The Day the Music Died: The Story of Don McLean's American Pie

Unique among music documentaries, THE DAY THE MUSIC DIED goes far deeper than exploring an artist’s career, but takes an in-depth, cinematic look at the inspiration, creation, and influence of “American Pie,” and the way McLean’s song has become a touchstone that continues to inspire artists and music lovers today.

Beginning with the February 1959 plane crash that killed Buddy Holly, Richie Valens, and J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson – an event that becomes an integral part of McLean’s song – THE DAY THE MUSIC DIED: The Story of Don McLean’s American Pie highlights cultural moments in America’s history and tells the stories of the people who were a part of this tumultuous time. The film reveals the secrets and meanings behind McLean’s astonishing lyrics, and their influence in the past, today, and into the future.

Called “mandatory viewing for McLean fans or anyone who has marveled at his sonic treasure” by the Associated Press, THE DAY THE MUSIC DIED “provides invaluable context to one of the most enduring and original pieces of pop music ever composed” (Chicago Sun-Times, Richard Roeper). Music bible Billboard says THE DAY THE MUSIC DIED “will delight the song’s fans … neither the song nor McLean, have lost any of their potency a half-century later.”

THE DAY THE MUSIC DIED: The Story of Don McLean’s ‘American Pie’ is produced by Spencer Proffer, whose career as a music producer has spanned decades and included some of the most iconic acts in rock history. Proffer and his production company Meteor 17 bring dazzling audiovisual storytelling techniques to the film, reimagining the music for a modern audience.