First-ever Billy Joel exhibit to open on Long Island

My Life, A Piano Man’s Journey to showcase the legendary musician’s life and career in an exclusive exhibition

After nearly a year in the planning, the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame (LIMEHOF) has officially announced the first-ever exhibit dedicated exclusively to LIMEHOF inductee and legendary Long Island musician Billy Joel. The exhibit will open on Friday, November 24th at noon at LIMEHOF’s Stony Brook museum location at 97 Main Street, Stony Brook, NY. The exclusive exhibit, called Billy Joel – My Life, A Piano Man’s Journey will showcase over 50 years of Joel’s most cherished items including rare memorabilia, behind-the-scenes video, dozens of awards, rare audio and video recordings, vintage instruments, and historic photos, many donated by Billy Joel and never seen before in public.

“We are thrilled and honored to present the Billy Joel exhibit everyone has been waiting for, Billy Joel – My Life, the incredible story of A Piano Man’s Journey from Long Island to worldwide acclaim,” states Ernie Canadeo, LIMEHOF Chairman. “Billy has been very cordial and involved in the planning, and it is appropriate the exhibit is on Long Island, where he has long been identified, written so many songs and lived most of his life. It is a fitting tribute to Long Island’s most successful entertainer and is guaranteed to thrill his legions of fans.”

This exhibit, the second since the museum opened in November of 2022, is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience Joel’s life-spanning career from his roots in Hicksville/Levittown through his albums, tours, inspirations, and personal experiences.

The exhibit is being created by renowned designer and LIMEHOF board member Kevin O’Callaghan, who designed the Hall of Fame and its current exhibit to much acclaim. O’Callahan and Canadeo have presented the exhibit plans and designs to Billy Joel several times during the past year and have received his input, culminating with the final design ready to be created.

“It has been a thrill and an honor to work with Billy in creating this extraordinary testament to his life and music,” shares Kevin O’Callaghan, LIMEHOF Creative Director. “It is one of the highlights of my long career and I’m sure visitors will be thrilled with the result.”

The exhibit is being supported and sponsored by Catholic Health, The Billy Joel Foundation, Madison Square Garden Entertainment, Jake’s 58 Casino Hotel, The Haugland Group, M&T Bank, The EGC Group and Lessing’s Hospitality.

“Catholic Health is very proud to be the presenting sponsor of the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame and this particular exhibit really captures what it’s all about,” adds Joe Carofano, Senior Vice President of Strategy and Chief Marketing Officer of Catholic Health. “Billy Joel, The Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame and Catholic Health all share a common love of Long Island; its spirit, its heritage and its unique character. Our roots are intertwined; bringing us together to celebrate the joy of life that Long Island inspires in all of us.”

Tickets are available for sale at TheBillyJoelExhibit.com or are available to be purchased in person at LIMEHOF. This is a timed entry exhibit so tickets will be sold by time block availability, or you can purchase VIP any-time tickets good any time for the duration of the exhibit.

Joel is set to wrap his ten-year Madison Square Garden residency in July 2024 with his 150th-lifetime show at the venue. Shows have been announced through April with most dates sold out.

SiriusXM subscribers in North America can listen to The Billy Joel Channel through October 28th on channel 105 and the SiriusXM App. During the monthlong run, Joel will present a track-by-track of all 11 of his rock albums, DJ-themed shows, concert specials and more. All of the “I Go To Extremes” singer-songwriter’s songs can be heard in an A to Z marathon on October 8th starting at noon ET. Plus, celebrities like Don Henley, Garth Brooks, Billy’s daughter Alexa Ray Joel, Joel’s band members, and more host their own guest DJ shows.

Columbia Records and Legacy Recordings will release The Vinyl Collection, Vol. 2 on November 3rd, continuing an ongoing celebration of the legendary artist’s 50-plus years of musical magic, on-stage and in the studio. The 11 LP deluxe box set completes the definitive Billy Joel 12-inch vinyl album project which began with The Vinyl Collection, Vol. 1, a 9 LP set released in November 2021 in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of Joel’s debut solo album, Cold Spring Harbor, originally released November 1, 1971.

On New Year’s Eve, New York’s quintessential son is back in his hometown on Long Island and will perform for the first time at the new state-of-the-art UBS Arena at Belmont. Joel will be helping Long Islanders ring in the New Year beginning at 9:30 pm marking his first concert on Long Island since 2018.

Joel will perform his first concert in Japan in 16 years on January 24, 2024. The Piano Man will play a concert at the Tokyo Dome for a one-night-only event, marking his 12th stop to the country since 1978.

Next year will see The Entertainer team with Sting for joint headlining shows in Tampa, FL and San Diego, CA.

Buddy Iahn
Buddy Iahn