It seems to be the end of an era. First, news came that Billy Joel‘s motorcycle shop in Oyster Bay, Long Island, would be closing down. Now a major exhibit about the Piano Man’s life and career that’s been running for two years is coming to an end.
Billy Joel – My Life, A Piano Man’s Journey has been on display at the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame since November 2023. It includes rare memorabilia, videos, awards, recordings, instruments and photos, many donated from Billy’s personal collection. Even Billy was amazed by the exhibit: When he toured it ahead of its official opening, according to the museum, he kept asking, “Where did you get all this stuff?”
After drawing tens of thousands of visitors, the exhibit will wrap up Oct. 26. The museum’s chairman, Ernie Canadeo, tells Newsday, “It’s been two years, and since we are a full hall of fame … we felt, ‘Let’s end this.’” He added the museum will “retain a lot of items,” including the piano Billy used on his Face 2 Face tour with Elton John.
Another item that’s “probably staying,” according to Canadeo? An elementary school photo of Billy that shows a female classmate sitting behind him. “When Billy came to visit the exhibit, he looked at that photo, pointed to her and said, ‘Oh, that’s Virginia,”” says Canadeo. Billy was referring to the girl he famously sang about in his classic hit “Only the Good Die Young.”
So, if watching the Billy Joel HBO documentary has gotten you interested in doing a deep dive into his life, you can buy tickets online to see the exhibition before it closes.
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