At the Kennedy Center Honors, which were broadcast Sunday, Montauk’s Rufus Wainwright paid tribute to Sag Harbor’s Billy Joel with a melody of Joel’s music.
Wainwright starts with “New York State of Mind” then works into “Piano Man,” inviting the audience to help him sing the “Piano Man” chorus—even First Lady Michelle Obama, sitting with President Barack Obama, joined in.
Joel looked moved—and very happy.
Other musicians who covered Joel’s songs at the Honors were Don Henley, Garth Brooks and Brendon Urie.
Watch Wainwright’s soulful performance here: