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

The story

With a narrative running deeper than a catchy tune and cryptic verses, “American Pie” is a musical phenomenon woven deep into the history of American culture, entertaining audiences around the world for over 50 years. This documentary tells the stories of the people who were a part of this moment from the beginning, shows the point of view of a new generation of artists who are motivated by the same values and ideas that inspired the song’s creation, and highlights cultural moments in America’s history that are as relevant now as they were in 1971, when the song was released.

Cast & crew

Don McLeanSelf

Garth Brooks

Garth BrooksSelf

Peter GallagherSelf

'Weird Al' YankovicSelf

Harvey Mason Jr.Self

Jade BirdSelf

Jencarlos CanelaSelf

Maffio

MaffioSelf

Brian WilsonSelf (archive footage)

Buddy HollySelf (archive footage)

Ritchie ValensSelf (archive footage)

The Big Bopper

The Big BopperSelf (archive footage)