Don McLean
Donald McLean III /məˈkleɪn/ (born October 2, 1945) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. Known to fans as the "American Troubadour" or "King of the Trail", he is best known for his 1971 hit song "American Pie", an eight-and-a-half-minute folk rock "cultural touchstone" about the loss of innocence of the early rock and roll generation. His other hit singles include "Vincent" (about Vincent van Gogh), "Dreidel", and "Wonderful Baby"; as well as his renditions of Roy Orbison's "Crying" and the Skyliners' "Since I Don't Have You".
Don McLean | |
|---|---|
McLean performing at Sage Gateshead in May 2018 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Donald McLean III |
| Born | October 2, 1945 New Rochelle, New York, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter |
| Instrument(s) |
|
| Years active | 1964–present |
| Labels | |
| Website | don-mclean |
McLean's song "And I Love You So" has been recorded by Elvis Presley, Perry Como, Helen Reddy, Glen Campbell, and others. In 2000, Madonna had a hit with a rendition of "American Pie".
In 2004, McLean was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. In January 2018, BMI certified that "American Pie" had reached five million airplays and "Vincent" three million.