When music journalists write about Billy Joel, the headline inevitably mentions his classic "Piano Man" as in "The Piano Man comes to (insert location)." But the 40 plus year career of Joel should earn him more than a lazy short shrift. Sunday April 6, at 8pm he performs at the KFC Yum! Center so fans and journalists alike will remember just how much of his music came to be known as classics.
Billy Joel has approached the status of legend with his six Grammy awards, including one called the Grammy Legend Award, his induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and his induction into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame.
The number six is also important because he's sold over 150,000 million albums worldwide which puts him sixth on the list of best selling musical acts of all time.
One of the cooler things you'll find from a Billy Joel show are the "just like the record" hit songs that end up with riffs from other songs. In his recent show at the Quicken Loans Center in Cleveland his take on The McCoys "Hang on Sloopy" made it into the set. Was it playing to the crowd? Probably. After all, it’s the official rock song of the state of Ohio and of Ohio State University.
Even songs like AC/DC's "Highway to Hell" have ended up on his set list before. That gives the show a familiar feel but leaves it open to a dose of anything-can-happen. Imagine songs like that seamlessly weaved together with "Uptown Girl" and "It's Still Rock and Roll to Me."
Gavin DeGraw opens the show and, at press time, seats were still available.
Photo by: Anthony Correia / Shutterstock.com
