Billy Joel Returns to Madison Square Garden for Unprecedented Run

The performance is Joel's 73rd consecutive monthly performance.

By: Nov. 04, 2021
Get Access To Every Broadway Story

Unlock access to every one of the hundreds of articles published daily on BroadwayWorld by logging in with one click.




Existing user? Just click login.

Billy Joel Returns to Madison Square Garden for Unprecedented Run

Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp. welcomes legendary musician Billy Joel back to MSG tomorrow when his unprecedented, sold-out franchise run continues with his 120th lifetime performance. The show will mark the resumption of his record-breaking Madison Square Garden residency, which paused due to the pandemic following his 73rd consecutive monthly show.

"I can't begin to express how excited we all are to welcome Billy Joel back to The Garden tomorrow night. Billy is New York, and Madison Square Garden - his home away from home - has not been the same without him," said James Dolan, Executive Chairman and CEO of MSG Entertainment. "The return of Billy's monthly sold-out residency is not only about unforgettable music by one of the greatest entertainers in history, it is also an incredibly important moment in New York City's recovery, and sends a powerful message that we're on our way back."

Joel's first concert at The Garden was held on December 14, 1978, and in December 2013 he was named the company's first-ever music franchise, joining the ranks of the storied venue's other original franchises - the New York Knicks and New York Rangers. Tomorrow marks the 74th show in the legendary entertainer's historic monthly residency, which will continue monthly, "as long as the demand continues," says Joel.

Billy Joel is one of the biggest concert draws in the world, selling out arenas and stadiums across the globe. Having sold 150 million records over the past quarter century and scoring 33 consecutive Top 40 hits, Joel ranks as one of the most popular recording artists and respected entertainers in history. The singer/songwriter/composer is the sixth best-selling recording artist of all time and the third best-selling solo artist.

Joel received The Kennedy Center Honors, one of the United States' top cultural awards, in December 2013. He is also the recipient of six GRAMMY® Awards, including the prestigious Grammy Legend Award. Joel has been inducted into the Songwriter's Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and has received numerous industry awards including a TONY AWARD for "Movin' Out," a Broadway musical based on Joel's music. For his accomplishments as a musician and as a humanitarian, Joel was honored as the 2002 MusiCares Person Of The Year by the MusiCares Foundation and the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences.

In November 2014, Billy Joel received both The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song which honors living musical artists' lifetime achievement in promoting the genre of song as a vehicle of cultural understanding; entertaining and informing audiences; and inspiring new generations, and the once-in-a-century ASCAP Centennial Award, which is presented to American music icons in recognition of their incomparable accomplishments in their respective music genres and beyond. In 2016, the Library of Congress selected "Piano Man" for preservation in the National Recording Registry for its "cultural, historic, and artistic significance."

Joel has also performed alongside other music greats at two of Madison Square Garden's most extraordinary benefit concerts - "12-12-12, The Concert For Sandy Relief," which raised awareness and money for those affected by Hurricane Sandy, and "The Concert for New York City," which was held to help aid 9/11 victims and heroes. Billy Joel received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles, adding another milestone to his brilliant career.

Photo Credit: Myrna Suarez



Comments

To post a comment, you must register and login.

Vote Sponsor


Videos