W&t Srtncs
gainesvilletimes.com
Midweek Edition-July 17-18, 2024
Greg Finan Jr. Life Editor I 770-718-3456 I life@gainesvilletimes.com
‘I’m an original’
Photo by David “Doc” Abbott
The American Troubadour Don McLean is coming to the Boot Barn Hall at Bourbon Brothers this Saturday
night, July 20. The iconic musician will play his hits along with some new songs off his latest album “American
Boys.”
Don McLean set to perform at Boot Barn Hall this Saturday
Photo by Jeremy Westby
The King of the Trail Don McLean is bringing his unique music to the Boot
Barn at Bourbon Brothers. McLean, 78, has been pleasing crowds with
his music for over a half century
BY GREG FINAN JR.
gregfinan@gainesvilletimes.com
A long, long time ago Don McLean
took the music world by storm with
a song that broke the conventions
of music, encapsulated the essence
of an era and transcended time to
become one of the most beloved and
influential songs of the 20th century.
Now, 53 years after the release of
“American Pie,” McLean is set to
take the stage at the Boot Barn Hall
at Bourbon Brothers in Gainesville
this Saturday, July 20, for the second
stop of his 2024 tour.
“I'm an original. I always was,”
McLean said. “I'm an original and I
do what I always did. I think that I'm
one of the few left. Many are gone
and many are very old. And I'm very
old. It's very important to me that I
get out there and do the thing that I
do. It's a really good, healthy thing
for me to go out there and sing.”
The 78-year-old musician hasn't
slowed down since he first broke
onto the music scene over five
decades ago, something he credits to
his performance style.
“Fortunately, I stay in one place. If
I had to run all over the stage, I think
I'd have to go to the gym a lot, which
I would hate to do,” McLean joked.
According to McLean, each of the
12 shows during his 2024 tour will
consist of a different playlist, mak
ing each stop as unique as the artist
himself. With 20 studio albums, four
live albums, 11 compilation albums
and 16 singles to his credit, putting
together a playlist for his shows isn't
a difficult task for McLean.
“I play a different set every show,”
McLean said. “I make sure that I do
all the songs people know, then I do
some songs I want to do.”
Along with all the hits that made
him famous, McLean will also play
songs off his latest album “American
Boys,” which was released in May of
this year. The title track on the album
is a look at origins of rock ‘n roll and
how the genre was created by Ameri
can artists.
“We must remember that nobody
will ever touch Elvis Presley, the
Everly Brothers, Little Richard or
Fats Domino,” McLean said. “These
people were completely unique,
and they came from America and
invented this music.”
McLean said, “American Boys” is
the opposite of “American Pie.”
“It's just a literal song mentioning
a lot of different, wonderful artists,”
McLean said. “It's not something
where you have to dig around to fig
ure what it's about. It's pretty obvi
ous what it's about.”
From his start, the musician knew
creating music that was uniquely
his own would open doors to both
opportunity and success.
“I wanted to be great,” McLean
said. “I did not want to sound like
Bob Dylan. I did not want to sound
like James Taylor. I did not want to
sound like Elton John. I wanted to
sound uniquely myself and that is
one of the hardest things to do, to
find out who you are.”
McLean was able to figure out
who he was early in his career and
let that knowledge guide him and his
musical creativity.
“If I had an idea that I knew no
one else had ever done before, then
that was another example of who I
was because nobody ever did that
before,” McLean said. “That's what
I was after. But I also wanted to be
good. So, I set a very high standard
for myself, and I met that standard.”
Starting his career during the
height of Dylan, the Beatles and the
transition from folk music to folk
rock, helped push McLean.
“Doors were opening everywhere.
I was in the middle of all this amaz
ing stuff happening around me,”
McLean said. “Everybody was chal
lenging you to do better. It was a tre
mendous time period.”
McLean stressed that he doesn't
grow tired of playing his songs from
the early 70s, especially “American
Pie,” for fans at his shows.
“I do these songs because I am
proud of them, I love them and they
mean something to people,” McLean
said. “I am not there [on stage] to
please Don McLean, I am there to
please the audience.”
When taking
chances leads
to learning
Every family leaves a
legacy of some worth which
lasts three or four genera
tions. Sometimes, one good
man raises up to see need
and wisely chooses his cases.
If the man is strong enough
in his teaching, then it most
likely carries on for a few
generations.
What finer thing can be said
about a person than “She saw
need and she helped”? “He saw the wound and ban
daged back to health.”
The first memories of my life were of going by
my Daddy's mechanic/paint garage. We weren't in
town more than monthly to pick up necessities like
Crisco, flour, commeal and both sweet milk and
buttermilk.
From the earliest days, I sensed that Daddy's shop
was special. Besides Daddy and my brother, there
would be anywhere from four to eight others sitting
around and drinking coffee. There were no lively
debates, just the common man with his common
sense.
Once I drove, I'd stop by at will, to discover a
think tank of men, educated little or not at all, as
well as high thinking, powerful men.
They knew the horrors of war which gave them
insights that many will never know. And if they
didn't know the Lord, then Daddy began his sermon.
Ninety percent of the times I stopped by, the Bible
was opened, in his hand, being taught with a dis
cernment that only a Godly man can possess.
If he wasn't preaching to both those who are
steadfast and world fast, that old King James Scho
field Bible was still no further than a finger's touch
away.
This I can promise you: Ralph Satterfield never
had to get up, out of seat, and ask, “Where did I put
my Bible?” He always knew.
A cast of characters sat on that two-step stage in
the back of that garage.
There were common men from the chewing gum
company, auto parts place, the Water Department
or a preacher friend struggling with his Sunday ser
mon. “Ralph, help me with this scripture.”
Often, the old-fashioned politician, who wanted
to make a difference and not just use the office for
power, was there.
When I stopped by, sitting at Ralph's figurative
round table was a collection who would not have
become close friends without the connection of
Daddy's business: judges, sheriffs, district attorneys,
and assistant D.A.s, FBI and, once, a Secret Service
man.
In the way of those times, when there was more
concern in helping people rather than crumpling
them up and throwing them away, Daddy would
broker introductions and explain more about the
situation than the court papers told.
He'd call a judge or D.A. and ask him to come by
the shop.
“This ain’t a bad boy that’s about to come before
you. If he’d had any upbringing, there’s no telling
what he’d become. He just needs guidance. I’ll hap
pily put my two cents' worth in on that.” Much good
was done when men, who could have become hard
ened, became instead, a better man.
I had a similar experience with a man who had
been in and out of jail for decades. The public
defender told him that he would serve hard this time.
We were there that Sunday when he gave his soul
to Jesus. We watched his baptizing and saw a new
man come up, out of that Chestatee River, to frankly
tell a hard-won testimony.
I wrote the Chief Justice, asking that the man not
be sent back to jail. “I think it’s his only solid chance
at sobriety.”
The judge listened.
“Someone I highly regard doesn't want you to
lose your sobriety. I'll take that advice. But if you
come back into this courtroom, I'll throw the book
at you.”
That was years ago, and he is fine, sober and
hard working. Others before me tried, but he wasn't
ready. Sometimes, it just takes the right person at the
right time.
And having been taught the importance of
helping.
Ronda Rich is the best-selling author of “St. Simons Island: A
Stella Bankwell Mystery.” Sign up for her newsletter at www.
rondarich.com. Her column publishes weekly.
RONDA RICH
southswomen@
bellsouth.net
EVENTS
Adult Summer Craft Week. 10
a.m. to 6 p.m. July 17-20. Hall
County Library System, Gaines
ville Branch, 127 Main St NW,
Gainesville. 770-532-3311 ext
4011, gkoecher@hallcountyli-
brary.org. Free.
Gainesville Ballet Super Hero
Dance Camp (ages 3-4 & 5-6).
9 to 10:30 a.m. and 10:30
a.m. to 12:30 p.m. July 17-19.
Gainesville Ballet Company,
971 Riverside Drive, Gaines
ville. 770-866-5353, info@
gbcdance.com. $0 - $125.
Camp Firelight. 5 to 8 p.m.
July 17-19. Good Shepherd
Lutheran Church, 600 S Enota
Ave, Gainesville. 770-532-
2428, gslcsecretary@gmail.
com. Free.
Family Frolics. 10:30 to 11:30
a.m. July 17. Elachee Nature
Science Center, 2125 Elachee
Dr, Gainesville. 770-535-1976.
$0-$10.
Flowery Branch Tomato Sand
wich party. 3:30 to 7 p.m.July
18. Market Pavilion, 5210 Rail
road Ave, Flowery Branch. Free.
Volunteer Workshop - Affinis
Hospice. 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.
July 19. Hall County Library Sys
tem, Gainesville Branch, 127
Main St NW, Gainesville. 770-
532-3311 ext.4011, jcline@
hallcountylibrary.org. Free.
A Sunset Cruise aboard The
Experience. 7 to9 p.m. July
19-20. Lanier Boat Charter,
6800 Ferry Lights Rd., Flowery
Branch. 678-882-8062, tom@
lanierboatcharter.com. $35.
Friday Night Drift. 6 to 10:30
p.m. July 19, July 26. Caffeine
& Octane Lanier Raceway,
5301 Winder Hwy, Braselton.
770-965-9179, liz@highocta-
neevents.com. Free.
Dawg Days of Summer 24.3
p.m. July 20. NoFo Brew Co.,
434 High St SE, Gainesville.
205-587-3221, Usma-
rine35976@hotmail.com. Free.
Don McLean. 7 p.m. July 20.
Boot Barn Hall at Bourbon
Brothers, 312 Jesse Jewell
Pkwy, Gainesville.
Riverstreet 2024 Peach State
Bank & Trust Summer Music
Series. 8to 10 p.m. July 20.
The Arts Council Smithgall
Arts Center, 331 Spring St SW,
Gainesville. 770-534-2787,
hutch@theartscouncil.net. $27
- $296.
ONGOING
Braselton Farmers Market.
4to7 p.m. Fridays through
September;. Braselton Town
Green, 9924 Davis Street, Bra
selton. 706-654-3915. Free.
Camp Pine Mountain. 7 a.m.
to 6 p.m. weekdays through
Aug. l.J.A. Walters YMCA,
2455 YMCA Drive, Gainesville.
770-297-9622, emily.young@
gamountainsymca.org. $145-
$165.
Card workshop. 10 a.m. to
1 p.m. First Saturdays of the
month. Hall County Library
System, Gainesville branch,
127 Main St. NW, Gainesville.
770-532-3311 ext. 4011,
gkoecher@hallcountylibrary.
org.
Discovery Saturday. 10a.m.
to3 p.m. Saturdays. Elachee
Nature Science Center, 2125
Elachee Dr., Gainesville. 770-
535-1976. $0-$10.
Flowery Branch Farmers Mar
ket. 3:30 to 7 p.m. Thursdays
through Sept. 26. The Market
Pavilion, 5210 Railroad Ave.,
Flowery Branch. Free.
Georgia Cross Stitchers. 10
a.m. to4:30 p.m. Second
Saturdays of the month. Hall
County Library System, Gaines
ville Branch, 127 Main St. NW,
Gainesville. 770-532-3311 ext.
4011; gkoecher@hallcountyli-
brary.org. Free.
Hall County Farmers Market.
8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Saturdays
through October. Hall County
Farmers Market, 734 E Cres
cent Dr, Gainesville, pattyklaw-
son@gmail.com. Free.
Music Bingo. 7 to 9 p. m. Every
Thursday. NoFo Brew Co.
Gainesville, 434 High St. SW,
Gainesville, topher@nofobrew.
co. Free.
Northeast Georgia Writers. 1
to3p.m. First Wednesdays of
the month. Gainesville Down
town Library, 127 Main St. NW,
Gainesville. talltaleswriter@
gmail.com. Free.
Sugar Hill Farmers Market.
4 to 7 p.m. Tuesdays through
Oct. l.The Landing, 4985 West
Broad Street, Sugar Hill. 770-
945-6726. Free.
Trivia Night. 7-9 p.m.
Tuesdays. NoFo Brew Co
Gainesville, 434 High St. SW,
Gainesville, topher@nofobrew.
co. Free.
