Word spread Saturday night that Billy Joel would be on hand to induct his longtime booking agent Dennis Arfa at the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame in Stony Brook.
“I didn’t want to announce that Billy was coming, but I’m so proud that he’s here,” Arfa, 77, said before the ceremony. “And I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for him.”
The induction ceremony is meant to honor Arfa, 77, for a 50-year partnership with Joel that helped the singer achieve a number of live performance milestones, including a rare tour in Soviet Russia in 1987, the first rock concert at Yankee Stadium in 1990 and a 10-year monthly residency at Madison Square Garden that culminated in a lifetime total of 150 shows at the venue. The induction coincided with the Hall of Fame’s two-day Billy Joel Symposium.
“It’s a small crowd, and just a nice opportunity to see him in a public setting,” said Patricia Salkin of Touro University, one of the speakers at the symposium, who showed up to the ceremony more than an hour early with a colleague. “I think it’d be nice for everybody to see him, and I think it’ll bring a smile to everybody’s face.”
Joel, 77, last year announced his diagnosis of normal pressure hydrocephalus, a brain disorder than can cause balance and hearing problems, and canceled all upcoming concerts.
Several of Joel’s longtime band members were also on hand to show support for Arfa and for the Piano Man.
“Billy’s an amazing artist and an incredible performer, but Dennis is a big part of that success,” David Rosenthal, Joel’s keyboardist and musical director, said, “and it’s great that we’re all here tonight to honor him.”
Andy Cichon, Joel’s bassist, praised Arfa for his business savvy but also his “deeper understanding” of Joel’s music.
“Dennis absolutely gets Billy’s audience, knows where to place him, knows how to structure touring, knows what fans will work well with us,” Cichon said. He added that he was looking forward to seeing Joel and his bandmates, whose last proper concert together was in February of last year.
“I miss the man,” Cichon said. “I miss playing with my brothers and sister, and especially my piano player.”
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