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  #16  
Old 03-28-2019, 11:24 AM
tippy5 tippy5 is offline
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Originally Posted by KCharlesD View Post
Chris, was his Albert Hall concert recorded for TV broadcast? I was 11 years old and remember seeing Don McLean in concert on the small black and white TV at my Grandma's house. I had a major impact on me. I knew and loved 'American Pie' and 'Vincent' but I was greatly impacted by him playing banjo and singing 'Babylon'. I've never seen anyone else hold an audience like that. This was on a small black and white TV.
https://youtu.be/AL8tzx0CQVg?t=166
Enjoyed this. Thanks for sharing your original spark.

This is a great tune I just stumbled on. I love singer songwriter solo music!
Don singing and playing perfectly underneath. If We Try :https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2n_vqwRCI34

Last edited by tippy5; 03-28-2019 at 11:37 AM.
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  #17  
Old 03-28-2019, 11:32 AM
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He is on tour right now so I would highly recommend if he comes to your town. He is in fine voice and has a great sense of humor.
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  #18  
Old 03-28-2019, 12:45 PM
hilts hilts is offline
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Originally Posted by Misifus View Post
So far as the question of “What has he done lately?” I think that’s irrelevant. How many songwriters have produced songs like “American Pie” and “Starry, Starry Night” ? He has done wonderfully, whether he ever does so again or not.
So many people are convinced the song title is "Starry, Starry Night". It's actual title is "Vincent".
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  #19  
Old 03-29-2019, 04:01 AM
rodmeister rodmeister is offline
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I saw Don McLean perform last weekend, March 23 at the Saban Theater, Beverly Hills. His voice was stronger than a previous concert several years ago, when his voice was limited and a bit reedy, which I think was due to being rusty since he had just returned to touring after his divorce.

This time, after extensive touring, his voice was warm and relaxed, with a nice vibrato which had been missing from his previous appearance. His voice range was improved, hitting all but the very highest notes - not bad for a 73 year old. I can't help but wonder if he's rededicated himself to his music because he needs the money after his $10 million settlement. Don and his band interacted smoothly and effortlessly the result of their many hours playing together.

I was often distracted away from McLean by Vip Viperman, his band guitarist, playing nicely contrasting guitar licks on his Stratocaster with his perfect 1960's/1970's sound. He looked old and creaky, as did the drummer, but his practiced hands showed his years of experience.

McLean's rendition of "Vincent" was weak and unconvincing, but he sang an extra slow "And I Love You So" with such honest emotional intensity, it brought tears to my eyes.

Of course, the climax of the show was "American Pie" with Don urging the audience to sing along.
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  #20  
Old 03-29-2019, 09:08 PM
51 Relic 51 Relic is offline
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Default Don McLean at Grammy Museum

One of my main reasons I play the acoustic guitar . And I Love You So has to be my favourite song . His greatest hits album gets played more than any other music in our house
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  #21  
Old 04-11-2019, 02:37 PM
KCharlesD KCharlesD is offline
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Originally Posted by tippy5 View Post
https://youtu.be/AL8tzx0CQVg?t=166
Enjoyed this. Thanks for sharing your original spark.

This is a great tune I just stumbled on. I love singer songwriter solo music!
Don singing and playing perfectly underneath. If We Try :https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2n_vqwRCI34
Thank you so much for sharing this, Tippy... That performance of If We Try and Empty Chairs has to be close to perfection. Don McLean has an interesting mix of traditional (Sinatra era) songwriting and folk/pop in his songwriting and in his solo renditions the picking is completely woven into the songs. Blows me away now, just as when I was a kid. Clearly his music is so deeply felt.
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  #22  
Old 04-11-2019, 03:15 PM
DesertTwang DesertTwang is offline
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Originally Posted by Blueser100 View Post

My only disappointment was that he didn't engage with people much, and when I walked up to hand him my CD cover book, he didn't look at me at all or say anything in response to something I said to him. He sang to himself while signing and then looked around to see where his girlfriend was sitting. Perhaps he is shy . . . that might explain why he insisted on wearing dark glasses during the event.
LOL. Perhaps that also explains why he was a two-hit wonder? "American Pie" and "Vincent" is pretty much all he did, no? (both great songs, no doubt)
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  #23  
Old 04-11-2019, 03:22 PM
weisser weisser is offline
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Originally Posted by Blueser100 View Post
Saw him last night for a wonderful Q & A and song in the intimate Clive Davis Theatre. He's got great stories about the old days, Pete Seeger, the Weevers, making American Pie, and lessons learned being in the music business. They gave out copies of his new CD "Botannical Gardens" and he hung around afterwards to sign them for us.

My only disappointment was that he didn't engage with people much, and when I walked up to hand him my CD cover book, he didn't look at me at all or say anything in response to something I said to him. He sang to himself while signing and then looked around to see where his girlfriend was sitting. Perhaps he is shy . . . that might explain why he insisted on wearing dark glasses during the event.

All in all, it was a wonderful experience and I'm glad I went.
I met him while I was working at Mandolin Brothers about ten years ago. He bought a very nice expensive vintage Martin. We were talking and he said that he had dozens of wonderful guitars and didn't really need another one. He wanted to buy this Martin (I don't remember what it was but it wasn't a dread) because he wanted to keep it out of the hands of foreign collectors. He said he would pass it on to one of his kids. I was very impressed with that. He also said that "American Pie" royalties enabled spur of the moment purchases.

He was quite hard of hearing at that time.....maybe that was the reason he didn't respond to you.
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  #24  
Old 04-11-2019, 04:25 PM
Denny B Denny B is offline
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Originally Posted by DesertTwang View Post
LOL. Perhaps that also explains why he was a two-hit wonder? "American Pie" and "Vincent" is pretty much all he did, no? (both great songs, no doubt)


I think if you asked the average person, those would probably be the only two they'd be familiar with...I remember he had "And I Love You So" on his first LP, but I think the well known version of that one was Perry Como's on the easy listening charts...

I've always liked Don well enough, but not enough to ever buy his recordings or go out of my way to see him live...
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  #25  
Old 04-12-2019, 05:58 AM
rokdog49 rokdog49 is offline
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The two songs he is most recognized for are so extraordinary that it doesn't matter if he ever writes anything worthwhile again. I would delight in writing a song even 1/10 th as good as either.
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  #26  
Old 04-12-2019, 09:19 AM
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The two songs he is most recognized for are so extraordinary that it doesn't matter if he ever writes anything worthwhile again. I would delight in writing a song even 1/10 th as good as either.


Yes and he plays “Vincent” as the encore. Just as beautiful as the record, if not better with his matured voice.
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  #27  
Old 04-12-2019, 09:53 AM
TheJackal TheJackal is offline
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Originally Posted by hilts View Post
So many people are convinced the song title is "Starry, Starry Night". It's actual title is "Vincent".
The Vincent Van Gogh painting referenced is The Starry Night, singular in the painting and singable in the song, Vincent.
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  #28  
Old 04-23-2019, 10:06 AM
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He’s on tour now. Highly recommended.

https://don-mclean.com/2018/01/01/concert-dates/
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  #29  
Old 04-23-2019, 10:52 AM
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Charmed Life Picks Charmed Life Picks is offline
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Originally Posted by 51 Relic View Post
One of my main reasons I play the acoustic guitar . And I Love You So has to be my favourite song . His greatest hits album gets played more than any other music in our house
Agreed. I used to serenade my wife with "And I Love You So." We just celebrated our 35th, so thanks, Don.

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  #30  
Old 04-23-2019, 07:11 PM
Floridapicker Floridapicker is offline
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Originally Posted by Tony Burns View Post
I remember going to see him at the Tralf ( in Buffalo ) back in the early 1970's - I had the two seats and a table directly in front of him
-he is a stellar performer -it was a wonderful concert .
it was a concert that you use to judge all other concerts -i dont remember him being a people person - but did he put on a great show .
( but from other experiences - Gordon Lightfoot wasnt really an out going person either at his show from the 1970's -actually just sang his songs and left )
I think sometimes we have to remember these folks are regular people
and not every day is their best day - some of these folks are Alpha people
and some are not - But i wouldn't of traded either concert .
I miss Buffalo was born and raised there. Great local music scene. I saw some great shows at the Tralf. I miss the pizza and wings. I also heard Airport music closed.
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