Don McLean, the singer and writer of the classic hit song ‘American Pie,’ was arrested for domestic violence on Monday. According to his wife, Patrisha McLean — who apparently shares his poetic inclinations — ‘this is not much ado about nothing.’
In response to reporter requests for further comment on the arrest of her husband, she cited Shakespeare and wrote only that she could not say anything more at the moment, according to the New York Daily News. McLean, who lives in Camden, Maine was arrested on a charge of misdemeanor domestic violence and released on bail.
The Story
Police were as tight-lipped as McLean’s wife about the events of the night. They did confirm that they responded to a 911 call in the early morning hours on Monday.
The singer-songwriter was reportedly transported from his house to the police station without incident. He was booked and then released on bail within a few hours, at 4:30 a.m., according to Knox County Jail officials.
So all in all, McLean’s ordeal in jail was minimal, and cut short with a $ 10,000 bond. His next court date is an arraignment on February 22.
The Song
Don McLean is best known for his song “American Pie,” which was released in 1971 and continues to be played today. The song was a tribute to McLean’s friend Buddy Holly, who died in a plane crash in 1959.
McLean’s song says goodbye to American pie and the country that Buddy Holly knew. It is a wistful, nostalgic tribute to a simpler time that may never have existed when “good ole’ boys were drinking whiskey n’ rye” before the levees ran dry.
The song made McLean millions over the years, and even just last year he sold a 16-page manuscript of the original for $ 1.2 million. Although he has reportedly led a mostly quiet life, this charge for domestic violence against his wife may — if proven — threaten his reputation, for McLean himself has been an American classic for many years.
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