AceShowbiz - Don McLean, the legendary singer-songwriter behind "American Pie", has expressed his admiration for Taylor Swift's remarkable career and the hard work she has put in to achieve her status. In an interview with The Standard, McLean praised Swift's evolution from a rising country artist to a global powerhouse.

"She is a person who is an example of what talent and really hard work can accomplish," McLean said. "She's working all of the time, and she does everything that she does better than everybody else."

However, McLean also expressed concern for Swift's well-being in the face of the industry's demands. He advised her to prioritize happiness and contentment with her accomplishments.

"The only thing is that she stays happy," McLean said. "You have to be happy with what you're doing. I don't go around thinking 'Man, why don't I have this?' or 'Why don't I have that?' "

McLean highlighted the importance of navigating the music industry carefully, particularly regarding ownership of one's work. He referred to Swift's legal battles with Scooter Braun over control of her early albums, calling record companies "the biggest thieves on the planet."

Despite her challenges, Swift has broken several records, including surpassing McLean's own record for the longest No. 1 song on the Billboard Hot 100 with her 10-minute version of "All Too Well". McLean acknowledged this achievement, stating, "It's really interesting because all of those other acts are suddenly old-fashioned."