Legendary American singer Don McLean took FMU’s Performing Arts Center’s (PAC) Mainstage on the evening of Oct. 19.
McLean performed several songs alongside his band, such as “Vincent”, “And I Love You So” and his chart-topper hit “American Pie.” The evening was one filled with music, laughter, singing and entertainment.
With a new setlist each night, McLean gave the audience a unique concert with many different songs and a brief introduction and history for each. McLean performed songs from a collection of his albums, such as “Botanical Gardens” from 2018 and the “American Pie” album from 1971.
“You can take down buildings,” McLean said, “but you can’t kill songs.”
The evening was opened by two members of The Sedonas, a rock-Americana group out of Knoxville, TN. The group has performed for a number of well-known bands such as ZZ Top, The Marshall Tucker Band and now, Don McLean. The band performed songs such as “Too Tired (For Common Sense)”, “Halfway Old” and “A Song for Idling Time.”
“This is a pretty cool town,” James Connor Wikes, the lead singer of The Sedonas, said. “It’s the first time we’ve been here. Definitely like the environment, and the people are super nice and friendly.”
McLean was a hit at the PAC and held an audience of all ages, spurring singing, laughing and even dancing during the show.
“I thought the concert was great,” said audience member Sarah. “American Pie is my favorite song, so I was really looking forward to it. He’s definitely a personality, a character. I loved it.”
Celebrating the 50th anniversary of one of his most well-known albums, “American Pie”, McLean and his band are currently on a world tour, one of 20 to date, stopping in places like London, the UK, Brisbane, Australia and most recently, Florence, SC.
McLean has been touring since the ’70s, performing hundreds of sold-out shows. The singer continues to write, record, and release new songs to this day, with a new album coming out soon titled “American Boys.”
After he released his hit song “American Pie” in 1971, McLean quickly grew to fame, with the song hitting the tops of the charts soon after its release. The song was also voted No. 5 overall in a poll of the 365 “Songs of the Century” from the Recording Industry Association of America and the National Endowment for the Arts.
This concert was one of several in the 2023-2024 Spotlight Series hosted by FMU’s PAC. Don McLean, along with other bands and artists, is selected to appeal to different audiences in the Florence community by bringing people together for performances from their favorite artists. The series continues through May of 2024.
For more information on Don McLean, future tour dates or new music, please visit his website or Instagram page: @thedonmclean. Information on future concert dates at the PAC can be found on its website.