Billy Joel was on Long Island on Saturday to induct his longtime booking agent, Dennis Arfa, into the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame (LIMEHOF) in Stony Brook.
“He’s got an encyclopedic memory and the ability to execute a large strategy and focus on the details,” Joel said of Arfa, speaking at the podium.
“This is a rare skill in this business and that’s why so many people wanted to work with him: Rod Stewart, Metallica, Rodney Dangerfield, Andrew Dice Clay, Deaf Leopard,” Joel said. “They saw what I saw: passion, integrity, instinct and results. Dennis didn’t just have ideas; he had the nerve to follow through on them. He broke the mold and he helped shift the industry.”
Arfa, who represented Joel for more than 50 years, is credited as the architect of the Piano Man’s residency at Madison Square Garden, as well as his stadium runs at Fenway Park, Wrigley Field, Citizens Bank Park and more.
“My life in show business originated on Long Island and it has always been my home,” Arfa said. “Thank you to the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame for this hometown honor.”
Arfa joins more than 140 musicians – including Joel – and industry executives from Long Island who are LIMEHOF inductees.
“His reputation and accomplishments are second to none as he has established himself as one of the top music executives in the country for the past 50 years”, Ernie Canadeo, LIMEHOF chairman said of Arfa.
Arfa is the chairman of the Music Division at Independent Artist Group. The agency, according to LIMEHOF, represents Sleep Token, Ghost, Neil Young, The Strokes, Cage the Elephant, Pantera, Falling in Reverse, The Smashing Pumpkins, Poison, Elvis Costello and others.
Saturday’s event was part of the two-day Billy Joel Symposium, which featured more than 20 speakers, from 11 states, including scholars, critics, musicians and students providing critical analysis of Joel’s artistry, life and legacy.
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