As reported last month, Don McLean features on a new CD produced by Mike Read. Mike has written music for some of John Betjeman's famous poems and the resulting songs have been recorded by a range of top popular music stars. Don recorded 'Farewell' for this album and you can hear the first minute here:

http://www.don-mclean.com/wma/farewell.ram

The CD is highly recommended and can be ordered from the website www.n-m-c.co.uk, or call 07866 424545. This is a UK number. Dialling from outside the UK you will need to include the country code (44) and drop the 0: ++ 44 7866 424545

Mike Read writes:

"I only ever approach artists to perform songs I've written if I truly believe that the song is right for them. Any songs that I'm invloved with have to be a perfect marriage of words and music. This is the case, I've always felt with Don's songs...one feels that the words and music are as one and totally inseparable. I felt this particular song was one that Don would perform beautifully...and he did! Betjeman wrote it in Ireland during the early 1940's, although he kept the object of his unrequited passion carefully cloaked under a pseudonym. I've always loved Don's voice and songs, so I was delighted when he recorded 'Farewell.' Incidentally it was recorded in Liverpool while Don was on a tour of the UK. For the record 'Castles In The Air' is still one of the most emotional songs in my list of all-time favourites. I'm involved with a new national radio station going on air this next year...playing 'good' music for a change...which I'm sure will help genuinely talented artists like D M ...at the moment our radio system badly needs a shake up. well next year It'll happen thank goodness.

All the best   Mike Read

Songs - Mike Read & Sir John Betjeman, featuring Don McLean

The lyrics of some of Betjeman’s most popular poems have been arranged and put to music by Mike Read, the award winning radio and TV presenter, author and songwriter.

The CD will be released in the UK on 18th November, via Universal Distribution, and will hit the shelves in time for the Christmas season.

Mike Read comments, “Sir John Betjeman is a national institution and his poetry has a timeless appeal because it encapsulates what it is to be English. Most importantly though, his poetry is highly accessible and can be enjoyed by a wide audience. I think the incredible singers featured on the album will also draw in those who would not otherwise be interested in listening to songs that use poetry as lyrics.�

“Songs� includes the hit single “Myfanwy� by David Essex as a bonus track and initial quantities of the album will also feature a special bonus disc, with tracks from Steve Harley, Captain Sensible, Ian McNabb and Justin Hayward.

Songs is available through all good music stores or from www.n-m-c.co.uk, catalogue number Pilot 148.

NOVEMBER NIGHT - CLIFF RICHARD
NARCISSUS - MARC ALMOND
FAREWELL - DON MCLEAN
GREENAWAY - PAUL YOUNG
YOUTH & AGE - JON ANDERSON
PERSHORE STATION - RICHARD SHARP
PEGGY - COLIN BLUNSTONE
MYFANWY AT OXFORD - GENE PITNEY
INDOOR GAMES - LEO SAYER
MOIRA MACCAVENDISH - DONOVAN
DISTANT VIEW - MIKE READ
IN MEMORY - COLIN BLUNSTONE
SUNDAY MORNING - THE RODOLFUS CHOIR, CONDUCTED BY RALPH ALLWOOOD
MYFANWY - DAVID ESSEX
 

Exclusive:

Message from Mike Read on Don McLean's involvement:

"I only ever approach artists to perform songs I've written if I truly believe that the song is right for them. Any songs that I'm invloved with have to be a perfect marriage of words and music. This is the case, I've always felt with Don's songs...one feels that the words and music are as one and totally inseparable. I felt this particular song was one that Don would perform beautifully...and he did! Betjeman wrote it in Ireland during the early 1940's, although he kept the object of his unrequited passion carefully cloaked under a pseudonym. I've always loved Don's voice and songs, so I was delighted when he recorded 'Farewell.' Incidentally it was recorded in Liverpool while Don was on a tour of the UK. For the record 'Castles In The Air' is still one of the most emotional songs in my list of all-time favourites. I'm involved with a new national radio station going on air this next year...playing 'good' music for a change...which I'm sure will help genuinely talented artists like D M ...at the moment our radio system badly needs a shake up. well next year It'll happen thank goodness.

All the best   Mike Read

Don McLean is appearing in the new General Motors television advert for Chevy cars, alongside the Beach Boys, Elton John and Prince.

A clip from Don's 1972 'Till Tomorrow' video is featured and articles appear in the Wall Street Journal and the UK's Daily Telegraph about Don's involvement.

http://launch.yahoo.com/promotions/chevymusic/?time=1034786794477629

American Pie Grammy Hall of Fame

February 2002 saw yet another honour conferred o­n Don McLean as his song 'American Pie' was finally inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. The complete list of new entries is as follows:

"Ain't It a Shame," Fats Domino
"Alice's Restaurant," Arlo Guthrie
"American Pie," Don McLean
"The Battle of New Orleans," Johnny Horton
"Billie's Bounce," Charlie Parker
Blood, Sweat and Tears, Blood Sweat and Tears
"Born to Be Wild," Steppenwolf
"Crying," Roy Orbison
"Do You Believe in Magic," Loving Spoonful
"Don't Be Cruel," Elvis Presley
The Doors, Doors
"Duke of Earl," Gene Chandler
"Eleanor Rigby," Beatles
"(Get Your Kicks o­n) Route 66," King Cole Trio
"Goodnight Irene," Leadbelly
"The Great Pretender," Platters
Hello, Dolly!, Original Cast Recording
Highway 61 Revisited, Bob Dylan
Horowitz at Carnegie Hall, Vladimir Horowitz
"How High the Moon," Ella Fitzgerald
"Jambalaya (On the Bayou)," Hank Williams
"Lucille," Little Richard
Mahler: The Complete Symphonies, London Philharmonic
"Me and Bobby McGee," Janis Joplin
"Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)," Marvin Gaye
Midnight Special, Leadbelly
"Misty," Johnny Mathis
"Mr. Sandman," Chordettes
"Mr. Tambourine Man," Bob Dylan
"Oye Como Va," Tito Puente
Piano Concerto No. 1: Tchaikovsky, Van Cliburn
Pinocchio, Motion Picture Soundtrack
Porgy and Bess, Original Cast Recording
Red Headed Stranger, Willie Nelson
"Respect Yourself," Staple Singers
"Runaround Sue," Dion
"Runaway," Del Shannon
"Shotgun," Jr. Walker and the All-Stars
"Sincerely," Moonglows
"Society's Child," Janis Ian
Songs in the Key of Life, Stevie Wonder
"Sonny Boy," Al Jolson
"Spanish Harlem," Ben E. King
Sweet Baby James, James Taylor
"Swinging o­n a Star," Bing Crosby
"Tears of a Clown," Smokey Robinson and the Miracles
"Tumbling Tumbleweeds," Sons of the Pioneers
Vivaldi: The Four Seasons, Louis Kaufman
"Walking the Dog," Rufus Thomas
"What Kind of Fool Am I?," Sammy Davis Jr.
"When You Wish Upon a Star," Cliff Edwards
"Where Have All the Flowers Gone," Pete Seeger
"Woodchopper's Ball," Woody Herman
"You Are the Sunshine of My Life," Stevie Wonder
"You've Got a Friend," Carol King

The list includes songs such as 'Crying' by Roy Orbision and Carole King's version of 'You've got a friend' (entering a year after the James Taylor classic version). Perhaps there is hope therefore that Don McLean's 'Crying' and even Madonna's 'American Pie' will enter the Hall of Fame in coming years. More realistically, however, there is a good chance that 'Vincent' and 'And I Love You So' will join 'American Pie' before too long.