Don McLean, singer-songwriter known for his hit songs "American Pie" and "Vincent," had a very messy divorce with his ex-wife, Patrisha McLean, in 2016 after he was arrested and accused of domestic violence.

Although it has been four years since their messy divorce, singer Don McLean is still talking about.

In fact, in a recent interview, he called his ex-wife "the worst person I ever knew," which is a truly bold statement. 

Who is Don McLean’s ex-wife, Patrisha McLean?

What made their divorce so messy, and who exactly is Patrisha McLean? Keep reading for all the juicy details. 

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Who is Patrisha McLean? 

Patrisha McLean (maiden name Shnier) is a photographer.

In fact, her photography has been featured in many museums and is permanently at the Farnsworth Museum and the Portland Museum of Art.

She also published a book called My Island, which features “100 black and white photographs of children from Maine islands.”

Additionally, she used to be the official tour photographer for her ex-husband, Don McLean.

She describes her photography style as, “I photograph with a medium format camera and hand-craft each print in my darkroom, using the finest fiber-based paper for heirloom prints that will be enjoyed for generations. Darkroom prints have a classic look and depth that digital photography can not rival, and a proven track record for permanence."

When did Don McLean and Patrisha McLean get married?

Patrisha and Don McLean got married in 1987. 

Who are Don McLean and Patrisha McLean's kids?

Don McLean even said that she sent him love letters every month for 30 years. The couple had children and they all lived together in a huge estate located in Camden. They have a son named Wyatt and a daughter named Jackie and they are both adults now. 

In April 2015, Don McLean sold the lyrics to “American Pie” for $1.2 million so he could support Patrisha and their kids.

In an interview, Don McLean stated that his biggest accomplishment is “having a great wife, and two terrific children," adding: 

"I don’t think my life would amount to much if I didn’t have my family, and my wife, really is the person that keeps that together and has provided that, I’ve done my part, but you know, a woman’s very vital to the raising of children and staying together in a marriage, which is very hard to do.

But it hasn’t been hard for me and I hope it hasn’t been hard for her. It’s really important. 

So we have two kids in college now and they’re doing quite well, so that’s my greatest achievement really, because that’s the one that alludes a lot of people, you know, who may find success in business or in the arts. It’s the tough one, it’s the big one really.”

When did Don McLean and Patrisha McClean get divorced?

In 2016, Patrisha and Don McLean got divorced after 29 years of marriage.

Patrisha McLean filed for divorce two months after her husband was arrested for domestic violence for “adultery, cruel and abusive treatment, and irreconcilable differences.”

Patrisha McLean filed for a protection order after he got arrested but then she changed her mind and withdrew it. In her claim, she stated that she wanted a restraining order because Don McLean “terrorized” her “for four hours” the night before he got arrested.

She stated that she was scared she was going to get killed because he grabbed her harshly and said he wanted to “strangle” her.

However, Patrisha McLean didn’t realize that her statement would be released to the public, and fans of Don McLean stood up for him and accused his wife of lying.

Although Don McLean ended up pleading guilty and paying a fine for the domestic abuse charges, his lawyer claimed it was “not because he was in fact guilty of anything, but to provide closure for his family and keep the whole process as private as possible.”

Their divorce was clearly for the best because the relationship definitely seemed very toxic.

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Don McLean moved on quickly with Playboy model Paris Dylan.

Don McLean moved on from the divorce quickly and began dating Playboy model, Paris Dylan, a couple months later.

The couple met when Dylan, who is now 26, was hired to manage McLean’s social media accounts back in 2016.

McLean said in an interview that Dylan was “a big fan of mine and I fell for her."

The couple travels together and Don McLean stated, "We went to 85 cities last year and we'll go to around 85 this year. We go everywhere together and she's so helpful. She does everything I need, we have a very good situation."  

Paris Dylan even tweeted a fun picture of her and McLean in front of the Eiffel Tower and captioned it, “A dream with my love.” Don McLean has also posted pictures of him and his girlfriend. He even captioned a photo "with my baby in Florence, Italy."

McLean’s divorce is just now sinking in. 

Although it has been four years since Patrisha and Don McLean’s divorce, it is just now sinking in for the musician.

He claims his relationship and divorce was so traumatic, that it is a lot to process.

He has also stated that he hasn’t met anyone that compares to Patrisha McLean, but says, “I can truly say that my ex-wife is the worst person I ever knew.”

What is Don McLean’s net worth?

As of October 2020, Don McLean has a net worth of $7.5 million.

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Jaycee Levin is a writer, influencer, and blogger living in New York who loves celebrities, fashion, and reality television. She covers news and entertainment for Yourtango. Follow her on Instagram.