finally, McLean made his debut on March 9 at Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry , one of country music’s most revered venues.

“I have always been a fan of the Grand Ole Opry and country & western music,” McLean says. “Growing up, I would watch cowboy movies and listen to Gene Autry and Roy Rogers. My career has taken me all over the world, and now, it is taking me to the Grand Ole Opry.” Also performing at the Opry that night were The Oak Ridge Boys, Old Crow Medicine Show, Gary Mule Deer, Adam Wainwright and many more.

Now McLean is pleased to announce his newest single and upcoming album. His new single “The Gypsy Road” has already been released ahead of the full album’s release on May 17, 2024. McLean shared in a press release, “‘The Gypsy Road’ is a song that is so easy to sing. I felt like I could totally control it with my voice. The idea is like an old hobo song, “Danville Girl,” about a hobo who is loved by a sweet woman, but it only makes him think of hitting the road.”

In addition to 1971’s “American Pie,” McLean’s Top 20 singles include “Vincent (Starry, Starry Night),” “Castles in the Air,” “Cryin’,” “And I Love You So,” “Wonderful Baby,” “Since I Don’t Have You,” “It’s Just The Sun” and “If We Try.”

In 2002, “American Pie” was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, and McLean was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2004.

Following his Grand Ole Opry performance, McLean’s 2024 tour goes aboard the ’70s Rock & Romance Cruise .

Other Tour Dates Include

April 27 – Riviera Theatre, North Tonawanda, N.Y.

May 4 – Pollak Theatre, West Long Branch, N.J.

May 11 – Bilheimer Capitol Theatre, Clearwater, Fla.

May 18 – T. Furth Center for the Performing Arts, Angola, Ind.

June 9 – Tower Theatre, Bend, Ore.

June 14 – Boot Barn Hall of Bourbon Brothers, Colorado Springs, Colo.

June 29 – Vienna Freedom Festival, Vienna, Va.

July 13 – American Bank Center Selena Auditorium, Corpus Christi, Texas

July 20 – Boot Barn Hall, Gainesville, Ga.

July 28 – Belly Up, Solana Beach, Calif.

Aug 9 – The Canyon, Montclair, Calif.

Aug 10 – Libbey Bowl, Ojai, Calif.

Sep 4 – Wachholz College Center, Kalispell, MT

Nov 1 – Grand Theater, Wausau, Wisc.

Nov 9 – Silver Creek Event Center at Four Winds Casino, New Buffalo, Mich.

Nov 30 – The Parker, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Dec 6 – Tarrytown Music Hall, Tarrytown, N.Y.

Dec 7 – Landsdowne Theater, Lansdowne, Pa.

Dec 13 – The Birchmere, Alexandria, Va.

Dec 20 – Hawaii Theatre, Honolulu, Hawaii

Click here for ticket info.

FEATURED VIDEO

Don McLean’s New Album, American Boys, Will Be Released On May 17th And Is Available For Pre-Order Today!

NEW YORK, N.Y. - Grammy-award honoree, Songwriters Hall of Fame member, and BBC Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Don McLean is excited to announce his next studio album, American Boys, which will be released on May 17th by BFD/Audium Nashville and...

Don McLean To Make Grand Ole Opry Debut Saturday, March 9th

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Grammy-award honoree, Songwriters Hall of Fame member, and BBC Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Don McLean will make his Grand Ole Opry debut on Saturday, March 9th, stepping into the sacred circle after nearly six...

JOIN THE LIST

• American Pie

Don McLean Marks 60th Year in Music with Grand Ole Opry Debut, Reveals 2024 Tour

by Tina Benitez-Eves February 28, 2024, 3:08 pm

Marking his 60th year as a performer, and kicking off his 2024 U.S. tour, Don McLean  will make his Grand Ole Opry debut on Saturday, March 9, 2024. “I have always been a fan of the Grand Ole Opry and country and western music,” said McLean in a statement. “Growing up, I would watch cowboy movies and listen to Gene Autry and Roy Rogers. My career has taken me all over the world, and now, it is taking me to the Grand Ole Opry.” McLean’s performance may pull from a career highlighted by top 20 hits, including “Castles In The Air,” “Cryin’,” “And I Love You So,” “Wonderful Baby,” “ Vincent (Starry, Starry Night) ,” “Since I Don’t Have You,” “It’s Just The Sun,” and “If We Try,” along with his classic “ American Pie ” from 1971. Joining McLean on March 9 are Opry members The Oak Ridge Boys, Old Crow Medicine Show, and Gary Mule Deer, along with Adam Wainwright, and more.

Videos by American Songwriter

[RELATED: From the ‘King,’ ‘Girl Who Sang the Blues’ and More : 13 ‘American Pie’ Song References Revealed by Don McLean]

Following his Opry debut, McLean is set to release his new album American Boys , out May 17, featuring a collection of 13 new songs including “The Ballad of George Floyd,” which centers around the murder of Floyd by a white police officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 2020.

Much like McLean’s  American Pie  and its nostalgic shift of music from the ’50s through the ’60s, along with his subsequent releases confronting other socio-political flaws within America,  American Boys  also examines the severedness within the country, its injustices, inequality, and more. “I’m a songwriter, and I don’t just write about love,” McLean told American Songwriter in 2023. “I write about poverty, ‘Orphans of Wealth.’ I write songs about cities, ‘Magdalene Lane,’ and people like George Reeves [‘Superman’s Ghost]’ and war in ‘1967.’ I like to write about important things that are happening to people rather than just be an entertainer, which I also am, but I want to mix it all up.” McLean adds “I don’t want to be some pain in the ass with a million opinions who gets on stage and philosophizes, but I will say a little something then sing a tune or two. Part of what I like to do is add to that dimension.”

In 2023, McLean also released his third holiday album, Christmas Memories: Remixed and Remastered , a collection of 12 previously recorded songs with new arrangements. This spring, McLean will kick off a year-long tour throughout the U.S. starting with a week-long run on the 70s Rock and Romance Cruise in Miami, Florida, from March 14 through 21 and crossing the country before wrapping up on Honolulu, Hawaii on December 20.

Don McLean 2024 Tour Dates:

March 9 – The Grand Ole Opry / Nashville, Tenn.  14 – 70’s Rock and Romance Cruise / Miami, Fla. 15 – 70’s Rock and Romance Cruise / Miami, Fla. 16 – 70’s Rock and Romance Cruise / Miami, Fla. 17 – 70’s Rock and Romance Cruise / Miami, Fla. 18 – 70’s Rock and Romance Cruise / Miami, Fla. 19 – 70’s Rock and Romance Cruise / Miami, Fla. 20 – 70’s Rock and Romance Cruise / Miami, Fla. 21 – 70’s Rock and Romance Cruise / Miami, Fla. April 6 – Rivers Casino Des Plaines / Des Plaines, Ill. 27 – Riviera Theatre / North Tonawanda, N.Y. May 4 – Pollak Theatre / West Long Branch, N.J. 11 – Bilheimer Capitol Theatre / Clearwater, Fla. 18 – T. Furth Center for the Performing Arts / Angola, Ind. June 9 – Tower Theatre / Bend, Ore. 14 – Boot Barn Hall of Bourbon Brothers / Colorado Springs, Colo. 29 – Vienna Freedom Festival / Vienna, Va. July 13 – American Bank Center Selena Auditorium / Corpus Christi, Texas 20 – Boot Barn Hall / Gainesville, Ga. 28 – Belly Up / Solana Beach, Calif. August 9 – The Canyon / Montclair, Calif. 10 – Libbey Bowl / Ojai, Calif. September 4 – Wachholz College Center / Kalispell, MT November 1 – Grand Theater / Wausau, Wisc. 9 – Silver Creek Event Center at Four Winds Casino / New Buffalo, Mich. 30 – The Parker / Fort Lauderdale, Fla. December 6 – Tarrytown Music Hall / Tarrytown, N.Y. 7 – Landsdowne Theater / Lansdowne, Pa. 13 – The Birchmere / Alexandria, Va. 20 – Hawaii Theatre / Honolulu, Hawaii

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Photo: Emma McIntyre/Getty Images

Remember When: Taylor Hawkins Was Alanis Morissette’s Drummer

© 2024 American Songwriter