Don McLean Says This One Thing Is Key To Being A Great Songwriter: ‘You Don’t Have This, You’re No Good’

Following the release of his new album, American Boys, singer-songwriter Don McLean revealed the secret to songwriting during a chat with Fox News Digital. The 78-year-old, who collaborated with guitarist Vip Vipperson on his new release, admitted that the backend of making music is not pretty.

Don noted that “a lot of pain” is important for good songwriting to connect with the average person. He said there would be nothing to write about if all went perfectly for the writer, adding that listeners sometimes turn to music for solace during hard times.

Don McLean says pain is necessary for great songwriting — here’s why

Speaking of pain, Don has had his share of challenges, including growing up an asthmatic child who had to stay out of school for years. On the bright side, he is grateful to have retained his creative side rather than suppressed it by the educational system, as with most kids. He believes he would have been on an unfulfilling career path and drank himself to death if he had gone to school.

RELATED: Don McLean Talks True Meaning Of ‘American Pie’ To Mark Its 50th Anniversary

He also recalls suffering from pneumonia and nearly dying multiple times as a teenager. Don lost his father to a heart attack at 15, and life was “never the same again.” He had to grow up fast and began performing around with a guitar at 16, releasing his debut album Tapestry about a decade later.

Career success and personal feats

As an upcoming artist, Don suffered rejection up to 72 from record labels until his first album release put him near the spotlight. He got his breakthrough with his 1971 classic, American Pie, which made number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for four weeks. Don wrote the album tracks from a place of hurt and as a tribute to America amid JFK’s and Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassinations, as well as the Vietnam War.

Don has also experienced challenges as a parent, with his daughter Jackie McLean accusing him of emotional and mental abuse in 2021. He denied the allegations, noting that he loves both his children and “never wanted to hurt her.” Don also explained that Jackie likely made such false claims to promote her single, “Another Life,” at the time. The music icon is currently dating 33-year-old Paris Dylan, who is appearing on the MTV reality series Catfish.