DON McLEAN: AMERICAN TROUBADOUR’ WINS SILVER TELLY AWARD IN LONG-FORM DOCUMENTARY CATEGORY
George Floyd Lyric Video Released On Anniversary Of His Death
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Don McLean, who is no stranger to making headlines, released his latest album, ‘American Boys,’ last week, appeared at The White House State Dinner for President Ruto of Kenya, and won a Silver Telly award for his Don McLean: American Troubadour documentary, which aired on RFD-TV.
“This has been a busy week! I am thrilled to have new music out there,” says McLean. “I have been working on this album for a few years, and it’s finally out! Plus, I was at The White House. What else could be better?”
As part of McLean’s new album and on the heels of the 5th anniversary of George Floyd’s death, McLean is releasing a lyric video to the song The Ballad of George Floyd. Watch here: https://youtu.be/
“Yes, I knew and know this song would be controversial to put out there, but it is exactly what I was feeling when I wrote it, and as an artistic, creative person, I just couldn’t let my feelings go,” adds McLean. “I truly could hear George crying out for his mother as I wrote the song.
McLean, who has brought home many awards throughout his 50-year career, can add another accolade to his ever-growing list with the Silver win in the Best Documentary (Long-Form) category. This marks McLean’s 12th Telly award win throughout the years.
“Things are really exciting. I love all of this. For the first time in a long time, I feel so much energy and excitement surrounding my life’s work,” continues McLean. “My manager, Kirt Webster, keeps coming up with these ideas, and then we bring them home. It is absolutely great.”
To listen to the ‘American Boys’ album, visit orcd.co/DonMcLeanAmericanBoys. A limited number of signed vinyl albums is also available for purchase from donmclean.com.
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 “American Pie” lyrics was auctioned by Christie’s, 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 and 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. In 2023, the Telly award-winning documentary The Day The Music Died was released on DVD and Blu-Ray. In unexpected news, President Yoon of South Korea sang “American Pie” for a delighted audience of White House guests in Washington, D.C. McLean was inducted into the Music City Walk of Fame during a public ceremony along with Darius Rucker, Joe Galante, and Duane Eddy in Nashville, Tennessee. His latest album, ‘American Boys,’ was released on May 17, 2024.
For more information, visit donmclean.com.
About The Telly Awards:
The Telly Awards honor excellence in video and television across all screens. Founded in 1979 to honor local, regional, and cable television commercials, with non-broadcast video and television programming added soon after, the award has evolved with the rise of digital video to include branded content, documentary, social media, immersive, and more. The Telly Awards today celebrates the best work in the video medium in an exciting new era of the moving image on and offline.
The Telly Awards annually showcases the best work created within television and across video, for all screens. Receiving over 12,000 entries globally from 6 continents and all 50 states, Telly Award winners represent work from some of the most respected advertising agencies, television stations, production companies, and publishers from around the world. The Telly Awards recognizes work that has been created on behalf of a client, for a specific brand and/or company (including your own), or self-directed as a creative endeavor.
