Songwriter Don McLean bringing the music back to life at Freedom Festival
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VIENNA -- Singer Don McLean is prepared to rock next weekend's Vienna Freedom Festival.
He will perform June 29 from 8:30 to 10 p.m. as the headlining act of the annual festival, hosted by the Friends of Vienna.
He said it will be his first visit to the area. His show is open to anyone, regardless of familiarity or lack thereof.
"I think a lot of fans will know a lot of my music while others will only know 'American Pie,'" he said.
While McLean may be best known for the 1971 hit, he has had a career spanning over decades and experimented with various genres such as western, holiday, and children's music.
"I don't give the same show twice," he said. "If you do things the same way all the time, you're not an artist."
Despite the experimentation, McLean said there's three genres he is passionate about.
"I know early rock music, like Elvis Presley. I know old pop music like Frank Sinatra. I also know folk songs, which have a use in people's lives."
McLean said he has sold 50 million albums in his career. His latest effort, "American Boys" was released in May. He paid tribute to acts such as Chuck Berry and Buddy Holly in the title track, with previous Freedom Festival performers Home Free serving as backup vocals.
"My manager Kurt Webster knew theirs," he said of how their collaboration began. "They thought we should meet."
He said "American Boys" also talks about how America invented rock and roll and other genres
"We invented blues and jazz here. We're a very creative nation here," he said.
McLean also re-recorded two of his most iconic songs with Home Free, "American Pie" in 2021 and "Vincent" in 2024. He said he enjoyed working with them.
McLean said he is pleased that his music is still being enjoyed.
"The records never age. If you like the songs the way I wrote them, they never go away," he said.
McLean is one of many acts coming to the Freedom Festival. It will be held on two weekends: June 28 and 29 at Grand Central Mall and July 5-6 at Spencer's Landing. The festival will kick off Friday with carnival rides and food vendors. A performer playing Barney Fife from the Andy Griffith show will be there. The first Cheesy Challenge Cook Off will be had from 5-7 p.m. along with performances by Track 9 and Changed in Latitude. A drone light show will conclude the evening at 10:15 p.m.
June 29 will start with an antique car and motorcycle show, carnival rides and food vendors. A vaudeville aerial acrobatic show is scheduled. At 6:30-8 p.m., Dave Bray will take the stage, followed by McLean at 8:30 p.m. The fireworks will conclude the first weekend at 10:15 p.m.
Kristen Hainkel can be reached at khainkel@newsandsentinel.com