Billy Joel proved that he is still the Piano Man by tickling the ivory keys of an instrument left for dead!
The legendary artist was taking a relaxing motorcycle ride through Long Island when he noticed a discarded piano on a residential street. The viral video, which is said to have been filmed on June 26, shows Joel after he got off his ride and was already making beautiful music come out of the old hunk of junk. Billy pleaded with a nearby neighbor to save the large instrument because it wasn’t in bad condition.
Scroll down to hear the sweet music.
A commenter identified the tune he was playing as Shelton Brooks’ “Darktown Strutters’ Ball.”
“The action is good,” Joel exclaimed. “It just needs tuning, and the finish is beat. It’s a perfectly good piano. It’s a shame to throw it out.”
When faced with the possibility of a perfectly good instrument going to waste, he suggested that the neighbors should donate it to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, which has a thrift store located in Huntington.
“They’d probably take it,” Joel says before continuing to examine the piano.
“These are laminated keys, the pedals work, the action is great,” he concludes. “The mechanics are perfect.”
We are guessing the value of the piano just went up by a lot! Joel is currently in “semi-retirement,” so a concert, no matter how short it is, is a pretty rare sight to see and hear. Thankfully, for his millions of fans, the moment was captured on camera… even if the person that shot it has no idea how to hold a it properly.
Viewers of the amazing impromptu song were thrilled to see the iconic player in an everyday situation but they couldn’t help but let loose with the Piano Man jokes.
“Would definitely put bread in his jar and say ‘Man what are you doin’ here?’ a fan commented.
“Somebody give that poor busker a dollar. He’s got potential!” another one joked.
Man funny commentators poked fun at the shotty camera work. “Bartender, I’ll have two of whatever the guy with the camera is drinking.”