JOEL’S NO ‘STRANGER’
Honored for 100th show at MSG
The Piano Man has been honored with the keys to the city.
At a ceremony celebrating Billy Joel’s 100th Madison Square Garden concert Wednesday, Gov. Cuomo declared July 18 “Billy Joel Day.” MSG displayed a Steinway piano and a plaque that will sit in front of its main entrance off Chase Square. The impressive run of shows includes a monthly residency that began in January 2014.
“I am proud to congratulate Billy on this remarkable milestone, and I look forward to seeing him perform for many years to come,” said Cuomo. “There is an authenticity about Billy and his music. You can’t fool New Yorkers for 40 years. Billy is a quintessential New Yorker.”
Joel was born in the Bronx and raised on Long Island.
His first concert at The Garden was on Dec. 14, 1978. Joel broke the record for most lifetime performances by any artist at MSG with his 65th show back on July 1, 2015, beating the previous record held by Elton John. Joel’s impressive string of shows includes an ongoing monthly residency that began in January 2014.
MSG executive chairman Jim Dolan said that Joel’s long run will probably never be matched.
“It is a testament first I think to the music, spanning multiple styles,” said Dolan, “It’s a testament to Billy (for) performing 100 times on the same stage, and making each performance fresh and engaging. It’s a testament to New York.”
Joel’s friend, actor and writer Chazz Palminteri, described Joel as “the working man. Billy is the guy that gets up in the morning and writes,” he said. “People know and feel that.”
After hearing his praises sung, the 69-year-old pop legend credited his agent for dreaming up the idea of the MSG residency.
“I couldn’t think of a better way to peak in my life than this, Joel said. “My cup runneth over.”
The Piano Man didn’t say whether that cup was filled from a bottle of white or a bottle of red.