Don McLean’s about to discover who cares and doesn’t care about his domestic violence guilty plea last month. He’s commencing a tour on August 13th that brings him to New York on September 1st and next April, and Los Angeles next winter. This fall he’s got two dates with Judy Collins and one with Boz Scaggs.
On July 21st, McLean pleaded guilty Thursday to hitting and threatening his wife, Patrisha last January. The McLeans were married for 28 years, but Patrisha divorced him this spring. She received a reported $10 million settlement.
McLean’s guilty plea was to misdemeanor counts of domestic violence assault, domestic violence criminal threatening, criminal mischief, and criminal restraint. The singer of “American Pie” and “Vincent” paid a $1,000 fine and has to stay away from Patrisha. He also has to complete a mental health evaluation within 60 days.
Patrisha says that McLean struck and jabbed at her limbs, put his palms on her temples like a vice, and told her he wanted to strangle her. This went on for four hours. She was finally able to call 911 after locking herself in a bathroom. In a statement she said: “Don took away 30 years of my life by controlling every aspect of it through violence and fear of violence. Because he told me over and over again that if I left him he could kill me, divorce has not freed me from living in fear of him.”
McLean, the Donald Trump of singer songwriters, denies everything. His lawyer told the local newspaper in Maine that Patrisha’s statements “are patently and provably false, and designed for her own publicity.”
Who will be singing along to McLean’s hits, clinking glasses and having a jolly time after all this? That remains to be seen. Also curious is why Judy Collins would still want to be part of this.
