Editing Don McLean (section)

==Personal life==
McLean was raised in the Catholic faith of his mother, Elizabeth McLean; his father, Donald McLean, was a Protestant.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thepaulleslie.com/don-mclean/?mobile=1|title=Don McLean: Legendary Singer-Songwriter|website=Thepaulleslie.com|access-date=January 16, 2016|archive-date=January 24, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160124182417/http://www.thepaulleslie.com/don-mclean/?mobile=1|url-status=dead}}</ref> His father died when McLean was 15.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://don-mclean.com/2013/08/12/about-don-mclean|title=About Don McLean|date=August 12, 2013|website=Don-mclean.com|access-date=February 25, 2018|archive-date=February 26, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180226151935/https://don-mclean.com/2013/08/12/about-don-mclean/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
McLean has claimed that he grew up in a physically abusive household, and was abused by both his parents and his sister.<ref name=":1">{{Cite magazine |last=Legaspi |first=Althea |date=June 23, 2021 |title=Don McLean's Daughter Alleges Mental, Emotional Abuse by 'American Pie' Singer |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/don-mclean-jackie-roan-yellowthorn-1187117/ |access-date=January 26, 2023 |magazine=Rolling Stone |language=en-US}}</ref> Don McLean has been married twice, with both marriages ending in divorce. His first wife was [[Carol Sauvion]], of Philadelphia, who went on to win an Emmy and Peabody Award for her PBS television series ''[[Craft in America]]''. They were married from 1969 to 1976 and had no children.

His second marriage was to Patrisha Shnier McLean, of Montreal, Canada, from 1987 to 2016. They have two children, Jackie and Wyatt, and two grandchildren, Rosa and Mya.<ref>{{cite web |title=The VIP Lounge with Don McLean |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/travel/2019/04/02/the-vip-lounge-with-don-mclean/QUlN3jeIy7LhI85LyOuFpI/story.html |access-date=September 27, 2021 |website=The Boston Globe}}</ref> Their marriage ended after McLean was arrested and charged with misdemeanor domestic violence at their home in Camden, Maine, and Shnier McLean filed for divorce, citing "adultery, cruel and abusive treatment, and irreconcilable differences".<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=Wife files for divorce from 'American Pie' singer Don McLean |url=https://apnews.com/article/ad7d55b03dfb44df9dc8b6ec875141fa |access-date=January 26, 2023 |website=AP NEWS |date=March 10, 2016 |language=en}}</ref>

In 2018, McLean confirmed his romantic relationship with model and reality star Paris Dylan, who is 48 years his junior.<ref>{{cite web |last=Furdyk |first=Brent |date=March 2, 2021 |title='American Pie' Singer Don McLean Opens Up About Romance With 27-Year-Old Paris Dylan: 'I'm Crazy For Her' |url=https://etcanada.com/news/753188/american-pie-singer-don-mclean-opens-up-about-romance-with-27-year-old-paris-dylan-im-crazy-for-her/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210302214719/https://etcanada.com/news/753188/american-pie-singer-don-mclean-opens-up-about-romance-with-27-year-old-paris-dylan-im-crazy-for-her/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 2, 2021 |access-date=May 22, 2021 |website=ET Canada |language=en-US}}</ref>

McLean is an ambassador for Teen Cancer America<ref>{{cite web |date=September 26, 2018 |title=Don McLean |url=https://teencanceramerica.org/member/don-mclean/ |work=teencanceramerica.org}}</ref> and performed at the Teen Cancer America and UCLA Health fundraising Backyard Concert in 2018. During the show, McLean sang a duet of his song "Vincent" with [[Ed Sheeran]].<ref>{{cite web |date=August 21, 2018 |title='Watch Ed Sheeran join forces with Don McLean for Vincent Cover |url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/watch-ed-sheeran-join-forces-with-don-mclean-for-vincent-cover-2369141 |website=Nme.com}}</ref> The Don McLean Foundation is a charity set up by McLean to be funded by all his income in perpetuity. Its headquarters is based at Lakeview, the Don McLean Maine residence, and it will serve as a center for fundraisers and conferences as well as a nature preserve. Organizations that support the needy in the State of Maine and throughout the United States will be beneficiaries.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-10-06 |title=American Pie singer Don McLean delights fans at exhibition of his life at Museum of Style Icons in Newbridge |url=https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/music/music-news/american-pie-singer-don-mclean-delights-fans-at-exhibition-of-his-life-at-museum-of-style-icons-in-newbridge/42046221.html |access-date=2024-06-07 |website=Irish Independent |language=en}}</ref>

On May 23, 2024, McLean and Paris Dylan attended a state dinner at the White House hosted by President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden in honor of Kenya's President William Ruto and First Lady Rachel Ruto.<ref>{{cite news |title=White House fetes Kenya with state dinner featuring sunset views, celebrity star power |url=https://apnews.com/article/state-dinner-kenya-biden-african-visit-74de529133275da0a146cf61cc211d82 |work=AP News |date=23 May 2024 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Watson |first1=Kathryn |title=A look at the White House state dinner for Kenya's president in photos  |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/white-house-state-dinner-kenya-president-photos/ |work= CBS News |date=23 May 2024}}</ref>
[[File:Don McLean and Paris Dunn attend state dinner at the White House.jpg|thumb|Don McLean and Paris Dylan attend state dinner at the White House]]

===Abuse allegations===

On January 18, 2016, McLean's then-wife Patrisha Shnier McLean alleged that after four hours of "terrorizing" her, McLean pinned her to a bed until she broke free and ran to the bathroom, where she called the police as he tried to break down the door.<ref name="Jackie Account">{{Cite news |title=Patrisha McLean: My 'deeply controlling' ex-husband Don McLean |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/people/patrisha-mclean-my-deeply-controlling-ex-husband-don-mclean-1.4407458 |access-date=January 26, 2023 |newspaper=The Irish Times |language=en}}</ref> McLean was arrested on suspicion of domestic violence, and pled guilty to domestic violence assault, criminal restraint, criminal mischief and making domestic violence threats. McLean paid $3,660 in fines, and was not sentenced to any jail time.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Barry |first=Ellen |date=October 20, 2019 |title=In Maine, a Celebrity Domestic Violence Case Continues to Send Out Ripples |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/20/us/domestic-violence-don-mclean.html |access-date=January 26, 2023 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> Under Maine's [[Deferred disposition|deferred disposition law]], the State agreed to dismiss the domestic violence assault charge if McLean complied with the court's orders for one year, and the charge was expunged a year later.<ref>{{Cite web |date=July 21, 2017 |title='American Pie' singer's domestic assault charge dismissed |url=https://apnews.com/article/92d824a00587430eacd2cd50d4c6f6dd |access-date=January 26, 2023 |website=AP NEWS |language=en}}</ref> Shnier McLean filed for divorce, citing "adultery, cruel and abusive treatment, and irreconcilable differences".<ref name=":2" /> McLean denied that he physically abused Shnier McLean, and his lawyer released a statement stating McLean agreed to the plea deal in the interest of privacy.<ref name=":1" /> In March 2017, a Maine court granted Shnier-McLean's request for a 10-year protection order against McLean.<ref>{{Cite web |first=Bill |last=Trotter |date=March 9, 2017 |title=Don McLean's ex-wife granted two-year protection order against folk singer |url=https://wgme.com/news/local/don-mcleans-ex-wife-granted-two-year-protection-order-against-folk-singer |access-date=January 26, 2023 |website=WGME |language=en}}</ref>

In a 2020 interview, Shnier McLean alleged McLean had created a cult-like household, remarking, "I do feel there is an element of brainwashing there. I relate to a lot of the things they say about cults like the charismatic leader, and how their version of things becomes your version".<ref name="Jackie Account" /> McLean's daughter Jackie told ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' in 2021 that her father was emotionally abusive and, like her mother, stated her father created a cultish environment.<ref name=":1" /> According to Jackie, McLean used paralyzing verbal attacks, forced isolation, and threats to withhold love or financial support. The article alleged that communications between Jackie and McLean suggested "a pattern of asserting control and manipulation over Jackie, her actions and memories, and a seeming drive by the elder McLean to maintain a certain public image". In one email, McLean wrote to his daughter, "unless you support me publicly and frequently you should not expect me to lift a finger for you nor will I give you another red cent."<ref name=":1" />

When interviewed for the article, McLean admitted to some aspects of Jackie's account, but denied that his behavior constituted abuse. He also mentioned that he had grown up in a physically abusive household, where he was "hurt a lot by my sister, my mother, my father; I was hit a lot."<ref name=":1" /> McLean denied this in a later interview, saying; "Absolutely not true. I was never abused as a child at all."<ref>{{cite web |title=Don McLean Keeps Evolving Because 'I Don't Want to Be in a Dead Relationship with Music or Another Person' (Exclusive) |url=https://people.com/why-don-mclean-keeps-evolving-exclusive-8648389 |website=Peoplemag |language=en}}</ref>