Them good old boys may have been drinking whiskey and rye, but it’s more likely that the musician who penned those lyrics will be drinking Napa Valley wine this summer. Don McLean is set to perform at the Silverado Resort as part of Blue Note Napa’s 2023 outdoor concert series—along with indie multi-instrumentalist Andrew Bird, comedian Heather McDonald and country star Jake Owen. Tickets go on sale Friday, March 31.
McLean, the Grammy Award-winning songwriter most famous for “American Pie”—a saga of a song with six verses people tend to forget and a chorus many more remember—will appear at Blue Note Napa on June 2, celebrating more than 50 years since his magnum opus was released.
Other newcomers to the summer lineup include stand-up comic Heather McDonald (known for her contributions to Chelsea Lately), who takes the stage on June 22. Classically-trained violinist and world-class whistler Andrew Bird follows on June 23. Multi-platinum country crooner Jake Owen will step up to the mic on June 25.
The additions of these musical legends come shortly after Blue Note Napa’s announcement earlier this month that influential bassist Les Claypool of Primus is scheduled to kick off the concert series on May 19. Joined by his Fearless Flying Frog Brigade, Claypool is expected to play one of Pink Floyd’s best-known records, Animals, in its entirety with help from Harry Waters—son of Pink Floyd founder Roger Waters.
This summer, Blue Note Napa will also host Americana icon Emmylou Harris, singer-songwriter Rufus Wainwright and comedian Marlon Wayans of Wayans Bros. fame.
Back in wine country for the third year, Blue Note Napa is an independent concert promoter that produces an outdoor music and comedy series between May and October. This year marks an expanded lineup and a move to the Silverado Resort. If this lineup is any indication, the music won’t be dying anytime soon.
Blue Note Summer Sessions
🗓 May 19-Sept. 22
📍 Silverado Resort, 1600 Atlas Peak, Napa
🔗 bluenotenapa.com