By Judy Shields
Hollywood, California (The Hollywood Times) 12/13/2023 – “The holidays are a time for families to come together,” shares McLean. “I remember as a kid sitting around the record player and listening to music with my family. We all had our favorites, which we played over and over again. All the greats from Bing Crosby to Gene Autry influenced me, so I have included my version of their classics on ‘Christmas Memories: Remixed & Remastered,’ which I hope you enjoy.” Don McLean
Grammy-award honoree, Songwriters Hall of Fame member, and BBC Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Don McLean has released his latest Christmas album, Christmas Memories: Remixed & Remastered today. Full of Christmas classics and all-time favorite holiday standards, McLean offers a unique spin like never before. The album, which boasts twelve tracks, was released and distributed by BFD/Orchard with McLean’s versions of “Blue Christmas,” “Let It Snow,” “Silent Night,” “The Burgundeon Carol,” “White Christmas,” and more! Autographed copies of Christmas Memories: Remixed & Remastered are available on vinyl and CD at DonMcLean.com.
To purchase/stream, visit: orcd.co/
Christmas Memories: Remixed & Remastered Track Listing:
Blue Christmas
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day
Let It Snow
Oh Little Town Of Bethlehem
Rudolph
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
Silent Night
The Burgundeon Carol
The Christmas Waltz
White Christmas
Winter Wonderland
The Hollywood Times had the opportunity to speak with Don McLean about his new Christmas album and he even explains what remixed and remastered is all about. Enjoy our conversation, which is also on our YouTube channel The Hollywood Times Original: (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxIz200k5Em2MrxQPJhybZA)
There are many holiday albums out there of all kinds of genre of music, but this one is definitely one to add to your collection of holiday music. As Don mentioned in our phone conversation these songs he chose for this album were remixed and remastered and they sound amazing and with his voice, bravo! Why not get an autographed vinyl as a Christmas gift with a brand new album turntable, what an amazing gift set that would be. Get your copy today and several for friends and family. Judy Shields, The Hollywood Times
To purchase/stream, visit: orcd.co/
Don McLean continues to bring his 50th Anniversary Tour to a city near you! In 2022, McLean celebrated the 50th anniversary of one of the most iconic songs in history “American Pie,” and now in 2023, off that same album 50 years ago came “Vincent” (Starry, Starry Night). McLean is set to entertain fans from coast-to-coast proving that “bye-bye, Miss American Pie” will forever remain a classic staple in music. He will be back touring in the new year 2024!
Still, it’s worth remembering that the 78-year-old composer has written and sung numerous other melodic and harmonic successes in his decades-long career with “Castles in the Air,” “And I Love You So,” and “Cryin’.”
Don McLean along with three-time GRAMMY Award-winner Darius Rucker; rock and roll guitarist Duane Eddy; and former record-label executive Joe Galante, was recently inducted by the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp into the Music City Walk of Fame. They were the 101st, 102nd, 103rd, and 104th stars on the Music City Walk of Fame and they were recognized for their significant work of preserving the musical heritage of Nashville and for contributing to the world through song. McLean was inducted by Connie Valens, the sister of the late Ritchie Valens whose death was immortalized in “American Pie.”
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’s tunes and hip-hop icon Tupac Shakur also cited him as an important influence.
The legendary and still active singer/songwriter has had a significant career selling over 50 million albums worldwide. Among other things, Don McLean has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, was a 2022 inductee into the Musicians Hall of Fame, received a star on the Las Vegas Walk of Fame, and was recently the focus of a Paramount+ documentary The Day The Music Died. There’s no slowing down for this troubadour!
About Don McLean:
Don McLean is a GRAMMY Award honoree, a Songwriter Hall of Fame member, and a BBC Lifetime Achievement Award recipient. His smash hit “American Pie” resides in the Library of Congress National Recording Registry and was named a Top 5 song of the 20th Century by the Recording Industry of America (RIAA). A New York native, Don McLean is one of the most revered and respected songwriters in American history. After paying his dues in the New York club scene in the late 1960s, he went on to score mega-hits like “Vincent (Starry, Starry Night),” “Castles in the Air” and many more. His catalog of songs has been recorded by Madonna, Garth Brooks, Josh Groban, Drake, “Weird Al” Yankovic, and countless others. In 2015, McLean’s handwritten manuscript of the lyrics to “American Pie” was auctioned by Christies, selling for just over $1.2 Million. 2019 honored Don with a star on the Las Vegas Walkway of Stars and his song “And I Love You So” was the theme for Prince Harry and Megan Markle’s wedding. Don landed a new recording contract with Time Life in 2020, with whom he released a catalog of recordings, as well as a new album Still Playin’ Favorites. In 2021, Don’s “American Pie” was featured in the Avengers’ Black Widow and the Tom Hanks movie Finch. McLean received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, celebrated the 50th anniversary of “American Pie,” and recorded a version of the song with a cappella group Home Free. In 2022, McLean received six Telly Awards for his collaboration with international heavyweight Tyson Fury, released American Pie: A Fable children’s book, and was inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame.