Legendary Don McLean for two Galway shows

Legendary singer-songwriter Don McLean will be in Leisureland on Friday and Saturday, June 8 and 9, as part of a 32-concert tour of Ireland and the UK to celebrate the release of his new album Botanical Gardens. His 19th studio album and first in eight years, is one of McLean’ most reflective to date.

The US singer whose hits include American Pie, Vincent, And I Love You So and Castles in the Air, not to mention his version of The Mountains of Mourne, is one of the most enduring stars in the business, having first come to prominence nearly 50 years ago following a free performance for another legend, Pete Seeger, in support of Seeger’s efforts to clean up New York’s Hudson River. Songs written during that 1969 campaign formed part of McLean’s debut album, Tapestry. Although it wasn’t initially a hit for him, the record included And I Love You So, which became a massive success for Perry Como. McLean’s second album American Pie, which was released in 1971, included the catchy title track. American Pie was Number One for seven weeks and his debut LP was reissued and charted, following its success.

The singles, Vincent and Castles In The Air from American Pie were international hits and Vincent was played daily in the entrance to the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam.

Since then, Don McLean who is now 72, he has continued to have a stellar career. Madonna’s version of American Pie was an international hit in 1999 and Weird Al Yankovic rewrote it as The Saga Begins to send up Star Wars.

American Pie was named the fifth greatest song of the 20th Century by the Recording Industry Association of America (in a group with Over The Rainbow, White Christmas, This Land Is My Land and Respect) and finally, in 2002, the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.