The Roots of an American Icon
One of the most enduring American singers-songwriters, Donald McLean III was born on October 2, 1945, to a family with Scottish roots. Both his father and grandfather were named Donald McLean, and his mother’s side of the family had roots in Abruzzo, Italy. His early musical influences included Buddy Holly and Frank Sinatra, but as a teenager, McLean became particularly interested in folk music. His love of music flourished in high-school. McLean bought his first guitar at the age of 16 and even started making contacts in the music business. This was when he made friends with Fred Hellerman of the Weavers and singer Erik Darling.
Photo of Don McLean Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
After his father died when McLean was 15, he was going to Villanova University but dropped out after four months to focus on his musical career. He met Herb Gart, who became his manager for almost two decades, and started to perform at various events across the country. He Released his first album, “Tapestry,” in October 1970, but had it was rejected 72 times before “Mediarts,” a new label, agreed to release it. Even though the album received good reviews, it was not a commercial success. McLean had his major break with the release of his second album, “American Pie,” which made him an international star and remained on the charts for over two years after its release.