When Billy Joel Made a Surprise Performance With a Tribute Band

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“Hey, who’s that guy who sounds like Billy Joel?”

Fans in Huntington, Long Island were enjoying a Friday night out on June 24, 2016, at The Paramount by the long-successful Billy Joel tribute band Big Shot when a well-dressed member of the audience joined the band onstage. Audience members started buzzing as they slowly recognized the classic rock icon and their own good fortune.

Joel sat down at the piano as the band began to play The Beatles’ “With a Little Help From My Friends,” with Joel doing his best Joe Cocker impression. As they finished, the lucky crowd roared their approval. Joel, drinking from a water bottle, playfully asked: “Whoo! This is pretty good… what the hell is in this? Hey, Huntington!”

Big Shot then began the unmistakable first notes of the Rolling Stones’ “Honky Tonk Women” with Joel doing his best Mick Jagger impersonation.

As a finale, Joel and the band stuck to a favorite from the Joel canon, “You May Be Right.”

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Big Shot is the brainchild of Long Islander and lifelong Joel fan, Mike DelGuidice, who have been performing Joel’s songs for decades. In 2013, DelGuidice’s talents were formally recognized by Joel himself and he joined Joel’s touring band on backup vocals and guitar.

Joel was attending the show with wife Alexis Roderick. Here’s the entire performance of “With a Little Help From My Friends,” “Honky Tonk Women” and “You May Be Right.” Our Classic Video…

Joel completes his record-breaking monthly residency at New York’s Madison Square Garden in July 2024, and has shows also scheduled in other markets. Tickets are available here and here. His albums have been released in recent vinyl collections here.