What's Happening in Blue Ash, OH…

A rock and folk singer who broke into the mainstream with a monster hit still much-loved today is coming to Cincinnati.

Don McLean is a native of New Rochelle, New York, who began his career as a teen, playing guitar for his family and friends. He made contacts in the music industry and sharpened his skills for about six years playing in clubs in Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, and New York.

McLean’s debut album was “Tapestry,” which was overlooked by numerous labels until 1970, when MediaArts Records released it. Critics liked the album, but it drew little attention outside of folk music circles. However, the song “Castles in the Air” made it onto the Easy Listening Chart, and in 1973, Perry Como recorded “I Love You So,” which became a hit.

McLean’s breakthrough came in 1971, when he released the album “American Pie.” The title song from the album, which was partially inspired by the deaths in a 1959 plane crash of The Big Bopper, Ritchie Valens, and Buddy Holly, is one of the most popular in music history. The Recording Industry Association of America and the National Endowment for the Arts selected it as one of the twentieth century’s five greatest songs.

McLean has continued recording and released his latest effort “American Boys” in 2024. He will be at the Hard Rock Cincinnati Ballroom in Cincinnati on Saturday, January 17. Events such as this benefit from publicity, which organizers can create using poster printing methods.