I95 Morning Show Exclusive: Don McLean Shares New Music, Same Old Energy at 78

Don McLean is an American music icon who has been touring and recording for well over 50 years. Mr. "American Pie" himself is now 78 years old and showing no signs of slowing down professionally or personally.

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McLean is out promoting his brand new album "American Boys" and was kind enough to spend a few minutes with the I-95 Morning Show to talk about it and his amazing career.

Ethan: Speaking to a man who is just a little older than I am, I'm 73 how do you muster the energy to go out on a world tour? Do you workout? 

Don: "Well, this is a gentleman's tour I'm on now. I did two years after the pandemic, I have been on the road consistently since 1968. I've never taken a year off except when the pandemic forced me to and then I resumed and we did two, we did a lot of work for about two years and then this year is a little lighter schedule because I'm doing promotions of these albums that we're putting out, this particular new album and you know, just taking it a little slower. I'm sure things will be cranking up next year and will be going pretty good. Why do I do it? Gee, I don't know I just love it. I feel better when I'm finished with a show than when I started, that is the only thing I can tell you. It's the only drug I have left really is performing." 

Dave: Your song "Tapestry" inspired the creation of Greenpeace?

Don: "Yes, I've heard that. One of the creators said that he heard that song in college and it made him decide to do this. There are a lot of my songs that have history to them that have done different things. I don't know I can list a lot of stuff and tell you about it but my Wikipedia site is pretty accurate if anyone wants to get an idea of what I've done. I've done probably, I don't know more than twenty world tours."

Lou: So you wrote arguably the most iconic song in American history, you inspired the creation of Greenpeace, you had hit record after hit record, you sound amazing today like a young man. Do you ever get up in the morning, look in the mirror and go, you're the s--!?

Don: "Um, no. I get up in the morning and I say to myself oh I'm up I can't believe it! What am I going to do? Oh boy!"

There is so much more to this chat and Don said some amazingly inspiring things during our chat. You can listen to the entire interview below in two-parts.

Part 1 - Don talks about his new music and his continued ambition in his late 70s. 

Part 2 - Don observes American society in 2024, finding hope and inspiration in the world around us. 

Check out the Ethan, Lou & Large Dave Podcast on Apple and Spotify