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With several hits in his repertoire, singer and songwriter Don McLean knows what makes a good artist. He is also aware of how the industry can affect hardworking artists. Ahead of his upcoming headlining slot at The Long Road Festival in Leicestershire on Saturday, August 24, McLean, 78, had high praise for pop hitmaker Taylor Swift — but also expressed that he sometimes worries about her.
In an interview with The Standard, McLean reflected on Swift, 34, and her remarkable career trajectory. He noted that Swift became the icon that she is as a result of taking her craft seriously.
AUGUST 7: Don McLean performs in concert at Ocean City Music Pier on August 7, 2023 in Ocean City, New Jersey. The ‘American Pie’ hitmaker has nothing but positive things to say about Taylor Swift, but also expressed concern for her well-being.
Donald Kravitz/Getty Images
“A lot of people think showbusiness is just something ‘oh you’re so wonderful, you should be a star’ well, by the way, Taylor Swift was a star for 15 years before she became a monster star, the size of the galaxy for god sake,” McLean said. “She’s working all of the time and she does everything that she does better than everybody else, whether it’s a video or a performance or songwriting or records or what ever, she does it all, just way better than everybody else and it’s really interesting because all of those other acts are suddenly old-fashioned.”
Over the course of her career, Swift has broken several records, including one of McLean’s. In 2021, an extended, 10-minute version of her Red fan-favorite “All Too Well” reached No. 1 on her Billboard Hot 100. This marked the longest No. 1 song of all time, beating a record set by McLean in 1972 with the eight-minute “American Pie (Parts I & II).”
McLean himself has sold over 50 million records throughout his five-decade career, and has learned how the industry can drain artists. He issued Swift some advice for maintaining a satisfying career — to be content with what she’s accomplished.
“The only thing is that she stays happy,” he said. “Showbusiness and fame – as Elvis said ‘fame and fortune’ – and I’m very fortunate that I’ve had that. I know how to do that. I have a lot of interests and they sustain me. I don’t go around thinking ‘man, why don’t I have this?’ or ‘Why don’t I have that?’ that is the quickest way to be unhappy I can think of.”
Swift will perform on the final London stop of her Eras Tour in London tonight, August 20, before taking a brief break. The tour will resume for its final leg on Oct. 18 in Miami Gardens.