‘American Pie’ Singer Disinherited Daughter For Talking ‘Trash’ About Him

Singer-songwriter Don McLean, known for his 1970s chart-topping classic, “American Pie,” is a multi-millionaire. But he won’t leave his daughter an inheritance. Here’s why.

Don, 76, has a net worth of $50 million to date, according to Celebrity Net Worth.

Throughout his career, he has produced hit songs including "Vincent," "Dreidel," and "Wonderful Baby," as well as renditions of Roy Orbison's "Crying" and the Skyliners' "Since I Don't Have You.”

As per reports, Don earns $300,000 – $500,000 per year in royalties off his famous song “American Pie.”

Since 1990, his catalog has been represented by Universal Music Publishing Group (UPMG). In 2018, he re-upped with UMPG with a $4.5 million administration deal.

Despite having a massive fortune, Don told Daily Mail he stopped supporting his daughter Jackie McLean, the frontwoman of indie rock duo Roan Yellowthorn, after the latter gave a tell-all interview, accusing him of mental and emotional abuse

“I stopped supporting my daughter last year,” Don revealed in 2021. “I have a son [Wyatt], you know, who grew up the same way, who thinks I’m a great father and who has none of these complaints. But I said to my daughter, ‘If you speak out about me and trash me, I’m going to disinherit you.'”

When Jackie told Rolling Stone there was a constant state of fear in their house growing up because of her father’s alleged paralyzing verbal attacks and threats of withholding love and money, Don decided to cut her out of his will.

“She’s been automatically disinherited — that’s almost a $3 million trust fund that went down the tubes,” he said. “I’ve always supported my daughter — $30,000, $40,000, $50,000 a year, doubling her husband’s salary. I wanted to make sure the grandkids had everything they wanted.”

In 2016, Don got arrested at his Maine home with Patrisha Shnier, his second wife and mother of Jackie and Wyatt, on a domestic violence charge.

In her police statement, Patrisha claimed, "Don terrorized me for four hours until the 911 call that I think might have saved my life. He was scaring me with the intensity of his rage and the craziness in his eyes."

A few months later, Don pleaded guilty to domestic violence and, as part of a plea bargain, avoided jail. The former couple divorced that year after 29 years of marriage.