Page 2A July24, 2019
aReporter
minute ' Mnerican Pie';
Don McLean plays the Fine Arts Center on Fri. which remains the longest
song to reach No. I on the
Billboard Hot 100 charts.
By Rkl' rd 1971 No. 1 hit ' 'nerican his most important musical The ballad, which harkens
fors h@mymcr.net Pie', which the Record- influence was Elvis Presley. to the nostalgia of the late
ing Industry Association McLean said upon seeing 1950s through the late
Monroe County will of America (RIAA) later Elvis for the first time: "I 1960s, coined the phrase
welcome a rock and roll voted No. 5 on its 2001 could always sing, but I "the day the music died"
legend on Friday, July 26 "Songs of the Century" list. thought if I could play gui- in reference to the 1959
when singer-songwriter However, McLean has atar like that, I could make plane crash that killed rock
Don McLean performs at number of other big hits, a little money. It started a and roll performers Buddy
the Monroe County Fine including ' knd I Love You dream. I was never earth- Holly, The Big Bopper and
Arts Center. So'; "Vincent" "Castles in bound after that. My feet Ritchie Valens.
Tickets for the 7:30 p.m. the Air" and his interpreta- were in the air" While speculation has
show are currently on sale t ion of the Roy Orbison At the age of 25, McLean run rampant about the
for $35-$45. classic, "Crying." became an international meaning of the song,
McLean, a New York na- McLean told the Reporter star upon the 1971 release McLean has remained
five, is best known for his in a phone interview that of the eight-and-a-half mostly mum through the
CENTRAL GEORGIA
HEART & VEIN CENTER
You Trust,
Byerly Vaughn Ham,
NP
.2
Byerly Vaughn Ham, NP, a lifetime
Monroe County resident is seeing
patients in our Forsyth Office
located at 120 N. Lee St. Suite C.
*:Ask your primary care doctor.
Front row: Brandon Elmore, MD, Carter Tharpe, MD,
Jonathan Hoffman, MD, Zoe Jones, MD
Back row: Amy Kingman, MD, Wendell Ellis, MD,
Carmine Oddis, MD
WWW.CENTRALGAHEART.COM
Providing outstanding Heart & Vein services to the
communities of Central Georgia for over 30 Years!
decades about the origin of
moments of lyrical genius
like "Helter Skelter in a
summer swelter" or "Jack
Flash sat on a candlestick."
When asked whether
he tires of being asked the
meaning of' kmerican
Pie', McLean replied, "Yes,
but I forgive them (media
members). I know they
have to ask."
McLean said he doesn't
talk about ' nerican Pie"
much, but the vast inter-
est in the record means
that he sometimes feels
like it's what he spends the
most time talking about.
McLean said he,s pleased if
the notoriety of" trnerican
Pie,' leads young listeners
to other works he,s proud
of, including his version of
"Since I Don't Have You,"
which he called the "best
record I ever made;' or
"Prime Time;' a song he
released in 1977 that he
says was 40 years ahead of
its time in its depiction of
America as a game show.
McLean said he looks
forward to the upcoming
release of his 19 studio
albums onto the Swedish
media-services provider
Spotify so more musi-
cians will be exposed to his
songs. Country star Garth
Brooks has long cited
McLean as a key influence,
and Ed Sheeran, perhaps
the most popular singer/
songwriter in the world
today, dueted with McLean
on "Vincent" last year.
McLean, who was born
Donald McLean III and
shares his name with his
father, Donald McLean Jr
said his fame is ironic given
his humble upbringing.
McLean said, "His (fa-
ther's) name is all over the
world. My parents weren't
attention-getters. I wasn't
brought up thinking I was
the most important thing
in the wodd. I had no
safety net. I did it all on my
own."
McLean said he,s never
spent extended time in any
states besides his homes-
tate of New York, and the
two coastal states where he
owns homes, Maine and
California. McLean said
it was his love of colonial-
style architecture that first
attracted him to Maine,
but he said its the Southern
California desert in the
Palm Springs area where
he now spends most of the
year.
However, McLean said
the Forsyth show will be a
homecoming of sorts for
his guitarist Vip Vipper-
man, who has Athens
ties. McLean, who said
he knows 10,000 songs,
said he changes his set list
regularly and vowed that
his Forsyth show will be
an exciting one. McLean
urged fans on the fence
about attending to check
out his live performances
on YouTube at popular
festivals like Glastonbury
and Stagecoach, saying his
backup musicians com-
prise "the best rock and
roll band you'll have ever
heard"
|
- Charyl Woods of Forsyth
ne
I noticed that I was not feeling well and it seemed as though my
heart was "flopping around like a fish". After arriving at the Monroe
County Hospital ER, they determined that I was in AFIB and the ER staff
were very attentive and concerned for me. I was admitted and spent a week
the hospital. I was terrified and confused at this new life. The
unit/floor staff knew this and they were constantly sitting with me
on me. I will never forget their kindness! Respiratory, Lab and Radiolo
services were always there when I needed them. I am doing so
now. My heart medication is working and I have a great Cardiolo
am convinced that without MCH stabilizing me and
symptoms, that I may not be here today. I have been able to
and to see two of my three nephews graduate from high school. I am
grateful to know that when time truly matters, I have medical
I can depend on. Some people who have AFIB for the first time do not
second chance. Thank you Monroe County Hospital for mine.
- Charyl Woods
Forsyth, GA
recent October moming, I was sitting at my kitchen table reading.
e
88 Martin Luther King Jr Drive
Forsyth, GA 31029
~) Navicenttleakh ~.~
!
