Dear Sirs

Let’s Steal a Book – Benedikt Johannesson 29 January

I think that Mr Johannesson is in a rather poor position to comment on Don McLean’s reasons for touring (including a concert in Reykjavik on October 17), making a clear presumption that it must be because he needs the money.

He seems to base this surmise on an often repeated quotation where Don said that American Pie meant he never had to work again. This quotation is accurate so far as it goes, but is crucially incomplete. It is missing five key words at the end “if I don’t want to’.

The fact is that Don (now 66) has had no financial need to perform for many many years, having astutely retained all his publishing rights. Anyone who watches one of his shows can see that he is far from going through the motions and very much ‘wants’ to do it. His visit to Iceland comes at the start of an extensive European tour (his third in as many years) which will include many prestigious venues including London’s Royal Albert Hall.

I suggest that Mr Johannesson and other Icelanders take the rare opportunity in October to go and see one of the greatest live performers on a tour marking the 40th Anniversary of American Pie. Such a tour could not take place if Don had not been ‘Killing Us Softly’ around the world for all of that period and giving us much more than just AP.

Bill Hamilton, London, UK
Don McLean Fan for 40 years