An American Icon
Donald McLean III was born on October 2, 1945, to a family of Scottish heritage. Both his father and grandfather were named Donald McLean. His early musical influences included Buddy Holly and Frank Sinatra but, as a teenager, McLean became interested in folk music.
Don McLean, 1973. Photo By Ian Dickson/Shutterstock
And it was during his high school years that his love of music flourished. He bought his first guitar at the age of 16 and started making contacts in the music business, with Fred Hellerman of The Weavers and singer Erik Darling. After his father died when he was 15, he went to Villanova University but dropped out after four months to focus on his musical career. He then met Herb Gart, who became his manager for nearly two decades.