NorCal native Kyle Martin pays tribute Billy Joel, Elton John
Concert will be live-streamed from Vallejo's Empress
Billy Joel’s credits include 33 songs in the Top 40. And few people — other than Joel’s
family and agent — are happier about it than Kyle Martin.
A Santa Rosa native and former Sacramento resident, Martin’s passion for all-that-is-Joel led to a twoyear stint with the Twyla Tharp-directed “Movin’ Out” national touring production that was blessed by Billy Joel himself.
From there, it was Martin’s own presentation, “The Piano Man,” that he takes to the Empress Theatre in downtown Vallejo on March 20 in a live-streamed only event.
While Martin maneuvers a new start-up date in Las Vegas where he had a prepandemic residency, he’ll hop in his personal tour bus and make the drive back to the Bay Area, bringing the numerous hits of Joel and Elton John to the Empress stage.
Martin’s proverbial “big break” came with an almost-out-of-the-blue phone call in 2007 when he was offered the lead role in “Movin’ Out,” some two years after Martin’s bio, demo recording and a photograph made its way through the maze of scrutiny to the promised land.
Yes, there is a moral to the story.
“Patience …try for everything … you never know,” Martin said by phone Tuesday.
Though thrilled he’s able to do his own thing, Martin wouldn’t have minded if his time with “Movin’ Out” continued.
Unfortunately, the production’s contract expired.
“It had to end some time,” Martin said. “Honestly, I would have kept doing it.”
It took about a month for Martin to grow into Joel’s shoes for the performance, sitting at the piano and performing the plethora of hits.
That first performance? “I was like a deer in the headlights,” Martin said, lamenting his bout with strep through the entire rehearsal time.
Then there were the critics. Actually, just one: Billy Joel’s keyboard player. A month and a half into rehearsals, “he told me I was playing everything wrong,” Martin said.
Apparently, he got it right.
“It was just a fun role and we were all like family,” Martin said. “I stay in contact with a lot of them.”
Martin’s met Joel himself several times and was praised by the legend.
“I wouldn’t say I have his number on speed dial. I try and leave him alone,” laughed Martin, proud that Joel “was very complimentary” of the “Movin’ Out” performance.
Martin wasn’t beyond stunned meeting his idol. An autograph? Of course. Advice? Uh, nope.
“I was too dumb and star-struck to ask really anything,” Martin said.
Martin managed to meet Joel as he rehearsed for the closure of Shea Stadium, former home of the New York Mets.
“I was pretty in awe. It was watching history,” Martin said, grateful that when he met Joel, “he was very humble, very unassuming. Kind of like a regular guy.”
Though “The Piano Man” is a tribute, it’s not an impersonation, Martin emphasized.
“There’s only one Billy Joel,” he said, thrilled when he’s able to connect with the ticket buyers.
“The ultimate compliment is when I moved the audience. If you can move an audience singing other’s music, that’s a huge deal,” Martin said.