Billy Joel Songs Inspire Tribute At Elementary School, He Actually Shows Up [Video]
Billy Joel’s songs inspired a tribute put on by a New York Elementary School, and they invited him to watch the show. So what did he do? He showed up to watch the performance!
To say that everyone at the Deasy Elementary School Spring Sing was shocked to see one of the most legendary musicians in American history attend their show would be an understatement — but that is exactly what happened when Billy Joel decided to accept the invitation the school had sent him.
Students in Kindergarten through second grade performed in “The River of Dreams: A Billy Joel Tribute Concert,” a presentation that included the rocker’s greatest hits.
“We invited Billy Joel on a lark, but we didn’t expect him to come,” Nomi Rosen, Principal at Deasy Elementary School told CNN, “It was totally thrilling. We were all beside ourselves.”
Joel — who is a native of Long Island — heard about the special presentation through word of mouth, Rosen said and just before the program started Billy pulled up to school riding his motorcycle and took a seat in the back of the auditorium.
There he is, sitting in the audience, apparently undisturbed by other parents and relatives attending the concert, cheering on the little ones.
Billy Joel makes surprise appearance at Long Island kindergarten concert http://t.co/MwmzzZxtSI @billyjoel #cute pic.twitter.com/vPDUilmgMU
— CBC Music (@CBCMusic) April 11, 2014
“I asked him if he wanted to sit in front, but he said he would rather stay in the back so he wouldn’t make the kids nervous,” Rosen said.
Before the show began and after obtaining his permission, Rosen announced that Billy Joel was in the house and the crowd went wild with applause.
The children proceeded to sing some of the best known hits from Joel’s very successful career, including, “Movin’ Out,” “We Didn’t Start the Fire,” and “Uptown Girl,” followed by “New York State of Mind” and closing with the famous ballad “Piano Man.”
Rosen said parents and older students from the Middle School were thrilled to have Billy Joel at the school, however, the performers were just there to put on their show and said of the special visitor “Of course he is coming. We’re singing his songs he wants to hear us sing!”
Some of the kids’ relatives took to Twitter to extend their thanks to Joel for being so kind to attend the concert and shared some pictures on Instagram:
Thank you @billyjoel for having so much class and showing up at my niece’s school today in Glen Cove an amazin singer & person #classact
— LightHouse Mashelle (@LITEHOUSEMASHEL) April 10, 2014
@billyjoel Thanks for coming to the #DeasySchool Spring Concert.U made a lot of little (and big) people feel special. #classact #GlenCove
— Janice LaRocca (@JaLaRoc) April 9, 2014
It is safe to say that having Billy Joel show up at an Elementary School’s tribute of his songs is pretty cool and not something that happens every day. Kudos!
[Image via Anthony Correia / Shutterstock.com]
