Don McLean was born in New Rochelle, New York, in 1945. By the age of five, he had developed an interest in all forms of music and would spend hours listening to the radio and records that were around the house. His love of music allowed him to flourish, and he would often perform shows for family and friends. He rose to international stardom in 1971 with the release of “American Pie.” Thirty years later, “American Pie” was voted number 5 in a poll of the 365 “Songs of the Century” compiled by the Recording Industry Association of America and the National Endowment for the Arts. In 2003, the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. Other hits include “Crying,” “And I Love You So,” “Vincent (Starry, Starry Night),” and “Castles in the Air.” In 2004, he was inducted into the Songwriters’ Hall of Fame.