Don McLean Praises Taylor Swift’s ‘Excellence’: ‘She Does More for One Song Than I Do for the Whole Night’ (Exclusive)

Don McLean is sharing his appreciation for Taylor Swift!

While speaking to PEOPLE at the 32nd Annual Movieguide Awards red carpet on Feb. 7 about stars from the recent Grammy Awards who have caught his eye, the “American Pie” singer, 79, brought up the Swift, 35.

McLean said that while he wasn’t able to attend Swift’s Eras Tour, he knows “what she does,” adding, “I mean, she does more for one song than I do for the whole night. ... I can't [understand] how she does it.”

“But that's the level of excellence that's now required of all these young ladies and men who go out there, and that's a high level,” he explained. “I don't know if even she can do it again.”

Related: Don McLean Keeps Evolving Because 'I Don't Want to Be in a Dead Relationship with Music or Another Person' (Exclusive)

The pair have previously shared several interactions, after McLean congratulated Swift on dethroning him on Billboard's Hot 100 chart. Her song "All Too Well (Taylor's Version)" topped "American Pie" as the longest song to hit No. 1 on the charts, clocking in at more than 10 minutes long.

"There is something to be said for a great song that has staying power," the singer-songwriter wrote on his website in 2021.

" 'American Pie' remained on the top for 50 years and now Taylor Swift has unseated such a historic piece of artistry," he added. "Let's face it, nobody ever wants to lose that No. 1 spot, but if I had to lose it to somebody, I sure am glad it was another great singer/songwriter such as Taylor."

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In response, the “So High School” singer sent McLean a bouquet of flowers, which he shared on Instagram, along with the words, "What a class act! Thank you Taylor Swift for the flowers and note.”

He continued to praise her in an interview with PEOPLE later that month, saying that he considers the pop star a "major rock and roll force of nature," and was impressed by her career. He said at the time, "Taylor takes the whole new form of entertainment to the peak by making these phenomenal videos and records and doing these massive tours that are successful, and so on and so forth."

Related: Why Don McLean Says He's Worried for 'Monster Star' Taylor Swift

Though, he also voiced his concern about how fame could affect the "Fortnight" musician's mental health, telling The Standard UK that while she “is an example of what talent and really hard work can accomplish,” it also takes work to balance her personal life with the spotlight.

“A lot of people think show business is just something ‘Oh, you’re so wonderful, you should be a star,' Taylor Swift was a star for 15 years before she became a monster star, the size of the galaxy for God sake," he said.

“She’s working all of the time and she does everything that she does better than everybody else," he added. "Whether it’s a video or a performance or songwriting or records or whatever, she does it all, just way better than everybody else and it’s really interesting because all of those other acts are suddenly old-fashioned."

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