Don McLean To Be Awarded George & Ira Gershwin Award For Lifetime Musical Achievement On May 17
McLean also announces Father’s Day weekend concert at Elvis Presley’s Graceland on June 15
Don McLean, America’s legendary singer and songwriter, will be awarded the George and Ira Gershwin Award for lifetime musical achievement on behalf of the Student Alumni Association of UCLA. In recognition of George and Ira Gershwin’s contributions to American music and in honor of their gift to UCLA, the UCLA Student Alumni Association established the annual George and Ira Gershwin Award for Lifetime Musical Achievement in 1988.
“I am such a great lover and admirer of the work of the Gershwin’s that to receive this award is a thrill,” said McLean. “In popular music the modernism of their music put them in a class by themselves.”
McLean will accept the award on Friday, May 17 at Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles, during UCLA’s 2019 Spring Sing event. The 31st edition of the award is in recognition of the tremendous contributions McLean has made to the music industry throughout his career. Reserved for influential musical figures, past recipients include Tom Petty, Stevie Wonder, Frank Sinatra, James Taylor, Julie Andrews, Lionel Richie, Anthony Kiedis, The Who and last year’s recipient, Linkin Park.
“On behalf of UCLA, I am thrilled to present the 2019 George and Ira Gershwin Award for Lifetime Musical Achievement to Don McLean,” said Award Director, Isabella Dohil, “whose poetic lyrics have transcended time and remain a staple of American culture. Don’s contributions to music have been profound and he continues to capture audiences both young and old through his dynamic storytelling.”
McLean To Perform During Father’s Day Weekend Concerts At Elvis Presley’s Graceland
Memphis is recognized worldwide as the “home of the Blues” and the “birthplace of Rock ‘N’ Roll,” and Graceland’s Father’s Day Weekend Celebration lives up to those honors with multi-platinum singer/songwriter Don McLean and his chart-topping hits will perform on the Soundstage at Graceland on Saturday, June 15.
“I will be at Graceland for a Fathers Day concert and I will sing ‘And I Love You So,’ a song I wrote which Elvis sang during the last year of his life,” said McLean. “It also appears on his album, Today, released in 1975.”
Throughout the weekend, guests will be treated to tours of the iconic Graceland mansion, Elvis Presley’s Memphis™ entertainment complex and experience the brand-new Graceland Exhibition Center featuring three fantastic exhibits: Muhammad Ali: Greatest of All Time, Memphis Music Legends and A Century of the American Motorcycle. To purchase tickets, please visit GracelandLive.com/don-mclean.
Since first hitting the charts in 1971, Don McLean has amassed over 40 gold and platinum records world-wide and, in 2004, was inducted into the Songwriters’ Hall of Fame. Classic hits like “American Pie”, “Vincent (Starry Starry Night)”, “Castles in the Air”, “And I Love You So”, “Crossroads” and “The Grave” propelled McLean into the mainstream. Many of his songs have been recorded and sung by musicians from every genre, including Madonna‘s No. 1 recording of “American Pie” in 2000, George Michael’s rendition of “The Grave” in 2003, and James Blake’s version of “Vincent (Starry Starry Night).”
Having recently honored the 60th anniversary of Buddy Holly’s death, and receiving Million-Air certifications from BMI for over 5 million certified airplays of “American Pie” and 3 million certified airplays for “Vincent (Starry, Starry Night),” McLean continues to bring his classic hit songs to stages around the world.
Don McLean On Tour:
MAY 10 – The Greenwich Odeum / East Greenwich, R.I.
MAY 11 – Paramount Hudson Valley Theater / Peekskill, N.Y.
JUN 07 – South Orange Performing Arts Center / South Orange, N.J.
JUN 15 – Graceland LIVE / Memphis, Tenn.
JUN 29 – Cape Fear Community College / Wilmington, N.C.
JUL 03 – Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa / Catoosa, Okla.
JUL 20 – Ponte Verda Concert Hall / Ponte Verda Beach, Fla.
JUL 27 – Dosey Does / The Woodlands, Texas
AUG 02 – The Rose / Pasadena, Calif.
AUG 03 – The Canyon / Montclair, Calif.
AUG 16 – Ojai Libbey Bowl / Ojai, Calif.
AUG 17 – Santa Clarita Performing Arts Center / Valencia, Calif.
AUG 26 – Live at Amsterdamse Bos / Amsterdam, Holland
AUG 27 – Snape Maltings Concert Hall / Saxmundham, U.K.
AUG 29 – Middlesbrough Town Hall / Middlesbrough, U.K.
AUG 31 – Southport Theatre & Convention Center / Southport, U.K.
SEP 01 – Moseley Folk & Arts Festival / Birmingham, U.K.
SEP 08 – Rams Head On Stage / Annapolis, Md.
SEP 20 – The Cabot / Beverly, Mass.
SEP 21 – Tupelo Music Hall / Derry, N.H.
OCT 04 – Golden Nugget Casino / Las Vegas, Nev.
OCT 06 – Coach House Concert Hall / San Juan Capristrano, Calif.
Click here for Don’s most updated tour calendar
About Don McLean:
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 ‘60s, he went on to score mega-hits like “American Pie,” “Vincent (Starry, Starry Night),” “Castles in the Air” and many more. In 2004, McLean was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame by country superstar Garth Brooks. In 2000, “American Pie” was named one of the Top 5 Songs of the 20th Century by the RIAA and in 2002 was inducted into the GRAMMY Hall of Fame. In 2015, one of McLean’s four handwritten manuscripts of the lyrics to “American Pie” was auctioned by Christies, selling for just over $1.2 Million. 2017 brought a huge honor when his iconic song was inducted into the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry, joining less than 500 works including “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” With over 40 gold and platinum records worldwide, McLean’s prowess for writing timeless songs was again captured on his 2018 album, Botanical Gardens, as he artfully weaves country, Americana, folk, and boot stomping rock for an eclectic, yet American sound that he is known for.
