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The James Altucher Show

340 - Don McLean: Why You Should Follow Your Instincts

The James Altucher Show

James Altucher

Education, Business

4.62.7K Ratings

🗓️ 10 April 2018

⏱️ 41 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Don McLean is a singer and songwriter best known for the song, "American Pie." But he's so much more than just this one hit. He's sold 40 platinum and gold records and he's still touring(!). And now he's kicking off his 2 year tour for his new album, "Botanical Gardens." Don has decades and decades of experience and he's always had an instinct about what he's wanted to do... what he wanted to create. He transforms nostalgia into music and art. And in this interview he told me how  I think I was asking for every artist. Or anyone listening who still wants to become one   Links and Resources Check out Don's newest album Botanical Gardens  Don's Albums we talk about: American Pie Playing Favorites PrimeTime (Don's worst selling album) Don's Songs we talk about: Vincent Dreidel (on the top 20) Mountains O'Mourne (Don's song that went to #1 in UK and Ireland) Castles in the Air Crying The Wrong Thing to Do When a Good Thing Goes Bad Drake sampled these two songs for his own song "Doing It Wrong" in 2011 Wonderful Baby Superman's Ghost (the story of George Reeves)   Check out Don's website for tour dates Also Mentioned Steve Martin - Don told a story where he showed up on his doorstep in 1972 (before he was anyone) to talk about the banjo Penn Jillette - he came on the podcast! Larry Butler Buddy Holly The Weavers Steve Allen Pete Seeger Bob Dylan   I write about all my podcasts! Check out the full post and learn what I learned at jamesaltucher.com/podcast. Thanks so much for listening! If you like this episode, please subscribe to "The James Altucher Show" and rate and review wherever you get your podcasts: Apple Podcasts Stitcher iHeart Radio Spotify   Follow me on Social Media: Twitter Facebook Linkedin Instagram ------------What do YOU think of the show? Head to JamesAltucherShow.com/listeners and fill out a short survey that will help us better tailor the podcast to our audience!Are you interested in getting direct answers from James about your question on a podcast? Go to JamesAltucherShow.com/AskAltucher and send in your questions to be answered on the air!------------Visit Notepd.com to read our idea lists & sign up to create your own!My new book, Skip the Line, is out! Make sure you get a copy wherever books are sold!Join the You Should Run for President 2.0 Facebook Group, where we discuss why you should run for President.I write about all my podcasts! Check out the full post and learn what I learned at jamesaltuchershow.com------------Thank you so much for listening! If you like this episode, please rate, review, and subscribe to "The James Altucher Show" wherever you get your podcasts: Apple PodcastsiHeart RadioSpotifyFollow me on social media:YouTubeTwitterFacebookLinkedIn See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Transcript

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0:00.0

This isn't your average business podcast and he's not your average host.

0:06.4

This is the James Altiger Show on the Choose Yourself Network.

0:10.4

Today on the James Altiger Show.

0:16.0

You have a beautiful sense of nostalgia and the meaning we can derive from it to learn

0:23.0

about our present circumstances and I think this comes out in a lot of your songs and

0:28.1

your lyrics.

0:29.1

I wonder if you've ever felt that way about yourself.

0:31.7

You transformed a style into music and arts and how.

0:34.3

Well, thank you.

0:36.0

I don't really know what I'm doing.

0:37.7

I only do what interests me.

0:39.4

I'm the only right song and make melodies that I want to hear back.

0:43.8

I'm not trying to do anything for anybody else.

0:45.6

I'm doing it for me.

0:47.2

So when you were beginning your career, what were your instincts?

0:56.3

I've got on Don McLean who you probably know.

1:00.5

Don, you probably hear this everywhere, but you probably know from the beautiful classic

1:05.8

song, American Pie, but you've done 40 other gold and platinum records during your career.

1:12.7

You tore all over the place.

1:14.2

You have a new album coming out, Botanical Gardens and you're going on tour.

1:18.7

Again, 30 cities you mentioned in Europe.

1:20.9

Well, I'm always on tour.

...

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