Don McLean is an American singer-songwriter, best known for his 1971 hit song "American Pie", an 8-and-a-half-minute folk rock "cultural touchstone" about the loss of innocence of the early rock and roll generation. His other hit singles include "Vincent", "Dreidel", a rendition of Roy Orbison's "Crying", a rendition of the Skyliners' "Since I Don't Have You", and "Wonderful Baby". McLean's composition "And I Love You So" has been recorded by Elvis Presley, Perry Como, Helen Reddy, Glen Campbell, and many others. In 2000, Madonna had a hit with a rendition of "American Pie".
In 2004, McLean was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. In January 2018, BMI certified that "American Pie" and "Vincent" had reached five million and three million airplays respectively.
History with the Macy's Parade[]
McLean made his parade debut at the 1981 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, where he sang his smash hit single "Castles in the Air" on The Pirate Ship float.
He would return decades later at the 2012 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and this time, he played the popular hit "American Pie" on South Dakota Department of Tourism's "Mount Rushmore's American Pride" float.