Grammy-award honouree, Songwriters Hall of Fame member, and BBC Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Don McLean will be bringing his American Pie 50th Anniversary Tour to Australia and New Zealand in 2023. Celebrating the 50th anniversary of one of the most iconic songs and albums ever this year, McLean will entertain fans across the two countries, proving that “bye-bye, Miss American Pie” will forever remain a classic staple in music. He will be supported by one of Australia’s most revered singer/songwriters, Andrew Farriss.*
“I am thrilled to be getting back to Australia with my band,” says Don McLean. “2022 marks the 50th anniversary of when American Pie landed at the No. 1 spot on the Billboard chart, and we will be celebrating. We’ll be performing songs from the American Pie album plus many of the other hits that fans will be expecting to hear.”
As tragic as the backstory behind the song “American Pie” is with the much too early death of the new rock’n’roll-hope Buddy Holly, the track is also magnificent and legendary. And “American Pie” still goes to heart as soon as originator Don McLean plays this classic at his concerts. Still, it’s worth remembering that the 76-year-old composer has written and sung numerous other melodic and harmonic successes in his decades-long career with “Vincent (Starry Starry Night),” “Castles in the Air,” “And I Love You So,” and “Cryin’,” all of which will be heard and reveled in along with newer pieces on the upcoming tour. Earlier this year in March, McLean celebrated the 50th Anniversary of ‘Vincent (Starry, Starry Night)” by releasing an intimate performance that was recorded at the Immersive VanGogh Exhibit.
The eight-and-a-half-minute ballad “American Pie” has been making history since its release in 1971. Alongside songs by other icons such as Bing Crosby, Judy Garland, Woody Guthrie, and Aretha Franklin, McLean’s composition was also voted “Song of the 20th Century”. Handwritten lyrics to the song were auctioned off for more than $1.2 million in 2015, and the composition was added to the Library Of Congress National Recording Registry two years later. Here, you’ll only find a few selected evergreens, such as “Somewhere Over The Rainbow”. So much for the cultural significance of Don McLean and his 1971 stroke of genius!
Over the years, the song has been covered again and again by music icons like Madonna and Garth Brooks. Rapper Drake repeatedly sampled McLean tunes and hip-hop icon Tupac Shakur also cited him as an important influence.
Accordingly, the complete discography of the legendary and still active singer/songwriter is also significant. Among other things, Don McLean has a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame and was inducted into the National Academy of Popular Music Songwriters’ Hall Of Fame in 2004.
And he never gets tired of writing new songs and new stories. In 2018, the sound senior released his 19th studio album, ‘Botanical Gardens’ which received rave reviews. Songs from it subsequently proved themselves live and will maybe even find their way into the setlist next year, alongside “American Pie” and all the other feats from this decades-spanning and unparalleled composition and performance career.
Join multi-Grammy-nominated, award-winning artist, songwriter, and producer Andrew Farriss and his band as they take you on an acoustic, boundless journey through his catalogue of hits, including selections from his time with the legendary rock band, INXS (who sold over 80 million albums, notched seven Top 10 sings) through his current solo, self-titled Country/Americana album (which produced a Top 40 single on the Billboard’s indicator chart).
Farriss’ music has held influence in the rock, pop, country, and Americana genres for over four decades and displayers a stunning versatility few artists possess.
Says Andrew Farriss “I’ve admired Don McLean since I was a teenager, he is a legendary troubadour, and I am very excited to tour with him and perform for the Australian fans.”
50TH ANNIVERSARY ‘AMERICAN PIE’ NEW ZEALAND TOUR DATES 2023:
Saturday 1st April – The Fortitude, Brisbane*
Sunday 2nd April – Kings Theatre, Coloundra*
Monday 3rd April – Empire Theatre, Toowoomba*
Wednesday 5th April – Twin Towns, Gold Coast*
Friday 7th April – Twin Towns, Gold Coast*
Saturday 8th April – Twin Towns, Gold Coast*
Sunday 9th April – Twin Towns, Gold Coast*
Wednesday 12th April - C.ex Coffs, Coffs Harbour
Friday 14th April - Town Hall, Tamworth*
Saturday 15th April - The Station, Newcastle
Sunday 16th April - Llweellyn Hall, Canberra
Thursday 20th April – Hurstville Entertainment Centre, Hurstville
Friday 21st April – The Concourse, Chatswood
Saturday 22nd April – Sydney Coliseum, West Sydney*
Monday 24th April – West Point, Hobart*
Wednesday 26th April - Princess Theatre, Launceston*
Friday 28th April – Win Entertainment Centre, Wollongong*
Saturday 29th April – The Palais, Melbourne*
Sunday 30th April – Costa Hall, Geelong*
Tuesday 2 May - Trafalgar Centre, Nelson
Thursday 4 May - Civic Theatre, Invercargill
Friday 5 May - Town Hall, Christchurch
Sunday 7 May - Regent Theatre, Palmerston North
Tuesday 9 May - Town Hall, Auckland
Tickets on sale Friday 11 November at 9.00 am local time
