February 3 – a date of major significance for music fans and historians.  In the early morning hours of February 3, 1959 – shortly after midnight – budding rock-a-billy stars Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and the Big Bopper (JP Richardson) boarded a small plane in Iowa planning to fly to their next stop on a concert tour. 

Instead of flying into the snowy Iowa skies, pilot Roger Peterson flew into the ground shortly after takeoff killing all aboard.

Over a decade later, American pop artist Don McLean penned “American Pie” and coined the phrase “the day the music died”.

Over 50 years later, McLean is still paying tribute to those artists with the song.

McLean spoke on the tragic events and the subsequent song saying, “I am honored to know that the phrase ‘The day the music died’ from my song ‘American Pie’ has been applied as a tribute to Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper, and Ritchie Valens on this day, February 3rd every year.  They were my heroes and I always want to take the time to honor them.”  McLean is a Grammy Award winning Songwriters Hall of Fame member and a BBC Lifetime Achievement Award recipient who has been making music for over 50 years.

McLean is bringing his “American Pie” 50th Anniversary Tour downunder this spring with dates in Australia and New Zealand. INXS founder Andrew Farriss with his band will be joining McLean on the tour.


Don McLean 50th Anniversary “American Pie” tour dates:
April 1 at The Fortitude in Brisbane, Australia
April 2 at the Kings Theatre in Coloundra, Australia
April 3 at the Empire Theatre in Toowoomba, Australis
April 5, & 7-9 at the Twin Towns in Gold Coast, Australia
April 12 at C.ex Coffs, Coffs Harbour, Australia
April 14 at the Town Hall in Tamworth, Australia
April 15 at The Station in Newcastle, Australia
April 16 at the Llweellyn Hall in Canberra, Australia
April 20 at the Hurtsville Entertainment Centre in Hurstville, Australia
April 21 at The Concourse in Chatswood, Australia
April 22 at the Sydney Coliseum in West Sydney, Australia
April 24 at the West Point in Hobart, Australia
April 26 at the Princess Theatre in Launceston, Australia
April 28 at the Win Entertainment Centre in Wollongong, Australia
April 29 at The Palais in Melbourne, Australia
April 30 at the Costa Hall in Geelong, Australia
May 2 at the Trafalgar Centre in Nelson, New Zealand
May 4 at the Civic Theatre in Invercargill, New Zealand
May 5 at the Town Hall in Christchruch, New Zealand
May 7 at the Regent Theatre in Palmeerston North, New Zealand
May 9 at the Town Hall in Auckland, New Zealand