Don McLean

McLean is best known for his 1971 hit "American Pie," an eight-and-a-half-minute folk rock song that has been referred to as a "cultural touchstone."

McLean recorded his first album, “Tapestry”, in Berkeley, CA in 1969. The student riots were going on outside the studio door as Don was singing “And I Love You So” inside. The album succeeded in transforming him from an unknown to an underground sensation. FM radio loved the “Tapestry” album and McLean quickly became a headliner in nightclubs and colleges across the country.

The transition to international stardom began in 1971 with the release of "American Pie.” The song received its first radio airplay on New York's WNEW-FM and WPLJ-FM to mark the closing of The Fillmore East, the historic rock and roll concert venue.

Thirty years later, “American Pie” was voted number 5 in a poll of the 365 “Songs of the Century” compiled by the Recording Industry Association of America and the National Endowment for the Arts. The song has been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame and the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry, joining less than 500 works.

McLean continues to receive honors for his musical discography. Throughout his career, artists – including Garth Brooks, Madonna, Drake, Josh Groban, Weird Al Yankovic, and others – have recorded songs written by the Songwriter Hall of Fame member. In October 2019, McLean was bestowed with plaques certified by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for gold, platinum, and multi-platinum sales in the United States.