[Corey]

According to articles I read, Wednesday's concert included appearances by John Mellancamp, Don Henley, Tony Bennett, and John Mayer, and Friday's concert featured appearances by Garth Brook, Steven Tyler, Roger Daltry, and Paul McCartney. Billy Joel has some really cool friends!

[rverdi2837]

Which reminds me of another great song...Vienna off of his 1977 album "The Stranger." If you haven't checked out this whole album it is a masterpiece and you don't have to be a Joel-junkie...its just great pop music.

[Joe Szulczewski]

Unfortunately, Billy no longer performs my favorite of his, "Uptown Girl," simply because he admits he can't hit the notes anymore. Has he tried changing to a lower key like some others have to give the impression they can still hit the high notes?
Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons performed Uptown Girl in the 1990s and possibly Lou Christie or the Happenings (Bob Kulig has the voice for it) could be successful performing and/or recodring it.

[rverdi2837]

Hey Joe- A few years back when he toured with Elton John the two each performed a song of the other's during the show. Joel played Elton's "Take Me to the Pilot," and Elton played "Uptown Girl." In recent concerts he has changed keys to perform some of his older stuff, but supposedly hasn't played this one because of its association with his ex-wife! Too bad, it is a great song!

[Chuck Granata]

Rob, that's just a rumor. I spoke with Billy for my book with Phil Ramone, and he said the reason he doesn't sing the song is because of the very high notes. I was at Fridays concert, and Christie Brinkley was there. It was a phenomenal show...

[Chuck Granata]

Btw, Tony Bennett was there and sang with Billy on friday night too.

[rverdi2837]

Interesting...he sure didn't mind changing keys on songs like "Innocent Man," "This Night," and "She's Always a Woman," on this last tour (all having really high notes)...I'd love to check out your book...what's the title?

[Gregory]

Originally Posted by rverdi2837

Interesting...he sure didn't mind changing keys on songs like "Innocent Man," "This Night," and "She's Always a Woman," on this last tour (all having really high notes)...I'd love to check out your book...what's the title?

He changed keys for those songs? Really. I don't them having high notes like Uptown Girl does.

[Oren]

When I saw him 2 years ago, He sang Innocent Man but Crystal Talifero did the high parts.

[rverdi2837]

Good call by Chuck on why Billy doesn't sing Uptown Girl...here he answers the question directly.

http://musicflag.blogspot.com/2008/0...town-girl.html

Also-If you listen to some of the live versions on his recent concert CD "12 Garden Nights" he does take on "Innocent Man," but in a lower key. Crystal doesn't sign those parts here, though she did sing them on earlier tours...

[Joe Szulczewski]

I believe Billy once commented that he wrote Uptown Girl to show that he can produce the Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons' sound. Frankie used to perform Uptown Girl in the 1990s and really did it justice, especially with that falsetto of his.

[Jesper]

Hi gang,

It is true that Billy now gives the "too high a key"-reason for not doing.. or should I say not performing.. Uptown Girl in concert, however he included it numerous times on his 2006-tour which I attended as well as at least once on his 2007-tour.

He has changed the key for a lot of his songs doing them in concert, although some of the changes might be for making it easier on the horn section to play. Movin' Out, She's Always A Woman, Zanzibar, Miami 2010 etc. have all been moved down half a key while An Innocent Man and Piano Man have been moved down a full note.

By the way, does anyone have the audio from the april 1999 Rainforest Benefit concert at Carnegie Hall? Billy, Sting, James Taylor and others devoted the entire concert to our Frank and sang all (or mostly) Sinatra-songs.

Best,

Jesper

[DonnaM]

Have always liked his work but it was on this night that the words "I LOVE Billy Joel" couldn't have been more from the heart:

At around the 2:12 mark, following "I Go To Extremes", the 1994 Grammys: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awKgSA9UWME

I truly considered Mr. Joel the greatest man on Earth that night and have only grown to appreciate him more with each passing year

[Joe Szulczewski]

Billy Joel is a great talent from a time of a great musical explosion. We were fortunate to be around in the 50s through the 80s. There was so much talent around and so much experimentation with music that it boggles the mind. Billy is one of the participants in that explosion. There was someone and something out there to satisfy anybody's likes and genre. From Frank to the Beatles to the Rolling Stones to Hendrix to the Beach Boys to the Four Seasons, Elton John, Paul McCartney, Eric Clapton, Steppenwolf, the Temptations, the Girl Groups, Elvis, Bruce, Gartn Brooks, Bob Dylan, Hank Williams and Jr., and the list goes on and on.

[johnofphilly]

I'm not too big on much recorded after about 1967, and really love listening to 1961 and before.

Joel? He's good at what he does, Big Shot, Italian Restaurant, etc.
He managed to interest Christie for awhile, that certainly counts for something.