More Than Just a "Piano Man"

Can we ever get enough of Billy Joel? He is such a talented musician, piano player and just keeps on going and going. The energy he provides for his career is also carried over to charity work and giving back to the community. Joel’s music career started in the 1970s and it was, an impressive eight years later that he was already putting his money to good use. In 1978, Joel started Charity Begins at Home. This organization raises money, through concerts performed by Joel, and allocates the funds to various charitable agencies in the tri-state area. Some groups that have been funded include domestic violence, cystic fibrosis and emotional disabilities. The organization just celebrated its thirtieth anniversary and Joel, even after all those years, still shows a devotion to his cause. So while initially this may have seen like a publicity deal, you know a new artist on the rise looking to get his name out there by doing something good, thirty years later, the facts are clear that Joel is in it for all the right reasons – helping others, rather than to get his name out there and be portrayed as a “do good-er.”Besides his own charity, Joel is a supporter of many other renowned charities including Soles4Souls, the Rainforest Foundation Fund, Farm Aid and MusiCares. In 2002, Joel was named MusiCares Person of the Year, in recognition of his work as a musician and humanitarian.

Joel’s most recent giving back began last week in New York City. Joel put up for auction an autographed baby grand piano in which all proceeds would go to music students in New York City. The proceeds will help to provide music theory classes, ear training and individual lessons at the Julliard School. Bids are being accepted up until May 6th. Click here if you are interested in placing a bid, and receiving a piano of the piano man.

Doing my research on Billy Joel, I must say I learned a lot. Joel is famous for his work as a musician, from "Uptown Girl" to "We Didn’t Start the Fire." Who knew he was such a humanitarian and devoted so much of his time and profits to charities? This says a lot about him. Again we see that Joel does charity work for all of the right reasons. The fact that his name isn’t all over the tabloids shows that he is not looking for publicity or to look good in the eyes of his fans. Just like an average American citizen, who doesn’t have songs topping the charts or making million dollars off albums, Joel donates to charities helping others and making the world a better place.

Posted by Stephanie Cantor